Android 2.1 (Eclair) On HTC [27 Jun 2010] (V2.5a) Voice Support

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Android on your Windows Mobile HTC Device...
Supports Blackstone, Diamond, Diamond 500, Fuze, Raphael, Raphael 800, Rhodium, Tilt 2 & Topaz


First things first, this post is PURELY an instruction guide for noobies that aims to reflect the latest status and downloads (give or take a day).
I am not an Android developer, I do not create any of this software... this is done by far more talented people than I. This thread is purely to collate the latest info for Android on Windows Mobile HTC devices and make deploying Android on your device as simple as possible.

If you have new information that should be added to the guide (and is relevant for ALL folks) then feel free to add to the thread and I'll update the OP frequently.


These opening few posts should have ALL the latest info you need to get started (no need to trawl through the threads).
The only time you 'might' need to look in the thread is for 'breaking news' info that is no more than a day old...i.e. The Opening Post is the place!

Credits: There are too many to mention, and many are unknown, but basically the guys poring Android to our devices should be thanked, along with all those making the effort to help others test, document, or use their work (along with those who provide answers to the same questions, time and time again). These are the guys who deserve the credit. From memory...
osamaa,
babijoee,
phhusson,
herpez
scanny
klinux
and many more



What's New?
Latest Update: 27 Jun 2010 (V2.5a)

• InitRD - 20100611-5816d27 (new)
• Rootfs - 20100626-a700154 (new)
• System - XDANDROID.2.1.AOSP.21.06.10 + Advanced Task Killer + disabled HW3D + Setup Wizard fix
• Kernel - htc-msm-linux @ 201006211555 (No Debug) (new)
• Voice search working!
• HW3D Disabled (it's problematic on some devices and just doesn't work on Blackstone)
• Stopped (I hope) the setup wizard 'conflict' at first boot.
• This release is pretty fast (but I'd advise that once installed, you also launch SpareParts, and configure the window animations etc to 'fast'
• There is a chance that after installation, some Startup.txt settings MAY be incorrect for your device. If you discover any mistake, PLEASE let me know, I will correct asap. I need your help on this guys.

How To Install (CAB Version)

• Step 1 - Prepare your SD Card
  Find a nice clean SD card to load Android on.
  You can either format your card to get it entirely clean, or you can leave all the files you may already have on there.
  *Warning* - If you have valuable data on your card, back it up. Android is usually safe, but if you can't afford to lose the data on your card, don't risk it!
  Some cards have difficulty working, there is a POSSIBILITY this is due to the formatting of the card. If in doubt, format to FAT32, not FAT16
  
  
• Step 2 - Download and install the CAB
  Download and install the following 'full package' cab (a collection of ALL the files you'll need to run Android on your device) by clicking the XDAndroid Cab button below.
  
  
  
  You MUST install on the Storage Card. The cab file will take a couple of minutes to install Android. Please be patient.
  
  For those that are interested the cab files does the following:
  - Installs Android in the root of the SD Card
  - Deploys the correct Startup.txt for the device (the user can choose their device type)
  - Adds a high res icon for Android in the root of the SD Card
  - Installs a shortcut in Program Files named "Android" (launches Haret.exe)
  - Installs the high res icon in the registry for WM6.5 users
  
  
• Step 3 - Run Android
  Android is now installed... So launch 'Android' from your Program Files menu in WinMo. Your phone should reboot into Android with 2 quick vibrations.
  Have patience... the first time you do this can take a LONG time (3 mins or more). During the first boot on SOME devices, you will be asked to calibrate the screen. This is very similar to Windows Mobile screen calibration (except it's in text mode).
  The reason the first boot takes longer is that Android is 'preparing' your device for the first time.

How To Install (ZIP Version)

• Step 1 - Prepare your SD Card
  Find a nice clean SD card to load Android on.
  You can either format your card to get it entirely clean, or you can leave all the files you may already have on there.
  *Warning* - If you have valuable data on your card, back it up. Android is usually safe, but if you can't afford to lose the data on your card, don't risk it!
  Some cards have difficulty working, there is a POSSIBILITY this is due to the formatting of the card. If in doubt, format to FAT32, not FAT16
  
  
• Step 2 - Download and extract the ZIP
  Download and install the following 'full package' zip(a collection of ALL the files you'll need to run Android on your device) by clicking the XDAndroid zip button below.
  
  
  
  You MUST unzip to the ROOT of the Storage Card. The zip file will take a short while to extract. Please be patient.
  
  
  Once you've extracted the zip:
  - Click Auto-Setup.exe to configure XDAndroid for your particular device
  
  
  
• Step 3 - Run Android
  Android is now installed... So launch 'Android' from your Program Files menu in WinMo. Your phone should reboot into Android with 2 quick vibrations.
  Have patience... the first time you do this can take a LONG time (3 mins or more). During the first boot on SOME devices, you will be asked to calibrate the screen. This is very similar to Windows Mobile screen calibration (except it's in text mode).
  The reason the first boot takes longer is that Android is 'preparing' your device for the first time.

If you want to exit Android and go back to Windows Mobile, then you need to remove the battery, or press the reset button of your device. Sorry folks, but that's how it is!)




Known Issues
Many things are still not working properly, and the developers are fully aware of 99% of them.

• SDCard - Most SDCards are working, but if you the 'waiting for SDCard' message, you should try one of these fixes (and please let us know if it works)
  Fix 1: Format your card with this tool http://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter/
  Fix 2: Edit your startup.txt file and add these entries to your cmdline:
  set cmdline "lcd.density=240 msmts_calib=0x395.0x3c9.0x79.0x77 clock-7x00.a11=500 msmvkeyb_toggle=off pmem.extra=1 gsensor_axis=-2,-1,3
  msmsdcc_1bit msmsdcc_fmax=14000000 msmsdcc_nopwrsave"
  Fix 3: Tell your wife / girlfriend that you are about to make some modifications to her phone... change the ringtone and steal her old Class 2 SD Card to use with Android. She will never discover what you have done, and if she does, you'll be able to use Android to send texts to your former girlfriends ;-)
• Camera - Not working
• GPS - Should be working, but it's only just been enabled (so could be buggy)
• Battery Status - Highly problematic for most users (don't trust the capacity Android tells you, it's simply up and down a lot, and highly inaccurate)
• WiFi - Working for most people, suspected to cause slight heat, definitely drains the battery faster than WinMo. Some users have reported freezes when switching WiFi off
• Audio - Speaker working for most people, microphone can have issues
• Deep Sleep - Working for most people, but can have issues waking up (sometimes, it will not wake up)
• GPRS - Working
• 3G - Working for most
• PIN Code - Not working
• GSensor - Working (Screen only handles 0 and 270 degrees)
• Bluetooth - Experimentally working (don't expect too much, but it's working for a number of users)
• OpenGL ES - Not working
• USB - Supported, but will NOT operate in mass storage mode. You can charge via USB and you can debug, but forget accessing your files by it.
• Headphone Socket - Semi working (see FAQ for details on how to make it work)
• Application Errors: It's very common to see 'Application (xxxxxx) is not responding: Force Close or Wait'. Click wait. I do not know the precise reason for this, but from what I can gather, it COULD be related to the slow speed of the SD Card causing the app response times to JUST be a little too slow for Android's liking, thus causing the message. This seems to happen more after bootup or wakeup when the device is busy doing stuff in the background.
• Cannot choose ringtones: This is believed to be caused by the media scanner failing (due to discovering some filenames with none English characters). The best option of all is to use a CLEAN SD Card. But, if you insist on hosting other files on the same SD Card, you MUST make sure they have English character filenames.

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I download a release?
  There are a number of Android releases (all at varying stages of development). Use the search function to locate one, or try these:
  http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=621498 (Standard XDAndroid for ALL Devices)
  http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=624808 (Customised Android UI for Blackstone)
  Both come with very clear instructions on how to install
  
  
• What features are in a release?
  Generally, it's very difficult to detail them, unless there is a significant new feature (in which case, that will be very well advertised!). Usually it's minor speed improvements, bug fixes etc... and sometimes, new bugs are introduced (so bear that in mind)
  
  
• My SD Card doesn't seem to work, why?
  Most SD Cards are working, but if you the 'waiting for SDCard' message, you should try one of these fixes (and please let us know if it works)
  Fix 1: Format your card with this tool http://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter/
  Fix 2: Edit your startup.txt file and add these red entries to your cmdline:
  set cmdline "lcd.density=240 msmts_calib=0x395.0x3c9.0x79.0x77 clock-7x00.a11=500 msmvkeyb_toggle=off pmem.extra=1 gsensor_axis=-2,-1,3
  msmsdcc_1bit msmsdcc_fmax=14000000 msmsdcc_nopwrsave"
  Fix 3: Tell your wife / girlfriend that you are about to make some modifications to her phone... change the ringtone and steal her old Class 2 SD Card to use with Android. She will never discover what you have done, and if she does, you'll be able to use Android to send texts to your former girlfriends ;-)
  
  
• How do I turn off, or reboot Android?
  You pull the battery, or press the reset button. When a better solution is found, it will be announced.
  
  
• Q. My phone just went from 50% to 20% in next to no time!
  A. OK, this is the MOST important thing to know before you read on....
  Currently, you just can't trust the 'battery capacity' being reported in Android. The developers are aware of this and will get it working properly soon, but at the moment, Android is very likely to get the battery capacity very mixed up, and so it's quite hard to prove how long the usage is. Remember, Android can shut down when it THINKS there's low battery, so just leaving your phone and not touching it can still cause a shutdown with plenty of battery left.
  If you REALLY need to know the capacity, boot into WinMo (although even this MIGHT be the wrong value if Android has messed up some charging history)... that said, WinMo is definitely reporting much more accurate values, and after a few charges of only using WinMo, the capacity reporting should get very accurate again.
  
  
• Q. My phone doesn't seem to last very long using these Android builds...why?
  A. Firstly, the developers are aware of this, and are working on it. Yes, we all know WinMo holds the power for a lot longer, but that's because they knew the hardware inside out and could get the system to sleep in well behaved ways.
  
  
• Q. So why can't you just copy what WinMo does?
  A. Well, in theory most of what WinMo does CAN be replicated, but the developers have to track down all the chipset information they can, and figure out what WinMo is actually doing to get long life from the battery. Also, Linux isn't Windows, and there ARE differences in how things behave, in some cases WinMo might be slightly better and in others, Linux slightly better, but overall, there shouldn't be too much difference once everything is ironed out.
  
  
• Q. So what the heck could be eating all the power right now?
  A. Well, there's a whole bunch of hardware inside your phone, like CPU, Radio chips (for phone), WiFi chips, GPS chips, accelerometer, light sensor, LCD and Backlight, FM radio, audio chips etc. They all take power if left running, or if the usage isn't optimised.
  Slowly but surely many of these components are being supported fully, but at the moment, some of them are 'working' but perhaps not optimally. Meaning they MIGHT be working harder than they need to, or simply not being switched off properly etc.
  In addition to this, it's possible that some processes (system, or user apps) might be running all the time and causing a lot of battery use. E.g. animated wallpaper, clock animations, google sync communication, wifi searching etc etc.
  
  
• Q. My phone seems to get rather warm, why?
  A. This has been noticed by many and seems related to WiFi and charging. When both are used together, it would seem that Androids high power consumption and heat generated from charging combine to make the device quite warm.
  It hasn't yet been fully established why this is happening, and there doesn't seem to be any serious issue with it (yes it's warmer, but it's not red hot).
  If you're worried, avoid using Android with WiFi and charging at the same time, and stick with WinMo for charging, or just avoid Android altogether until you hear about a fix. However, hundreds of users are using the current builds and no failures have occurred, so it would seem 'reasonably safe' to still play around with the builds... and your help and feedback will help to improve the situation a lot quicker!... the choice is yours.
  
  
• Q. Will the situation EVER be fixed?
  A. Yes, I am confident the devs will find a solution. This really isn't a 'can never be solved' issue, it's purely down to time and effort, so don't panic!
  
  
• Q. How do I make my GPRS / 3G data connection work?
  A. For some operators/carriers, you need to run Android, then go into settings, and locate the APN settings. You need to complete the APN settings for your Operator/Carrier/MVNO. You need to find these settings for yourself I'm afraid, it's out of scope for this thread. You might look here http://www.modmygphone.com/wiki/index.php/Carrier_APN_Settings, but Google is your friend.
  
  
• Q. Are the Android releases available in a ROM?
  No, Android is not yet available in a ROM format.
  Currently Android is installed by using a clean SD Card, and booted from there.
  It is booted by running a special application called 'Haret.exe' residing on your SD Card which will terminate the Windows kernel and boot into Linux/Android.
  
  
• When will it be available in a ROM?
  No time soon. Folks are working on it, but you'll need a lot of patience before it (if ever) arrives
  
  
• How do I suggest features?
  Before you even think about it... ask yourself ONE question... "Do I really think I'm the first to have suggested my idea?" and then ask yourself "And what are the chances of it being read and implemented before all the other issues are fixed?".
  If you still feel it wise to ask for a feature.... go ahead. Don't say you weren't warned.
  
  
• My question starts with the words "When will..." or "When is..." etc
  See above, the same applies. Stuff will appear when it appears. Do you really think you're the only person dying to have GPS support, or power off, or stability etc?
  
  
• Why doesn't the camera work?
  It's not yet supported. When it is, it will be announced.
  
  
• Why isn't GPS working?
  GPS has only just been enabled (May 2010), so might still be problematic, however, it's working well for many users.
  
  
• My battery doesn't seem to last long, why?
  There are many reasons... first Android is not yet fully optimised for power management (so it's not YET as good as WinMo), secondly, the battery status is highly problematic for most users (don't trust the capacity Android tells you, it's simply up and down a lot, and highly inaccurate)
  
  
• Does WiFi work?
  Yes, it's working for most people, suspected to cause slight heat, definitely drains the battery faster than WinMo. Some users have reported freezes when switching WiFi off (quite common problem)
  
  
• Does Audio work?
  Yes, speaker working for most people, microphone can have issues.
  
  
• I keep hearing 'popping/clicking' sounds from the speaker?
  This is a known annoyance on some devices, believed to be related to power management switching the speaker on and off (not confirmed), it actually seems worse in silent mode (ironically). If you experience this, you're not alone... most users do. When a fix is ready, it will be announced here.
  
  
• I can't wake up my device, why?
  Deep Sleep is an issue for most people. Sometimes the device WILL wake up from a deep sleep, but sometimes it will not. If you can't wake it up, reset.
  
  
• Is GPRS supported?
  Yes, it works (but you MAY have to input your operator/carrier APN
  
  
• Is 3G working?
  Yes, works for most, although some users are having trouble with Vodafone Netherlands.
  
  
• Is SIM PIN Code working?
  In recent releases, it should be supported for most devices, however, if you have any difficulties with it please DISABLE SIM PIN in WinMo (SIM PIN works on the SIM, but you need WinMo UI to disable it)
  
  
• Is GSensor working?
  Yes, screen only handles 0 and 270 degrees though (so far)
  
  
• Is Bluetooth working?
  No, it's not yet implemented. As soon as it is, it will be announced.
  
  
• Is 3D Supported?
  OpenGL ES is not supported yet. 3D GPU support IS currently being developed and available for some devices, but it's still a bit buggy... so beware.
  
  
• Can I connect via USB?
  Yes you can, but will NOT operate in mass storage mode. You can charge via USB and you can debug, but forget accessing your files by it.
  
  
• Is the Headphone Socket working?
  This is being worked on, with mixed results, so the situation can change very often.
  Initially, you should just try and see, but if you have no success, try to activate it with a special command:
  
  For USB headset, add the following line to startup.txt...
  snd.force_headset=1
  
  For 3.5mm headset, add the following line to startup.txt...
  snd.force_headset=2
  
  You MAY have to make a call for the settings to actually be activated (a real pain), but that's how it is so far!
  
  
  
• 'Application (xxxxxx) is not responding: Force Close or Wait' keep appearing on my screen!
  Click wait. I do not know the precise reason for this, but from what I can gather, it COULD be related to the slow speed of the SD Card causing the app response times to JUST be a little too slow for Android's liking, thus causing the message. This seems to happen more after bootup or wakeup when the device is busy doing stuff in the background.
  
  
• I am having trouble with ringtones, why?
  This is believed to be caused by the media scanner failing (due to discovering some filenames with none English characters). The best option of all is to use a CLEAN SD Card. But, if you insist on hosting other files on the same SD Card, you MUST make sure they have English character filenames.
  
  
• I seem to be able to boot Android, but then get a black screen after all the white text, why?
  This is a recent issue with the 3D hardware support... sadly it's a little complicated... SOME devices need to be put in 3D mode BEFORE you launch Android, and some devices need precisely the opposite.. NO 3D access before you launch Haret.... So...
  
  To avoid using 3D...
  1) Turn off Sense/TouchFlo in WinMo.
  2) Reboot
  3) Launch Android again
  4) At the black screen.... WAIT for 2 mins, it should boot
  
  To use 3D...
  1) Run any 3D app / game (I THINK Teeter will work, need to be confirmed)
  2) Launch Android
  3) You will need to do this EVERY time you launch Android
  
  

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Reserved for future use

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Reserved for future use

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Reserved for future use

 

[bakkiethee]

The first Eclair thread mentioned that it would be better to change the lcd.density in the startup.txt from lcd.density=210 to lcd.density=240 though both work fine on my phone.

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

The first Eclair thread mentioned that it would be better to change the lcd.density in the startup.txt from lcd.density=210 to lcd.density=240 though both work fine on my phone.

Hadn't got around to adding that bit, but have now!... 240 works best, since some apps don't use the full screen as they should.

 

[Heefy]

Thank you very much. Just what was needed.

H

 

[Rodix85]

Thanks for this Thread!!
Great work!

I tried the version from the other thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=603813) a week ago and there is a special startup.txt where you have to put your WIFI-MAC-adress in.
Isn't it required in this version?
Do you only have to put this 7 lines in it you postes below?

Greetz Rodix

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Thanks for this Thread!!
Great work!

I tried the version from the other thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=603813) a week ago and there is a special startup.txt where you have to put your WIFI-MAC-adress in.
Isn't it required in this version?
Do you only have to put this 7 lines in it you postes below?

Greetz Rodix

no longer required.

 

[sjoerd_t_B]

The 3.5 mm jack still does not work propperly. Previous thread had a few cuestions about that. you may want to ad that to the list.

 

[Zailynne]

Maybe you haven't noticed. But it's 2010 now.
It's hard to get used to... I know... xD

 

[TheBrilliantMistake]

Maybe you haven't noticed. But it's 2010 now.
It's hard to get used to... I know... xD

OMG! lol I'm still hungover from Xmas ;-)

 

[Zailynne]

OMG! lol I'm still hungover from Xmas ;-)

Hahaha, well now you know!

 

[marmin]

Weird thing

been using a while from previous posts, fine but a bit jittery. Decided to change the startup text to yours as looked simple and might make it smoother as not sure if one I was using was designed for Blackstone.

Cant get off the lock up screen as the screen seems to think my finger is in the oposite corner that it is!!!!!! ie the touch sensor is a mirror image but the screen isnt

 

[Kryston]

hmm somehow its ****ed up, if i need to press the lower right corner on my touch screen i have to press on the upper left cornor, somehow the touchscreen isnt working right, any ideas?

 

[marmin]

hmm somehow its ****ed up, if i need to press the lower right corner on my touch screen i have to press on the upper left cornor, somehow the touchscreen isnt working right, any ideas?

Yeah, try reading the post above yours

 

[Syc]

Thanks for this thread!

A small bug report:
When disabling that app's are allowed to synchronize while roaming, they're supposed to "ask" whether they can use the internet or not. This popup dialogue never appears, but is hidden in the background. This seems to be a problem with other popups too.

Oh, and adding

mddi.width=480 mddi.height=800

to startup.txt made the touch screen (much) more accurate for me.

EDIT: in the "set cmdline"

 

[Kryston]

got my screen working, just use the startupfile which is in the .rar data.

but i got a question, is it possible to import your contacts?

somehowe i cant import from sim card, it says importing.... but if its done there are no contacts.

 

[DaniLoveSky]

but i got a question, is it possible to import your contacts?
somehowe i cant import from sim card, it says importing.... but if its done there are no contacts.

If you mean to import your contacts from WindowsMobile to Android, than (probably) the most convenient way is to use Google sync facility.
From WindowsMobile you do as described here:

http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?answer=138636&topic=14299

And from Android you just activate your Google account - it will sync contacts (and calendar) automatically.

PS: Un-check Tasks synchronisation (as in the instructions screenshot) - it usually results in error message and synchronisation stops.