ASUS MemoPad 7 (ME176CX): Getting Linux without loosing Android?

[tuxic001]

Hi Mis012,

OH! YES -- I overlooked that completly! Good you mentioned this "trap" !

On the other hand: If I think of the QA-department of ASUS and of "efficiency evaluation concerns"...
If any ASUS tablet has to be put on a USB keyboard and then tricked into UEFI for just booting - say -
a QA-test program to check the hardware completely ... this would be very time consuming.
I could think of a key press pattern on the tablet alone which also boots the tablet into UEFI.

And: I think technically UEFI is a complete "overdose" (sorry, I am no native English speaker) of technique
when it comes to simply boot Android. There are not that muchs other tablets haveing UEFI as much as I know.
And that "extra" on a budget tablet... (which more and more convinced me not to be a _budget_ tablet -- at least
not for the point of view of a techie... ) ... does ASUS wanted to place a "tablet for freaks/techies/nerds/geeks"
on the market without stating this in the public?

Back to the topic:
As far as I understood you, Mis012, you are able to boot rEFInd and get stuck in the menu selection problem. I would
like to help to find a way out of this problem - if playing around with rEFInd can be done in a safe way without getting
in (non solvable) trouble with the tablet and/or Android.
I am GENTOO Linux here and have no Windows PC at all.
What can I do?

Best regards and keep hacking!
tuxic

PS I mean "hacking" in the good ole and positive way of exploring
things in a way, they were not necessarily designed for. I DONT meant
this in the way of illegally breaking things and stealing values. I want to
create. I don't want to destroy.

 

[Mis012]

Hi Mis012,

OH! YES -- I overlooked that completly! Good you mentioned this "trap" !

On the other hand: If I think of the QA-department of ASUS and of "efficiency evaluation concerns"...
If any ASUS tablet has to be put on a USB keyboard and then tricked into UEFI for just booting - say -
a QA-test program to check the hardware completely ... this would be very time consuming.
I could think of a key press pattern on the tablet alone which also boots the tablet into UEFI.

And: I think technically UEFI is a complete "overdose" (sorry, I am no native English speaker) of technique
when it comes to simply boot Android. There are not that muchs other tablets haveing UEFI as much as I know.
And that "extra" on a budget tablet... (which more and more convinced me not to be a _budget_ tablet -- at least
not for the point of view of a techie... ) ... does ASUS wanted to place a "tablet for freaks/techies/nerds/geeks"
on the market without stating this in the public?

Back to the topic:
As far as I understood you, Mis012, you are able to boot rEFInd and get stuck in the menu selection problem. I would
like to help to find a way out of this problem - if playing around with rEFInd can be done in a safe way without getting
in (non solvable) trouble with the tablet and/or Android.
I am GENTOO Linux here and have no Windows PC at all.
What can I do?

Best regards and keep hacking!
tuxic

PS I mean "hacking" in the good ole and positive way of exploring
things in a way, they were not necessarily designed for. I DONT meant
this in the way of illegally breaking things and stealing values. I want to
create. I don't want to destroy.

You can do pretty much. You can look at rEFInd source code, edit it, comiple it, and test it or send it to me for testing. It would be amazing to have boot menu which can be used without carryinh keyboard all the time

For the first question, I think it is becouse UEFI is future of booting, and ASUS can just do one system and use it on all devices (but also gives geeks power to do what they want with the hardware, by not locking the software) who knows if it will be better for them to save money. For english, I also do not use it perfectly, but using it everyday when searching for info on solving problems seems did the trick.
And I read somewhere UEFI will bw used even in arm devices, so maybe a geek paradise will come.

P.S I only have windows PCs, and a 4GB flash disk with portable kali linux. Having my own PC would be good

 

[tuxic001]

You can do pretty much. You can look at rEFInd source code, edit it, comiple it, and test it or send it to me for testing. It would be amazing to have boot menu which can be used without carryinh keyboard all the time

For the first question, I think it is becouse UEFI is future of booting, and ASUS can just do one system and use it on all devices (but also gives geeks power to do what they want with the hardware, by not locking the software) who knows if it will be better for them to save money. For english, I also do not use it perfectly, but using it everyday when searching for info on solving problems seems did the trick.
And I read somewhere UEFI will bw used even in arm devices, so maybe a geek paradise will come.

P.S I only have windows PCs, and a 4GB flash disk with portable kali linux. Having my own PC would be good

Hi Mis012,

I only need a short introduction what to do and how...
Or the other way around: How far did to you come with what and how did you accomplished it?
I want to prevent to invent the wheel a second time and to do any harm to my tablet (and me .
How did you compile the rEFInd? What compiler (version) did you use? On what traps do I have to
keep my eyes on?
(Oh damn! I need MILK or a slice of buttered toast...I bit into a Rawit Chilli...50.000 scolville...
I like chilli...but it has to taste more than like eating a flame thrower...
The source is already downloaded, the engines are ready...
I need your instructions. SIR!

Best regards,
tuxic

 

[lambdadroid]

I bougth an OTG enabled powered hub from Amazon

Out of interest, which OTG hub did you buy? Mind linking it for me?

 

[tuxic001]

Out of interest, which OTG hub did you buy? Mind linking it for me?

Hi cyandro,

I used this one (unfortunately for you it is on the german pages of Amazon)...
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00...qid=1440236885&ref_=sr_1_fkmr0_1&sr=8-1-fkmr0

I looked through the amazon.com pages and this one looks VERY similiar to the above one -- look at the part of the caseing where the one cable is attached):
http://www.amazon.com/Zek-Samsung-G...40237020&sr=8-72&keywords=usb+otg+powered+hub

Pricewise it looks also of being of the same pricetag.

HTH!
Best regards,
tuxic

 

[Mis012]

Hi Mis012,

I only need a short introduction what to do and how...
Or the other way around: How far did to you come with what and how did you accomplished it?
I want to prevent to invent the wheel a second time and to do any harm to my tablet (and me .
How did you compile the rEFInd? What compiler (version) did you use? On what traps do I have to
keep my eyes on?
(Oh damn! I need MILK or a slice of buttered toast...I bit into a Rawit Chilli...50.000 scolville...
I like chilli...but it has to taste more than like eating a flame thrower...
The source is already downloaded, the engines are ready...
I need your instructions. SIR!

Best regards,
tuxic

Haven't tried to compile it yet, as it has to be dome on linux, and I do not have a linux installation. But, using susestudio, I am trying to make a live usb distro with needed things.
As for instructions, there should be building.txt file in the source download. I recommend trying to build it without modifications and comparing to original binary.
Lot of luck (in case you need it

 

[lambdadroid]

Hi cyandro,

I used this one (unfortunately for you it is on the german pages of Amazon)...
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00...qid=1440236885&ref_=sr_1_fkmr0_1&sr=8-1-fkmr0

I looked through the amazon.com pages and this one looks VERY similiar to the above one -- look at the part of the caseing where the one cable is attached):
http://www.amazon.com/Zek-Samsung-G...40237020&sr=8-72&keywords=usb+otg+powered+hub

Pricewise it looks also of being of the same pricetag.

HTH!
Best regards,
tuxic

Thanks, no worries, I'm German. I've seen this when looking for one, I bought this one then though: http://www.amazon.de/TF-Kartenleser...e=UTF8&qid=1440237718&sr=8-1&keywords=otg+hub (http://www.leicke.eu/en/products/DS38599)

 

[tuxic001]

Thanks, no worries, I'm German. I've seen this when looking for one, I bought this one then though: http://www.amazon.de/TF-Kartenleser...e=UTF8&qid=1440237718&sr=8-1&keywords=otg+hub (http://www.leicke.eu/en/products/DS38599)

Hahahahaha! What a coincidence! And looks another "same" device, isn't it?
But from the fact, that you asked, what device I am using ... it sounds the one you have (and in this case mine also) has some problems
with the tablet/UEFI ?

 

[lambdadroid]

Hahahahaha! What a coincidence! And looks another "same" device, isn't it?
But from the fact, that you asked, what device I am using ... it sounds the one you have (and in this case mine also) has some problems
with the tablet/UEFI ?

Not that I know of, seems to work fine for me. From seeing the pictures I would say it's the same, just a different brand on it, lol. What problems do you have with it?

 

[tuxic001]

Haven't tried to compile it yet, as it has to be dome on linux, and I do not have a linux installation. But, using susestudio, I am trying to make a live usb distro with needed things.
As for instructions, there should be building.txt file in the source download. I recommend trying to build it without modifications and comparing to original binary.
Lot of luck (in case you need it

Hi Misc012,

ok...NOW I understand a little more...need again a new dose of caffeine it seems...

Comparing binaries gives not necessarily valid results. One could compile the same stuff with two different compilers - say gcc-4.50 and gcc-4.80 -- resulting
in two "totally different" binaries (when it comes to comparing them byte by byte) and both binaries act exactly the same.

What I have to do to boot an rEFInd binary, which I compiled myself, to check, whether I get a "good compilation" or a "bad compilation" ?

Best regards,
tuxic

 

[tuxic001]

Hi Misc012,

ok...NOW I understand a little more...need again a new dose of caffeine it seems...

Comparing binaries gives not necessarily valid results. One could compile the same stuff with two different compilers - say gcc-4.50 and gcc-4.80 -- resulting
in two "totally different" binaries (when it comes to comparing them byte by byte) and both binaries act exactly the same.

What I have to do to boot an rEFInd binary, which I compiled myself, to check, whether I get a "good compilation" or a "bad compilation" ?

Best regards,
tuxic

I compiled rEFInd with gnuefi and gcc (despite the author of refind favors the Tiano SDK).
Problem: My PC is an AMD64 piece of hardware so the resulting binaries are 64bit.
Nonetheless I added them to this posting, may be one could try them out on the ASUS MeMO Pad
(please tell me how I can do that myself )
I did not changed the refind sources! This is just a proof of concept/compiling...

 

[Mis012]

I compiled rEFInd with gnuefi and gcc (despite the author of refind favors the Tiano SDK).
Problem: My PC is an AMD64 piece of hardware so the resulting binaries are 64bit.
Nonetheless I added them to this posting, may be one could try them out on the ASUS MeMO Pad
(please tell me how I can do that myself )
I did not changed the refind sources! This is just a proof of concept/compiling...

We need 64bit
Good to know you managed to do it.
To test it yourself, just follow my tutorial, but use your own compiled binary.
Edit: Sorry to tell you, but we only need refind_x64 binary which seems to be missing

 

[tuxic001]

We need 64bit
Good to know you managed to do it.
To test it yourself, just follow my tutorial, but use your own compiled binary.
Edit: Sorry to tell you, but we only need refind_x64 binary which seems to be missing

Hi,

...oops... I missed something: Your tutorial - where can I find it? (sorry, if this an original genuine dumb question )

The refind_x64.efi is missing...damn...7z seems to have a bug (which sits right in front of my monitor)... I attached it.

 

[tuxic001]

Not that I know of, seems to work fine for me. From seeing the pictures I would say it's the same, just a different brand on it, lol. What problems do you have with it?

Hi cyandro,

Huuu this part of the conversation got some knots...
_I_ have no problems (so far) with my OTG hub...I only thought _you_ may have problems recognized, because you asked of
the brand of my OTG hub (I thought that while still not knowing of the kind of hub you use)...which implies to me of a
question like "I have some problems with my OTG hub reaching UEFI, so I am asking: What hub are you using".
NOW - as I know that you are using the same hub...the question remains, but it also applies to me since it turns out,
that we both are using the same hub.

And later the history of the legend ASUS group of hackers will tell its listeners
"And for the rest of the day both were idleing with wide open eyes trapped inside the tragic circle of logic loop...."

HAHAHAHA!

Doesn't matter...as long you have no problems with your (same) hub these are only some unidentified logic bubbles...

 

[Mis012]

Hi,

...oops... I missed something: Your tutorial - where can I find it? (sorry, if this an original genuine dumb question )

The refind_x64.efi is missing...damn...7z seems to have a bug (which sits right in front of my monitor)... I attached it.

I somehow hope it is still here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/memo-pad-7/help/how-to-dual-boot-me176cx-part-1-t3183437

 

[lambdadroid]

Hi cyandro,

Huuu this part of the conversation got some knots...
_I_ have no problems (so far) with my OTG hub...I only thought _you_ may have problems recognized, because you asked of
the brand of my OTG hub (I thought that while still not knowing of the kind of hub you use)...which implies to me of a
question like "I have some problems with my OTG hub reaching UEFI, so I am asking: What hub are you using".
NOW - as I know that you are using the same hub...the question remains, but it also applies to me since it turns out,
that we both are using the same hub.

And later the history of the legend ASUS group of hackers will tell its listeners
"And for the rest of the day both were idleing with wide open eyes trapped inside the tragic circle of logic loop...."

HAHAHAHA!

Doesn't matter...as long you have no problems with your (same) hub these are only some unidentified logic bubbles...

Oh right misread that earlier, no - all is working fine.

 

[Mis012]

Hi,

...oops... I missed something: Your tutorial - where can I find it? (sorry, if this an original genuine dumb question )

The refind_x64.efi is missing...damn...7z seems to have a bug (which sits right in front of my monitor)... I attached it.

Tested it right now and it works just as good/bad as the pre-built one. If it works for you too, you can try modding it to work with power button as a confirmation.
Hope it will work
Mis012

 

[tuxic001]

I somehow hope it is still here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/memo-pad-7/help/how-to-dual-boot-me176cx-part-1-t3183437

I found the tutorial ! Thanks for the link!

One question before I start experimenting:
Is the bootsequence changeable from inside the UEFI screens (reachable via F2 and an powered OTG HUB)?
If NOT ... this play is damned dangerous. ONE bug (for example an endless loop) in the refind binary and a wrongly
set boot order and one will get stuck.

Or?

 

[lambdadroid]

I found the tutorial ! Thanks for the link!

One question before I start experimenting:
Is the bootsequence changeable from inside the UEFI screens (reachable via F2 and an powered OTG HUB)?
If NOT ... this play is damned dangerous. ONE bug (for example an endless loop) in the refind binary and a wrongly
set boot order and one will get stuck.

Or?

Yes, go into the boot menu and you can change the boot order there. No worries, as long you have a powered hub you can't do much wrong.

 

[tuxic001]

Tested it right now and it works just as good/bad as the pre-built one. If it works for you too, you can try modding it to work with power button as a confirmation.
Hope it will work
Mis012

That are GOOD news! Next I will create a refind, which only is meant for checking, whether the volume button is only read but misinterpreted
(which is good -- we only need another key mapping then) or it is totally unrecognized. In the later case it will need some deeper changes.
A lot of try and error I fear.

I will sent a new refind, if I have finished changing the code...

Fingers crossed....