[RECOVERY][EXPERIMENT/TEST] TWRP 3.2.1.x for TF701T

[AmauryRR]

Hi, I don't post much on here but I wanted to share something with everyone since this is one of my fav tablets (before one of my drives crash and the data is lost, lol).

Disclaimer: I'm providing this AS-IS, I've been using this for about a few weeks now and while there may be bugs, it's been working for me and figure I'd share a newer version of TWRP for the TF701T. This will need some testing, I haven't tried flashing a newer rom - just using a "dirty port" of Remix OS I'm using (SK1WG base).

Hopefully this helps someone who loves this lil tegra transformer as much as I do!

I'll post links to source later on but to build this but if anyone wants to try;
-I used a slightly modded version of the zombi-x device tree
-tweaked the rm-wrapper (from the timduru katkiss device tree) so it references the correct includes (I was building under zombi-x 5.1 using omni twrp 8.x)
-Since the device tree was already using a prebuilt kerenel, I plugged the one from the TWRP 2.8.x kang/area51 by sdbags release
-The "rom base" folder I was building under was "zombi-x" 5.1/LP
-and the TWRP sources were from omnirom's oreo/8.x source

Here's a link to my dropbox tf701t folder, I keep a backup in the recovery folder.
I also built a 3.0.0.0 "area51" version, think I found that in the zombi-x repositories also. Both booted, roms I had installed, backups were made and restored under both however I've used the 3.2.1.x version more exetensively.

DROPBOX TF701T LINK!

Anyways, happy holidays everybody! I'll try and keep up with this post and update things when I get a chance, but for now rock on!

PS. Should be able to

fastboot boot <recoveryimagefile.img>

to test it before flashing permanently with

fastboot flash recovery <recoveryimagename.img>

PS2. Added images to post for 3.2.1.0 and the "Area51" 3.0.0.0 builds, Enjoy!

PS3. UPLOADED SOURCES! (finally, lol)
DEVICE TREE
-The device tree is still setup to use the prebuilt kernel (I compiled from source posted below this, with gcc 8.x toolchain). If using the kernel source below, use recovery_tf701t_defconfig - otherwise just make sure whatever config you run is setup to use LZMA for ramdisks here.
-Also this device tree is setup to use F2FS, I left the original ext4 fstab files included with a ext4_* prefix if anyone's curious. I'll fix that eventually and split them into 2 branches (ext4-only and f2fs).

KERNEL SOURCE
-This experimental kernel has some tweaks, F2FS support (no encryption), O/C @ ~2.5Ghz, bunch of extra governors (lionheart works nicely), but in it's base form works great for booting recovery.

Hopefully this stuff helps others bulding for this awesome lil tablet! Back to some more compilations while I got time.

UPDATE: F2FS Test (12/30/17)
-Added a recovery build that I have been running for a bit with F2FS support
-Use this with a ROM that supports F2FS, or repack a boot.img with a F2FS kernel and mod the ramdisk (edit fstab to mount /data /system and /cache with F2FS.).
-It supports the usual ext4 and other filesystems, but defaults to f2fs when using the format data and wipe commands (modded fstab on /system /cache /data).
-Also haven't had any issues formatting /cache, or touch not working with this kernel. I'll get around to a normal ext4 version and upload that as it seems to fix the /cache issues.

 

[hitmancho]

Just here to say it all works as before and there aren't any new/strange problems. The issues with not being to format /cache and so on without going back and forth to ext4 still persist, though.

 

[AmauryRR]

Just here to say it all works as before and there aren't any new/strange problems. The issues with not being to format /cache and so on without going back and forth to ext4 still persist, though.

Glad it works for you too, I noticed the /cache issue also on the other TWRP 2.8.x version posted for this tablet too. One thing that I do (even on the other TWRP) is wipe the partition I want (or change its fs type) first, and if I need to touch another partition then I reboot the recovery and it works.

It's annoying, I'm currently testing building the kernel inline instead of using the 2.8.x kernel (from that other posted recovery) in the device tree. I'm using sources that I know boot, just playing with the configs to see how it plays with TWRP. I ported over the f2fs stuff from the katkiss kernel to mess around with, boots in the rom fine - so if I can get it to boot recovery then the f2fs formatting stuff should work and mount correctly.

Sidenote - one thing I notice with the 3.2.1-0 version is the screen seems to work better, I haven't had the touchscreen not responsive issue I had with the previous TWRP 2.8.x version.

Going for a coffee, I'll play around with it tonight (and remember to upload stuff to my github eventually to share). Long day of work, time to unwind

 

[AmauryRR]

Small Update (Progress is good!)

So, took some time to dig around why it wasn't booting the recovery when I built from the same (working) kernel source I'm booting the normal android os with. Turns out, most likely due to space savings, the recovery is set to boot LZMA - turned that on in the config and that kernel now booted up recovery perfectly!

I'm rebuilding the kernel, since in my infinite wisdom, I compiled with my selinux disabled kernel - which also worked, but bombed out on any rom zips that ran anything to do with contexts/perms. Good news was F2FS worked mounting, formatting, etc.. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a selinux friendly f2fs supporting kernel for recovery that'll work.

Random sidenote: I was eyeing the newer kernel drivers (from 4.x), If everything works as it's currently configured, I'll give try backporting the newer stuff and see how she runs. Just wanted to post a small update with some notes just in case anyone in wants to try building it themselves.

 

[silverchairbg]

Thanks for your work! If you could manage to fix the format issues with current TWRP, that would be excellent. I've never been able to dirty flash due to this pesky recovery problem, I always have to go back and forth to ext3 -> ext4 and then flash clean and restore my apps .. quite a bit of time waster.

 

[erzherzog]

Thanks for your work! If you could manage to fix the format issues with current TWRP, that would be excellent. I've never been able to dirty flash due to this pesky recovery problem, I always have to go back and forth to ext3 -> ext4 and then flash clean and restore my apps .. quite a bit of time waster.

I need to reformat /system and /cache only - most times. No need to reinstall apps.

 

[silverchairbg]

You're lucky then, I always end up with errors on dirty flash and format /data also fails, so I resort to changing FS. Sometimes even this gives errors and I need to do it several times until errors are gone.

 

[Colchiro]

I just restart recovery and try formatting again.

 

[AllexBast]

AmauryRR great work! Please use the memory card of the docking station

 

[Sasisco]

Sorry for offtop, but... I saw on your dropbox remixOS. Where I can find info about how to install it? Main theme on tf701t about remix os is not having this. (or i am blind).

 

[DarkPaLadin]

I haven't tried flashing a newer rom - just using a "dirty port" of Remix OS I'm using (SK1WG base)

Can you, please, describe how it is working?

---------- Post added at 11:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------

Sorry for offtop, but... I saw on your dropbox remixOS. Where I can find info about how to install it? Main theme on tf701t about remix os is not having this. (or i am blind).

Yes, please, more info on that!

 

[RMathews]

Tf701t update

Hi AmauryRR,

Any chance you could break the process down step by step for none-IT people like me? i have tried everything but think i have to accept that this is above my pay grade .
i am especially having a difficult time with the boot loader. Indicates the following: "An unknown error occurs, which may be a network......try again later"

i can email you the screenshots as i can't seem to upload them here.

regards
rob