Will Remix OS boot on x86 android tablet? Answer is unclear? Help

[madhits45]

I am a Asus trio tx201la owner and were completely upset that asus offered no other updates beyond android 4.2 to the tablet part. I noticed that samsung did the exact same thing with the samsung galaxy tab 3 10.1 and so did Dell on the venue. The venue and the galaxy tab 3 have same intel atom z2560 cpu soc and is stuck on android 4.2.

Unlike the Asus Trio the Galaxy tab 3 got a lot more attention and thus a lot more custom rom attention.

The galaxy tab 3 has been updated to 7.1.1 with custom rom by linage OS see:
http://techbeasts.com/install-androi...lineageos-141/

Now How can that help the Trio. The Trio has the same soc and is detectable by the intel platform flash tool released in 2017:
https://01.org/android-ia/downloads/...lash-tool-lite
Stock 4.4.2 android provided by intel: https://01.org/android-ia/downloads/android-4.4.2r1-ia2

Then I found a guide on how to use the tool here: http://www.aryk.tech/2016/04/how-to-...ing-intel.html

So I thought I was off to the races to make the update. The problem was I needed a flash.xml and fake the galaxy tab 7.1.1 update onto my tablet but no where could I find this file and certainly not one meant for my tx201la tablet. So I was stuck once again with no update path.

Then I found Remix OS and thought I had something but nope, again I cant find any info on how to get remix to boot on a android tablet? Ive also looked at running chromium OS on my tablet but that update path also seems to be blocked. So is there an answer or is my x86 android tablet dead?

 

[moriel5]

I am a Asus trio tx201la owner and were completely upset that asus offered no other updates beyond android 4.2 to the tablet part. I noticed that samsung did the exact same thing with the samsung galaxy tab 3 10.1 and so did Dell on the venue. The venue and the galaxy tab 3 have same intel atom z2560 cpu soc and is stuck on android 4.2.

Unlike the Asus Trio the Galaxy tab 3 got a lot more attention and thus a lot more custom rom attention.

The galaxy tab 3 has been updated to 7.1.1 with custom rom by linage OS see:
http://techbeasts.com/install-androi...lineageos-141/

Now How can that help the Trio. The Trio has the same soc and is detectable by the intel platform flash tool released in 2017:
https://01.org/android-ia/downloads/...lash-tool-lite
Stock 4.4.2 android provided by intel: https://01.org/android-ia/downloads/android-4.4.2r1-ia2

Then I found a guide on how to use the tool here: http://www.aryk.tech/2016/04/how-to-...ing-intel.html

So I thought I was off to the races to make the update. The problem was I needed a flash.xml and fake the galaxy tab 7.1.1 update onto my tablet but no where could I find this file and certainly not one meant for my tx201la tablet. So I was stuck once again with no update path.

First, you do not want to flash the Galaxy Tab 3 ROM, since while they do share the same CPU and chipset, the same can probably not be said about the rest of the components, from the screen to speaker(s) to the vibration motor (if it has one), so you may well be left with a tablet that barely functions.

Then I found Remix OS and thought I had something but nope, again I cant find any info on how to get remix to boot on a android tablet?

About Remix OS, it depends on whether you have a standard EFI (yes, there are 32-bit EFIs) or BIOS, or rather an Andtoid bootloader like most ARM Android devices.

Ive also looked at running chromium OS on my tablet but that update path also seems to be blocked. So is there an answer or is my x86 android tablet dead?

Why is running Chromium OS not an option for you?
Could it be related to the BIOS/EFI/bootloader?

 

[madhits45]

First, you do not want to flash the Galaxy Tab 3 ROM, since while they do share the same CPU and chipset, the same can probably not be said about the rest of the components, from the screen to speaker(s) to the vibration motor (if it has one), so you may well be left with a tablet that barely functions.

About Remix OS, it depends on whether you have a standard EFI (yes, there are 32-bit EFIs) or BIOS, or rather an Andtoid bootloader like most ARM Android devices.

Why is running Chromium OS not an option for you?
Could it be related to the BIOS/EFI/bootloader?

On the galaxy tab 3 consideration, doesn't android use a generic display driver making this possible? I get how some of the parts could be different but it would seem that generic driver support may fill in the gaps, no? Apparently I could get there with MultiROM and see if it at least will boot. It may not I guess. Am i just wasting my time?

Chrimium OS would be great the problem is how to. I look into getting chromium os onto this tablet but all the info was related to installing on a intel pc with a bios. My tablet has android bootloader and I guess that is the big problem. However it seems that if you have root access it should be possible to change the boot kernel that loads or is that not possible? Gentoo is linux just like android so it should be possible to bypass the boot process somehow. Any how to's to do this? Ive googled to no end and it seems all the pieces are there but not any connection between them to run on a z2560 soc like mine.

 

[moriel5]

On the galaxy tab 3 consideration, doesn't android use a generic display driver making this possible? I get how some of the parts could be different but it would seem that generic driver support may fill in the gaps, no? Apparently I could get there with MultiROM and see if it at least will boot. It may not I guess. Am i just wasting my time?

In terms of display driver support, while ignoring the rest of the hardware, it depends on how the ROM was compiled, and even if you manage to get a picture, unless the screen gets properly detected, you'll only get a resolution of 800x600.
Plus, the touch sensor on the screen requires a completely different driver, to which, as far as I know, there is no standard.

Chrimium OS would be great the problem is how to. I look into getting chromium os onto this tablet but all the info was related to installing on a intel pc with a bios. My tablet has android bootloader and I guess that is the big problem. However it seems that if you have root access it should be possible to change the boot kernel that loads or is that not possible? Gentoo is linux just like android so it should be possible to bypass the boot process somehow. Any how to's to do this? Ive googled to no end and it seems all the pieces are there but not any connection between them to run on a z2560 soc like mine.

The Android bootloader is based upon Coreboot, however it is specifically built to only boot system's that adhere to Google's boot procedure standards, so while it is theoretically possible to boot any Linux distro with it, you'll need to find one that was specially compiled for it.

The BIOS and EFI utilize completely a different standard, which means that to get a BIOS/EFI complient system to boot, you'll need to completely replace the bootloader, regardless of root or custom kernels.

And unless someone had already compiled one for your device, you're looking at a feat that is way above most people (even experienced enthusiasts), since this is goes much deeper than the OS.


While in my opinion, the time spent researching this is definitely worth it, unless you find a custom-built BIOS or EFI, or you learn how to build kernels and ROMs (the latter is easier), your tablet is pretty much stuck at where it is for the time being.

That said, I prefer to look at this kind of situation optimistically, without deluding anyone.
The current situation may be rather bleak, and the chances of getting out of it may be slim at the moment, however they exist, and they are slim at the current moment, nothing given about the future.
While we shouldn't get high hopes, we must not extinguish them either.

 

[madhits45]

Thanks for the info. Ill keep looking. I bet some amazing hack will come out in the future to bypass the boot process. Multirom already sorta does this, so the least I can do is test it.

 

[moriel5]

Thanks for the info. Ill keep looking. I bet some amazing hack will come out in the future to bypass the boot process. Multirom already sorta does this, so the least I can do is test it.

I too am sure of it, however I try to be wary at the same time.

I'd like to point you in the direction of Coreboot and Libreboot for information on some of the possibilities.

 

[madhits45]

I'll check them out..

Update: looks like there sorta replacements for a bios. Maybe the devs will attempt an android bootloader port.

 

[moriel5]

I'll check them out..

Update: looks like there sorta replacements for a bios. Maybe the devs will attempt an android bootloader port.

They are open-source implementations of EFI, SeaBIOS is the BIOS equivalent.

 

[madhits45]

They are open-source implementations of EFI, SeaBIOS is the BIOS equivalent.

https://w3bsit3-dns.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=701551&st=0

This thread pretty much sums up what you also said, even the same soc wont have the same exact parts and thus isnt able to boot.

 

[moriel5]

https://w3bsit3-dns.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=701551&st=0

This thread pretty much sums up what you also said, even the same soc wont have the same exact parts and thus isnt able to boot.

That is true, but at least you can try disassembling what you can to allow skilled developers to, at the very least, take a look.

 

[madhits45]

That is true, but at least you can try disassembling what you can to allow skilled developers to, at the very least, take a look.

Yeah I'll look into it. Since Asus also made a tablet only tx201la called the tx201laf (released only in France) could I use the Intel flash tool to flash it's Ron? See: https://www.asus.com/supportonly/TX201LAF/HelpDesk_BIOS/

At least it's an update to android 4.4.

 

[moriel5]

Yeah I'll look into it. Since Asus also made a tablet only tx201la called the tx201laf (released only in France) could I use the Intel flash tool to flash it's Ron? See: https://www.asus.com/supportonly/TX201LAF/HelpDesk_BIOS/

At least it's an update to android 4.4.

I would first make sure that hardwarewise, they are indeed the same, even though this does look pretty good.

 

[madhits45]

That is true, but at least you can try disassembling what you can to allow skilled developers to, at the very least, take a look.

Gave it a shot with standard update procedure & no go. Says hardware ids don't match. I can't use Intel flash tool cuz Asus image is raw format with no flash.xml. so I'm still screwed.

 

[moriel5]

Gave it a shot with standard update procedure & no go. Says hardware ids don't match. I can't use Intel flash tool cuz Asus image is raw format with no flash.xml. so I'm still screwed.

Can you please send me a flash.xml for the samsung tablet?
I'm by no means an expert, however I may be able to glean some information from it that may help towards building one for your ASUS tablet.

 

[madhits45]

Unfortunately that is what stopped me from flashing the galaxy tab 3 linageos image on my tx201la tablet, there is no flash.xml included because you need to flash via custom recovery.

 

[moriel5]

Unfortunately that is what stopped me from flashing the galaxy tab 3 linageos image on my tx201la tablet, there is no flash.xml included because you need to flash via custom recovery.

Hmm...
Then I'll need to search for such a file when I'll have the time.

This should also help me with a small no-name tablet my father had bought.

 

[madhits45]

Hmm...
Then I'll need to search for such a file when I'll have the time.

This should also help me with a small no-name tablet my father had bought.

I'm looking into multi rom which may offer some sorta option. Take a look at that.

Or this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/development/intel-android-devices-root-temp-cwm-t2975096

 

[moriel5]

I'm looking into multi rom which may offer some sorta option. Take a look at that.

Or this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/development/intel-android-devices-root-temp-cwm-t2975096

That looks great, even if it is pretty outdated.
I'll test it out when I have the time.

 

[madhits45]

That looks great, even if it is pretty outdated.
I'll test it out when I have the time.

How did the flash with multi rom go?

 

[moriel5]

How did the flash with multi rom go?

Actually, since I have managed to find bootloader unlocks for my tablets, in the end I had never gotten to test it out.