Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Multiboot - Xperia X8 Running Dual OS

Introduction








Have you ever thought of having both Froyo and Gingrbread in your X8 and changing from one ROM to another whenever you want without having to flash them?




This CWM Modification was created by nobodyAtall for use on Xperia X10mini(THREAD at X10mini Android Development).
You can have CM6 on phones' memory and CM7 on sdcard, I don't know if there's a limit on how many ROMs you can have on sdcard, as long as you have enough space(Remember, 400MB for every Boot option).
But you can only install CM7s as Boot options(As I think and read).

SHPIT was the first to test it on X8(as he posted at XGin thread), he used XGin 5.4(CM7) in Phones' memory and......XGin 5.4(CM7) in sdcard.

I was the first to test it with FroyoBread v017(CM6) on Phones' memory and XGin 5.4(CM7) on sdcard.

AS POSTED ON X10MINI Android Development BY nobodyAtall 




Requirements (READ THEM CAREFULLY):

  • CWM recovery pre-installed
  • You need a FAST enough sdcard. I'd suggest not using this mod if your sdcard is less than Class 6
  • Your sdcard should have enough free space. Each 'boot option' that you create reserves 400MB of space in your sdcard
  • In order to create a new boot option, you need a flashable zip of the ROM you wish to boot to, as well as a patch for it's ramdisk.tar (if this is a custom ROM, stock ROMs don't need this). The flashable zip of the ROM is the same that is used for usual ROM installation. The patch should be provided by the ROM's cook.



Instructions for devs only


To create a bootable image, you have two options:

  • - Make use of CWM recovery (which can create boot images from update.zip) and provide a patch for your ROM that makes sure: app2sd is disabled, ramdisk.tar does not mount mtd* partitions under /system, /data, or /cache. This patch is also flashable via the new multiboot menu of CWM. If you need more info, see the attached MiniCM7-multiboot.zip
  • OR
  • - Manually create ext2 system.img, data.img and cache.img for users to push under /sdcard/clockworkmod/multiboot/<name>/



Note: I am using a Class 4, 4GB and XGin 5.4 is still fast even when playing PSX games on Fpse.(Games run smooth but with OC@748MHz, this is not because of the external booting, you can't emulate PSX game on a 600MHz chip{You can but it will be laggy}, you will need OC@748MHz to play{Smooth})

Note2: After a lot of app testing, it's not a good idea to use multiboot as long as you have Class 4 sdcard. Many apps are laggy(EX: Browser). Although i will keep using multiboot because it always make me happy when i see that my phone have so much features now, and how many features will come.

Conclusion: Everybody who wants to use multiboot should have a Class 6 or faster sdcard.(Games are running well)



My tutorial:
Make sure to download DualRecovery.zip, CWM-Multiboot-r4.zip, XGin-multiboot.zip from attachments and put them to sdcard.
  • -Install a CM6 ROM with xRecovery or Free Xperia Recovery as you will normally do.(FroyoBread is suggested)
  • -Flash the DualRecovery.zip that you found in attachments using xRecovery/Free Xperia Recovery.
  • Now if you want to boot in Free Xperia Recovery, keep pressing the back button as normal. If you want to boot in ClockWorkMod Recovery(which is suggested from now on), keep taping the screen.
  • -Reboot phone and boot in CWM Recovery(By taping screen) and flash the CWM-Multiboot-r4.zip that you found in attachments using -install zip from sdcard>choose zip from sdcard.
  • -Reboot phone and boot in CWM Recovery again.
Now you will see a -multiboot menu in CWM Recovery.

In this menu you will find the following:
  • Select default boot option
  • Unset default boot option
  • Create boot option from zip
  • Delete existing boot option
  • Flash zip to boot option


I'll explain below.
-Now the only available ROM to set as a boot option is XGin 5.4.
-Download XGin 5.4(will be an UpdateXG5.4.zip) and anything else that you want to use with XGin.


WARNING: Before getting to the next steps please put whatever you want in UpdateXG5.4.zip such as Apps, FontDefault, the Bootsound fix, modules and everything you want.
You can not flash any update.zip as long as the providers make them for xRecovery and Free Xperia Recovery.
That's why should everyone use ClockWorkMod Recovery.
Shpits' XGin is based in ClockWorkMod Recovery(ROM, Updates).



  • -Put UpdateXG5.4.zip in sdcard by mounting storage using -mounts and storage>mount USB storage.
  • -Go to -multiboot menu and select Create boot option from zip, browse and select the UpdateXG5.4.zip.
  • -Wait untill it's done.
  • -Go to -multiboot menu again and select Flash zip to boot option.
  • -Select the created boot option and then browse and select XGin-Multiboot.zip that you found in attachments.

Note: It sould have some numbers, not the original ROM name.



  • Now, if you Reboot your phone, you will boot to the internal ROM(Phones' memory).
  • To boot to the external ROM select -multiboot>Select default boot option and then choose the created boot option.
  • Note: It sould have some numbers, not the original ROM name.
  • Now Reboot the phone and let it boot to the default selected external XGin 5.4.
  • Note: First boot is always slower than other times. Sometimes may take up to 5 minutes.



-FINISHED


Note: When adding Google Account, make sure you un-tick "Back up data with my Google Account" or you will get FCs on internal ROM.


Multiboot menu explanations:

  • Select default boot option: Select the created boot option in which you want the phone to boot by default.
  • Unset default boot option: Unset the boot option from booting by default to make the phone boot from internal ROM(ROM in Phones' memory).
  • Create boot option from zip: Select a .zip(ROM) to create a boot option from it.
  • Delete existing boot option: Delete a boot option that you have created. (Unset it first)
  • Flash zip to boot option: Flash update like on xRecovery.(The update should be created for use in CWM Recovery)



Known bugs:



  • -If you get a notification that your SDCARD is damaged, just reboot.
  • -Sometimes, when you boot at external ROM and make changes(apps, settings etc.) and then boot into internal ROM, you may have FCs(Force Closes) at system. To solve this make....what else(?) Full Wipe. To prevent this make sure to un-tick Back up data with my Google Account when adding Google Account.
  • Note: This will not happen if you follow the steps.




If you found any bugs PLEASE, send reports.


Almost forgot,
Thanks to shpit for the first test on X8 and for supporting me.
Thanks to nobodyAtall for making this Multiboot MOD.
Thanks to doixanh for several reasons.
Thanks to XDA-Developers.



Download:


All of this content is quoted from its original thread at xda-developers.com




tags: hvga, 320x480, xperia x8, android, optimus one, p500, xperia x8 games, xperia x8 games apk, xperia x8 apps, xperia x8 apk, multiboot, dual boot, froyo, xgin, gingerbread, froyo

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