Making boot images

[Guest phildrip]

Hi guys,

I wonder if someone here could help me. I'm trying to make custom boot images with a view to generating new kernels (eg porting to 2.6.32). I'm a software engineer by trade so should be able to get somewhere with the porting effort... but I can't get a boot image to boot correctly.

Right now I'm just trying the simplest thing:

1. Split the boot.img copied from a nandroid backup, using unpack_bootimg.pl

2. Repack that same image, with no modifications, using mkbootimg:

~/mydroid/out/host/linux-x86/bin/mkbootimg --kernel boot.img-kernel.gz --ramdisk boot.img-ramdisk.cpio.gz --cmdline "mem=128M console=ttyMSM2,115200n8 androidboot.hardware=qcom console=ttyUSBCONSOLE0 androidboot.console=ttyUSBCONSOLE0" -o boot-phil.img

3. Flash that image back onto the phone - boot into superboot, then run

fastboot-linux flash boot boot-phil.img

4. Reboot the phone.

All the phone then does is boot into the superboot bootloader again! Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Cheers.

Edited May 24, 2010 by phildrip

[Guest phildrip]

Hmm. Well, not sure what I've changed, but it seems to be working now. Yay?

[Guest phildrip]

Right now I have a problem where if I build the pulse kernel with no modifications (2.6.27) and attempt to boot from that, the phone will get stuck in a reboot cycle.

Anyone know what the problem is there? I've tried to compare logcat output from a working and non-working boot, but the only discernible difference is that the log of the non-working boot is shorter than the working one.

Is there a way to get logs of kernel PANICs or OOPs?

Cheers.

[Guest BigBearMDC]

Hmm. Well, not sure what I've changed, but it seems to be working now. Yay?

If it boots to fastboot mode the boot image is likely to be corrupted.

By they way, do you want to join our FroYo porting project?

If so just visit our repo (link is in my sig :rolleyes:).

Best reagards,

BigBear

[Guest BigBearMDC]

Right now I have a problem where if I build the pulse kernel with no modifications (2.6.27) and attempt to boot from that, the phone will get stuck in a reboot cycle.

Anyone know what the problem is there? I've tried to compare logcat output from a working and non-working boot, but the only discernible difference is that the log of the non-working boot is shorter than the working one.

Is there a way to get logs of kernel PANICs or OOPs?

Cheers.

1. adb logcat
   
2. adb bugreport
   
3. dmesg (through adb shell)
   
4. dumpstate
   

You could also try ddms (/sdk/tools/ddms)

Do you use the right ramdisk and cmdline?

Edited May 24, 2010 by BigBearMDC

[Guest phildrip]

1. adb logcat
   
2. adb bugreport
   
3. dmesg (through adb shell)
   
4. dumpstate
   

You could also try ddms (/sdk/tools/ddms)

Do you use the right ramdisk and cmdline?

Ah, nice one. I'll check those out, thanks.

I'll help out with porting to the 2.6.32 kernel when I'm up to speed with booting custom kernels :rolleyes:

[Guest BigBearMDC]

Ah, nice one. I'll check those out, thanks.

I'll help out with porting to the 2.6.32 kernel when I'm up to speed with booting custom kernels :rolleyes:

Cool, thanks :D

We'll add a HowTo to the wiki, explaining how to compile, flash, test custom kernels etc.

[Guest phildrip]

We'll add a HowTo to the wiki, explaining how to compile, flash, test custom kernels etc.

That'd be really useful, thanks.