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[CWM-APP] full_wipe && easy_upgrade_wipe ZIPs [EXT2,3&4], last updated [2014-06-23]

[CWM-APP] full_wipe && easy_upgrade_wipe ZIPs [EXT2,3&4], last updated [2014-06-23]
Hello everybody!
I got inspired by mero01, who made similar tools for my previous mobile phone, the HTC Desire HD.
Imho a new version of an Android ROM should NEVER ever do a full wipe. Personally I prefer to wipe on my own AND to _personally_ have the option which file system is going to be used.
That's why I've created my own zip files, which do either a FULL_wipe or an easy_upgrade_wipe.
These zip files could work on multiple phones, but they are only tested and confirmed to be working on the LG Optimus 2x (P990). Just for the sake I've also implemented a check inside of them if that's the phone, which the wipe(s) are performed on.
**** !NONE WILL FORMAT YOUR SDCARD! ****
I DON'T TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILTY FOR DATA LOSS OR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO YOUR DEVICES. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! UNDO IS NOT POSSIBLE!
PREREQUISITES:
* Clockworkmod Recovery (recommended version: v6.0.2.5)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVERY FILE:
Code:
1. Download the zip file you want.
2. Place it anywhere in your /sdcard/
3. Reboot into CWM recovery
4. Install zip from sdcard
5. CONFRIM --- CAUTION! THIS IS UNDO-ABLE!!!
6. done :)
7. Don't reboot, flash any rom you want
8. Flash it
9. Reboot and have fun! ;)
FULL_WIPES
This patch comes in two versions (EXT3 and EXT4) and needs to be applied prior to the flash of any ROM. It will WIPE your device and format all partitions either in EXT3 or EXT4.
Wipes performed:
* SYSTEM
* DATA
* CACHE (always EXT3)
* Cleaned temporary SDCARD data ("/sdcard/.data/navigator/Data/Temporary")
EASY_UPGRADE_WIPES
These patches also come in the previous two versions (EXT3 and EXT4) and there is an additonal lite variation, which won't wipe your dalvik cache. Use the easy upgrade wipes if you DON'T want to remove your data (especially useful for ROM upgrades)!
Wipes performed:
* SYSTEM
* CACHE (always EXT3)
* non lite versions: Wipes the dalvik cache on DATA
* Cleaned temporary SDCARD data ("/sdcard/.data/navigator/Data/Temporary")
NO_JOURNAL
This won't do any wipes, but will remove the JOURNAL(S) on your file systems. If it gets applied to EXT3 partitions it clearly results in EXT2 partitions.
You will get the fastest possible EXT* file systems if it is applied to the EXT4 partitions.
It can also be applied on already existing file systems, although I'd suggest to use a clean file system. Make a backup if you still want to perform it, because it can be dangerous!
Wipes performed:
* NONE
CHANGELOG:
Code:
[U]2014-06-23[/U]
- New LITE easy upgrade wipes available, which won't clean your dalvik cache.
[U]2012-12-10[/U]
FULL_WIPES & EASY_UPGRADE_WIPES v0.5 (ICS versions only)
- Fixed system partition wipe.
[U]2012-11-27[/U]
FULL_WIPES & EASY_UPGRADE_WIPES v0.4
- Fixed progress bars.
- Now available in two versions: one for the old (GB), one for the new (ICS) partition layout
- Easy upgrade wipes will now also clean the dalvik cache
- All full and easy wipes re-made from scratch, please use with care and eventually perform a backup before using them.
[U]2011-12-28[/U]
FULL_WIPES & EASY_UPGRADE_WIPES v0.3
- First public release
************************************************************
[U]2012-12-10[/U]
NO_JOURNAL v0.3 (ICS version only)
- Fixed system partition converting.
[U]2012-11-27[/U]
NO_JOURNAL v0.2
- Fixed progress bars
[U]2011-12-28[/U]
NO_JOURNAL v0.1
- First public release
Have fun!
Greetings,
dr4go

Frequently asked questions (FAQ):
What is the difference between the o and n versions?
The o stands for OLD-, whereas n is an abbreviation for NEW-partitioning layout. Unfortunately LG changed the location of the data partition (from mmcblk0p8 to mmcblk0p9).

so what's the difference between the erase/reset data factory on CWM???

By default CWM will only format your partitions in ext3. Now you can choose ext4 which is usefull for ROMs/kernel with ext4 support but do not format the partitions in ext4. Also, you can use ext2 now the easy way.

koboltzz said:
By default CWM will only format your partitions in ext3. Now you can choose ext4 which is usefull for ROMs/kernel with ext4 support but do not format the partitions in ext4. Also, you can use ext2 now the easy way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. Thanks for the answer koboltzz.
For the HTC Desire HD there was also an EXT4 version of CWM available, which changed the default algorithms of the "Wipe data/Factory reset" and the "Format" options to EXT4.
But with the latter possibility you loose the ability to format EXT3 partitions. That's also why I always used mero01's zip files to accomplish wipes.
Imho it's the best option, because if you REMOVE the formatting lines from the ROMs you want to flash it's absolutely no problem to also use an EXT3 designed ROM (like Hypnos2X for example) on EXT4 file systems (that's the operating system I'm currently on).
And I tell you also because I dislike the FULL wipes on nearly every ROM available for the LG Optimus 2X. If you have a problem and just want to reinstall the ROM without loosing any data there is no way to do that.
Yes, an easy wipe should always be done by the standard ROM zip itself - of course... but I've always also removed those lines, because that way you also get the freedom of the file system.
It's up to you...

sadly, I must report, that 0-full_wipe_0.3_ext4.zip is not working as expected.
Using it and after that flashing Fr19 with ext4 Kernel (from modaco) -> no boot at all ->freezing
This will not happen, if you first do a fullwipe by cwm (ext3), then flash Fr19 and after that use the universal converter to ext4 from benee.
But this only changes data and system partition to ext4 by default.
There is definitely something wrong with the script, an other example:
First flashing 0-full_wipe_0.3_ext4.zip
after that Fr19 ROM (up to this point it would have been a bootfreeze, look above)
and after that flashing universal converter to ext4, phone will boot now, but will not be able to install any app 'there is insufficient space' (which is totally not true), most likely because cache partition is fu.cked up by 0-full_wipe_0.3_ext4.zip
Time for version 0.4

koboltzz said:
sadly, I must report, that 0-full_wipe_0.3_ext4.zip is not working as expected.
[...]
Time for version 0.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will look into it. Thank you for the additional information.

Delete this comment i guess i need to learn how to read im sorry!

dr4go said:
I will look into it. Thank you for the additional information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anything new to this?

koboltzz said:
Anything new to this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately not yet... But I'll promise you: It's the next on my todo list, because it bugs me too.

dr4go said:
Unfortunately not yet... But I'll promise you: It's the next on my todo list, because it bugs me too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey dr4go got something weird here...
when i flash your ext3 zip everything is fine atleast the mount command say so
but then when i want to convert them to ext2 something really weirds occur the system partition becomes ext2 but the data and cache partition become ext4 according to the mount command using recovery 5.0.2.7R2

Here is the convert tool made by Topogigi, and slightly modified by me to include /system conversion.
/cache has not the same parameters it seems.

First (and second) post(s) updated.
And I'll promise you also to release something bigger next time. Guesses won't be commented.

ONly comment I can do is: Nice to see you my friend! How are you?

carburano said:
ONly comment I can do is: Nice to see you my friend! How are you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything fine here! Nice to see you too. I finally found some free time and also motivation, because of the marvellously working CyanogenMod 10 on our phones. It's unbelievable... I was nearly freaking out when reading the notice.
And you? How are you? Hopefully everything is also great on your side?

Dr4go welcome bro, how are you?
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda app-developers app

maybe you can do this thing for the new Bootloader.
i try,but stay in Bootloop
Maybe you have a good Idea

spica1234 said:
Dr4go welcome bro, how are you?
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. As you may have realized... a little busy as usual... otherwise totally fine. How is it on your side? Everything ok?

cojo11 said:
maybe you can do this thing for the new Bootloader.
i try,but stay in Bootloop
Maybe you have a good Idea
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly did you do? And which ROM did you try to flash afterwards? Imho the zips should be fixed now - I didn't encounter a single problem since using them.

i try it with ICS 28E and 28G for my Ghostrider Aroma Rom with new Partition Layout,but when i use ext3 or ext4 i got a Bootloop,i put the stuff in the Updater-Script,all runs with Aroma and lokks fine but when i reboot,i got the Bootloop

[HOWTO] Changing Filesystem to F2FS on the Sprint S4

This guide is for the Sprint Galaxy S4 only and as of now it is only compatible with two kernels: KToonsez S4 Kernel 4.4 AOSP (4/17 or later) and PoKernel 1.7 F2FS ONLY Build. This guide CANNOT be used on Touchwiz or Android 4.3 yet. I will update it when and if that becomes possible
*Disclaimer: You are doing this to your phone under your own consent. This is an experimental procedure and may not work on some hardware revisions or on devices where certain conditions are not met. You assume all the risk by flashing any of the software below or changing your filesystems. I am not responsible if your phone does not work based on the method I am describing below. Modify at your own risk.
This guide had to be updated in order to correct misinformation. The guide will follow KT's instructions explicitly until it gets to the formatting of the system partition
***If you want to format your /system partition to F2FS please read that section first as it requires steps to be taken from your currently working AOSP rom!***
First, go this link download the file:TWRP-KT.ALL-IN-1.zip
http://goo.gl/HLz4al
Formatting Data and Cache to F2FS
NOTE: Follow these steps EXACTLY, do NOT add or remove any steps, period!!!!
1. Backup everything from your internal SD to your PC or external SD, since the entire internal SD is going to get wiped out with format!!!!!!!!!!
2. Download the files from the folder that you got these instructions from (Ignore the OLD WAY folder) and SAVE TO THE EXTERNAL SD!!!
3. ONLY DO THIS STEP IF YOU ARE ON AN OLD VERSION OF MY TWRP. Flash TWRP-KT.ALL-IN-1.zip (this is what gives us the ability to format using F2FS)
4. Reboot recovery
5. Go to "Settings" and check the box to force F2FS for data and cache (you can also check the box to include /system partition if you want to convert your ROM's zip to use that too)
6. Go to "Wipe->Advanced" option and wipe the "Cache" partiton
7. Go to "Wipe->Format Data" option (THIS WIPES YOUR ENTIRE INTERNAL SD CARD, all files and folders, all gone so make a backup to your external SD or PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
8. This step you have 2 choices:
A. Flash your ROM/gapps to start completely fresh
B. Go to restore option and ONLY restore your "Data" (you can also restore /system if you are doing the f2fs conversion on /system partition too)
9. ONLY DO THIS STEP IF YOU INSTALLED A NEW ROM. Flash my newest kernel (needs to be a kernel dated 05.05.2014 or newer)
10. DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11. KTweaker has a new option under "Tools" screen to "Get Partition info" to double check your work.
Formatting System Partition with F2FS (Required: KT SGS4 Kernel 4/28 or later!)
Steps:
1.) Before doing any F2FS conversion with the above instructions, use your currently working AOSP ROM to grab the AOSP 4.4 Kernel from HERE (4/28 or later only!) and save it to your external memory card
2.) Once it is saved reboot to recovery and install it (Flashing a kernel in TWRP is Install -> Folder where kernel is -> Click KT 4/28 kernel -> Swipe to install -> Clear cache/dalvik -> Main menu -> click advanced -> Fix Permissions -> Reboot to system)
3.) After you are back in your working AOSP ROM with KT 4/28 kernel installed, download the AOSP rom you want to use and save it to your external sd card (You can leave the filename as it is, the program will rename it for you)
4.) Open KTweaker and click "Tools" and at the very bottom choose "F2FS: Convert ROM ZIP"
5.) It will ask you to locate the file, ask if you're sure, and then it will do the conversion; upon completion the zip file that was created will have "-F2FS.zip" at the end of it
6.) Now you can follow the steps above, but when you get to step 9A you will use the "-F2FS.zip" file instead of the standard ROM file
This procedure is necessary because KTweaker changes your favorite ROM to pass the command mkfs.f2fs so that your system partition is formatted to F2FS before the files are installed. I did this myself to verify and it works a treat. One crucial step to remember though is that after you install your F2FS converted ROM you absolutely must install KT's kernel so your phone will boot.
Returning to EXT4
NOTE: Follow these steps EXACTLY, do NOT add or remove any steps, period!!!!
1. Backup everything from your internal SD to your PC or external SD, since the entire internal SD is going to get wiped out with format!!!!!!!!!!
2. Download the files from the folder that you got these instructions from (Ignore the OLD WAY folder) and SAVE TO THE EXTERNAL SD!!!
3. ONLY DO THIS STEP IF YOU ARE ON AN OLD VERSION OF MY TWRP. Flash TWRP-KT.ALL-IN-1.zip (this is what gives us the ability to format using F2FS)
4. Reboot recovery
5. Go to "Settings" and uncheck the box to force F2FS for data and cache (If you checked the box to include /system partition uncheck it first)
6. Go to "Wipe->Advanced" option and wipe the "Cache" partiton
7. Go to "Wipe->Format Data" option (THIS WIPES YOUR ENTIRE INTERNAL SD CARD, all files and folders, all gone so make a backup to your external SD or PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
8. This step you have 2 choices:
A. Flash your ROM/gapps to start completely fresh
B. Go to restore option and ONLY restore your "Data" (you can also restore /system if you are doing the f2fs conversion on /system partition too)
9. ONLY DO THIS STEP IF YOU INSTALLED A NEW ROM. Flash my newest kernel (needs to be a kernel dated 05.05.2014 or newer)
10. DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11. KTweaker has a new option under "Tools" screen to "Get Partition info" to double check your work.
FAQ
Q: Why can't I use this on Touchwiz?
A: It has been developed for the most recent Linux kernel 3.8 and has been implemented in kernels built for 4.4.x OSP builds. This isn't to say it cannot be used on Touchwiz, it is a filesystem and as long as there is a kernel that offers support for reading it installed on your device it should theoretically work on your hardware. However, this can be proven/disproven by the devs here and I will update this answer if it cannot be implemented in a backwards fashion.
Q: Are there advantages to using F2FS?
A: It is built and intended for use on flash filesystems which our devices run exclusively. So since it was developed for flash memory there will be a benefit to using it as it matures. However, this does not imply that benchmarks will increase or your whole phone will become more responsive, its intent is to have files be accessed and written more efficiently. It is supposedly also built for the long-term user who does not constantly reformat their devices because it is supposed to handle large amounts of old files and cleaning more effectively that EXT4. Source: https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/filesystems/f2fs.txt
Q: Will this trip Knox?
A: No more than installing a custom recovery would. So if you already had a custom recovery (Read: TWRP, PhilZ, CWM) in place you are safe following this guide. For now of course; I do not know if there will be another iteration of Samsung software that locks down the device futher.
Q: Can I clear Cache and Dalvik to troubleshoot after changing my filesystem?
A: I tried this myself and the answer is yes. As long as you are using the F2FS custom recovery made by KToonsez you can wipe Cache and Dalvik from recovery and it will rebuild your system. Something I did notice is that first boot will stay on the splash screen longer with F2FS than with EXT4. I saw it hang on the splash screen of my Liquid rom for an extra minute before actually booting and showing cache rebuild. **Your Mileage May Vary**
Q: Why isn't the System Partition formatted into F2FS?
A: This can be done now with KTweaker. See section above.
Q: What ROMs can I use with this filesystem?
A: Any 4.4.x rom (most are 4.4.2 now) that is compatible with either KToonsez S4 AOSP kernel or Pokernel 1.7 F2FS Only.
Q: In Advanced Wipe, Preload has been added to the options of things to wipe. Should I?
A: Ktoonsez answer found HERE was that he has never wiped preload. So I suggest against it unless you know what you are doing.
Thanks
Linux, Google, and Samsung (all this neat stuff comes from those communities)
TWRP Team for their custom recovery and its updates
Ktoonsez for his awesome kernel and the modified recoveries
CPA Poke for his awesome kernel that has F2FS support baked in
LuigiBull23 for edits and reminding me to add content
XDA for giving us a place to host experimental phone procedures
The XDA Devs for all the work they do for us with their time
The XDA community for providing feedback and making this a great place to hang out
If I forgot anyone specifically please let me know and I will update this section or any section
Enjoy and let us know how it works on your device!

Great guide my friend!

delete

Thanx great guide
Sent from my SPH-L720 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Great guide OP! Always nice to have a thread to link to.
I'm sure it's been talked about but your posts doesn't mention the ramdisk files. They're listed but not talked about. Now I'm somewhat limited myself in understanding everything there is to know about these things but are those files to do with eventually formatting the system partition to f2fs?
May be worth putting a little note in there regarding those files... You know how some folks go flash crazy once in recovery lol
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Mistertac said:
Great guide OP! Always nice to have a thread to link to.
I'm sure it's been talked about but your posts doesn't mention the ramdisk files. They're listed but not talked about. Now I'm somewhat limited myself in understanding everything there is to know about these things but are those files to do with eventually formatting the system partition to f2fs?
May be worth putting a little note in there regarding those files... You know how some folks go flash crazy once in recovery lol
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello again.. Lol
The ramdisk mod is now obsolete as it's already included in the kernel zip, which will automatically determine whether you're still on EXT4 or F2FS and make the required changes to the ramdisk accordingly. So no need to flash anything but the kernel as usual after following the steps.

OK yea I figured it was either to do with what I said or to do with the kernel obviously. Just figured I'd ask anyways
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't entirely sure what the ramdisk files were for. I knew they might have been for advanced users considering they were offered, but not listed in the instructions. I didn't know for sure and I didn't want to use the word "obsolete" because, well, I was so wrong before
I am glad LuigiBull23 jumped in and answered that for us. I'll get it added into the the guide so future users know what they are or are not used for. Keep the questions coming, I love learning about this stuff!

I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't entirely sure what the ramdisk files were for. I knew they might have been for advanced users considering they were offered, but not listed in the instructions. I didn't know for sure and I didn't want to use the word "obsolete" because, well, I was so wrong before
I am glad LuigiBull23 jumped in and answered that for us. I'll get it added into the the guide so future users know what they are or are not used for. Keep the questions coming, I love learning about this stuff!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand. A lot of people were and still are confused about these files..
In short, during the testing phases of F2FS, KT compiled a separate zip for changes to the ramdisk that in turn would reflect the EXT4/F2FS mount points as a means to avoid possible bootloops and such. It was indeed a success and as a result was included in his kernel.
Now, upon flashing the kernel it is able to determine which partitions are formatted as EXT4 or F2FS and mod the ramdisk accordingly. He only left the files on his server in case he ever needed them again. So they are most definitely OBSOLETE. You certainly wouldn't have gone wrong using the term in this case.

Updated the guide for KT's new all-in-one TWRP recovery that will allow you to switch back and forth between F2FS and EXT4. I used his exact instructions from his guide in all areas except for the system formatting section which I wrote. If you are using his custom TWRP recovery go ahead and grab the new one so you can use it in the future!

F2FS with CM11 Nightly
When I used KTweaker to convert my latest CM 11 nightly, it came back and said that it was done but could not find all the lines to modify. Is this ok?

mwilder817 said:
When I used KTweaker to convert my latest CM 11 nightly, it came back and said that it was done but could not find all the lines to modify. Is this ok?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know it has been forever since you posted this and I apologize for the late answer, but I imagine that if you received that error you got a bad download of CM11. I've personally converted the snapshot and several nightlies of CM11 and they all passed nicely.
So for anyone getting this, if you get a similar error message: Re-download the ROM you are converting

to bad its still not possible with touchwiz, love to use f2fs on a stock rom for my sgs4-lte.
is it possible in the near future that we can use f2fs on those devices with a Samsung stock rom, using another kernel is no problem.
or is this hard to tell ?

Hello, I've been trying to use this to change my filesystem because I'm coming from CM12 and I'm trying to flash a GPE rom on my S4. But after flashing I am rebooting straight to recovery. Also I'm using the latest TWRP.

RealMikeyTaylor said:
Hello, I've been trying to use this to change my filesystem because I'm coming from CM12 and I'm trying to flash a GPE rom on my S4. But after flashing I am rebooting straight to recovery. Also I'm using the latest TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you are using a version of TWRP that support F2FS. I don't think the standard issue TWRP does. @AntaresOne has one that does support F2FS and is based on the latest version (2.8.3.0). That's the one I use. Of course, I'm hooked on his CM12 ROM as well. He does really good work!!

mwilder817 said:
Make sure you are using a version of TWRP that support F2FS. I don't think the standard issue TWRP does. @AntaresOne has one that does support F2FS and is based on the latest version (2.8.3.0). That's the one I use. Of course, I'm hooked on his CM12 ROM as well. He does really good work!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But doesn't it have to be in EXT4 for it to work for a GPE ROM?

RealMikeyTaylor said:
But doesn't it have to be in EXT4 for it to work for a GPE ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are probably right. I haven't tried the GPE ROM yet.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using XDA Free mobile app

RealMikeyTaylor said:
But doesn't it have to be in EXT4 for it to work for a GPE ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup gpe uses ext4 on all partitions because it uses tw framework

Everything about F2FS for our device (Recoveries, patches, info,...)

Alright guys, as most of you most likely already noticed, we are preparing our device to run completely on F2FS. This task, however, needs some information and tools, which I will try to provide in this thread. It is WIP, so don't expect too much yet
First of all, we need a F2FS capable recovery. I have compiled both, CWM and TWRP, but CWM seems to have some issues, so please use TWRP for now
The only ROM running on F2FS for now is our unofficial CM11, but I will update the following list as soon as I get to know about another ROM
Unofficial CM11
To install a F2FS ROM coming from an ext4 filesystem (default), you have to do the following steps:
0) make backups (including titanium backup)
1) flash the F2FS TWRP recovery image
2) manually format /system /data and /cache to F2FS (WARNING: internal sdcard will be wiped as well)
3) flash the F2FS ROM
4) flash GAPPS
5) boot
Regarding custom kernels, if you don't use the default kernel, please don't make bug reports. If we know that the ROM and kernel are working properly, then we can go on. But for now, if you run into problems using a custom kernel, please keep it to yourself.
I assume you will want to restore your data after formatting to F2FS, but keep in mind that if you restore your /data partition via recovery, the old filesystem will be restored as well (ext4). This means, you cannot restore your old backup via recovery. However, if you have a Titanium Backup backup, you sure can restore this.
ROM devs
In order to compile a flashable zip, the updater-script has to be altered. But don't worry, you don't have to do this manually I edited the script creating the updater-script and made a patch, which can be found in the 2nd post
XDA:DevDB Information
F2FS related tools/info/..., Tool/Utility for the LG Optimus 4X HD
Contributors
laufersteppenwolf
Version Information
Status: Stable
Created 2014-06-29
Last Updated 2014-06-30

Reserved
Updater-script patch:
The patch in the attachment patches the updater-script (generator) to be compatible with F2FS partitions (proper mounting and formatting).
Save it inside the build dir, then open a shell and cd to the correct path. Now run "git apply <patchname>.patch" and you're good to go
Example:
Code:
cd /path/to/ROM_sources/CM11/build
git apply F2FS_updater-script.patch
cd ..

@laufersteppenwolf Ok, I'm a bit confused: according to what I'm reading here, and on your unofficial CM11 thread, I assume that /system should be formatted with F2FS using the new twrp recovery you uploaded..but reading what @Demetris and @iodak are saying on iodak kernel's thread, it seems like only /data and /cache partitions will be turned to F2FS, while /system will stay on ext4..the same has been said by @Demetris in the official CM11 thread..so, my question is: are you thinking to try developing in different ways? Just to understand where you are pointing to, and to acquire a clear knowledge about the status of your work Thank you guys!
Sent from my LG-P880 - Beanstalk 4.4.4 - Iodak 9.95 kernel - using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

peppethustra said:
@laufersteppenwolf Ok, I'm a bit confused: according to what I'm reading here, and on your unofficial CM11 thread, I assume that /system should be formatted with F2FS using the new twrp recovery you uploaded..but reading what @Demetris and @iodak are saying on iodak kernel's thread, it seems like only /data and /cache partitions will be turned to F2FS, while /system will stay on ext4..the same has been said by @Demetris in the official CM11 thread..so, my question is: are you thinking to try developing in different ways? Just to understand where you are pointing to, and to acquire a clear knowledge about the status of your work Thank you guys!
Sent from my LG-P880 - Beanstalk 4.4.4 - Iodak 9.95 kernel - using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't follow iodak's kernel thread, and lately neither the official CM thread, which is why I can't say anything about those discussions. However, all the above info is still correct, as the /system partition still has to be F2FS (you can take a look into our fstab), at least up til now.
And no, I will not go a different was, as my main goal is to keep our device as unified as possible (hence also all various ROM sources on our p880-dev github for slim, gummy,...). All this F2FS stuff is still in a pretty early stage, which is why there can always be changes.

laufersteppenwolf said:
I didn't follow iodak's kernel thread, and lately neither the official CM thread, which is why I can't say anything about those discussions. However, all the above info is still correct, as the /system partition still has to be F2FS (you can take a look into our fstab), at least up til now.
And no, I will not go a different was, as my main goal is to keep our device as unified as possible (hence also all various ROM sources on our p880-dev github for slim, gummy,...). All this F2FS stuff is still in a pretty early stage, which is why there can always be changes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mmm, yes, it's clear, reading fstab..thank you. The strange thing which took me asking for that question was the discussion between Demetris and iodak in iodak kernel's thread (about using f2fs only for /cache and /data) Anyway, you are the devs, so let's wait
Sent from my LG-P880 - Beanstalk 4.4.4 - Iodak 9.95 kernel - using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Alright ROM devs, just uploaded the patch to the 2nd post with some quick instructions, but I assume you know how to apply it

laufersteppenwolf said:
Alright ROM devs, just uploaded the patch to the 2nd post with some quick instructions, but I assume you know how to apply it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is a patch? Can i use a brush to apply it? :silly:
Can you make a cwm flashable zip for us? :silly:
Btw because i have a screen protector this can be applied over it or i need to remove it?

Demetris said:
What is a patch? Can i use a brush to apply it? :silly:
You sure can try to use a brush
Can you make a cwm flashable zip for us? :silly:
Yeah, sure, no problem, but first you need to provide me a CWM for my and your PC
Btw because i have a screen protector this can be applied over it or i need to remove it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry, but you need to remove your screen protector, your back and your battery in order to apply it...

Yeah make twrp or cwn flashable zip [emoji4]

laufersteppenwolf said:
Updater-script patch:
The patch in the attachment patches the updater-script (generator) to be compatible with F2FS partitions (proper mounting and formatting).
Save it inside the build dir, then open a shell and cd to the correct path. Now run "git apply <patchname>.patch" and you're good to go
Example:
Code:
cd /path/to/ROM_sources/CM11/build
git apply F2FS_updater-script.patch
cd ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got any guide on doing this, can't seem to find any.

baxtex said:
Got any guide on doing this, can't seem to find any.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, TBH, I don't know how else to describe
as anothe example, let's say we want to compile CM11, and all sources are in ~/CM11 (you ran the repo init command in ~/CM11)
DL the patch and save it under ~/CM11/build, named F2FS_updater-script.patch
then run the following commands in your terminal:
Code:
cd ~/CM11/build
git apply F2FS_updater-script.patch
then you can compile the ROM as usual, but make sure to run repo sync before applying the patch

Demetris said:
What is a patch? Can i use a brush to apply it? :silly:
Can you make a cwm flashable zip for us? :silly:
Btw because i have a screen protector this can be applied over it or i need to remove it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Revered Developer:
Two questions into one: Is it really worth formating F2Fs, which seems to be yes with a lot of buts, and should we choose Art selected runtime. The ART problem is theoretically ok, better than Dalvik, pratically every time I turn Art on, benchmarks ans subjective feeling od the device got worst: Nexus7Flo and t0lte Note II. We need Xposed installer and surround environment...
http://www.xda-developers.com/search/Art+compilers

using twrp where can i find the option to format /data and /cache to f2fs?
edit: found it, under andvanced wipe

Roms with data and cache f2fs while system ext4
If I have non all-f2fs rom. Can I install it with only data and cache f2fs
Because CM11 is all-f2fs and other roms are not, but @iodak released kernel that is compatible with different f2fs and ext4 combinations.
So what roms I can install with data and cache f2f2 while system is ext4
I'm really confused with this :silly: :silly:

Every normal rom (ext4) can be installed with data or/and cache on f2fs. And you able to update or change rom without problems.

iodak said:
Every normal rom (ext4) can be installed with data or/and cache on f2fs. And you able to update or change rom without problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for making this clear to me :victory:

Hey want to ask... I don't have external SD, so if I format to F2FS my internal memory will be wiped right? So, must I push ROM zip to internal memory through ADB to install ROM? or there is any other method?
Thanks.

masmoe said:
Hey want to ask... I don't have external SD, so if I format to F2FS my internal memory will be wiped right? So, must I push ROM zip to internal memory through ADB to install ROM? or there is any other method?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.Right
2.Yes
3.No without SD card

Just for Information: Carbon Rom from animus7 also uses F2FS. And sadly the TWRP is very Buggy for me. I wipe dalvik and it wipe WHOLE /DATA (including /data/media)

Optimissimus99 said:
Just for Information: Carbon Rom from animus7 also uses F2FS. And sadly the TWRP is very Buggy for me. I wipe dalvik and it wipe WHOLE /DATA (including /data/media)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also AOSB ROM is on F2FS ,weird issue tho,did ot happen when you already was on F2FS?
Sent from my LG-V500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

[Q&A] MultiSystem for Android

MultiSystem is a powerful tool for locked- and unlocked-bootloader Android devices with many features that at least includes the following:
Keeps stock system partition safe/rooted
Permenant root survival with proper use
MultiROM support via virtual ROMs
Unlimited number of virtual ROMs
Booting options to choose stock, primary, or secondary virtual ROM
Any of the virtual ROMs can work as a recovery replacement
Flashing multiple ROMs at the same time without a reboot
Ability to create/install ROMs on Linux to microSD card
Great performance & battery life on virtual ROMs
Recovery solution to install ROMs or Mods
Easy upgrade to newer versions of Android
Ability to safely apply OTA updates to virtual system
Permissive SELinux and other kernel tweaks
Safe flashing that doesn't trip KNOX flag on Samsung devices
Wrapper script runs via ADB or a Terminal Emulator on device
APK to manage all MultiSystem functions with a nice UI and extra options
Management for the best performance & user experience
Support for all Android devices with microSD card
Portability to almost all devices
Compatibility with all Android versions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Q&A​
What is the concept behind MultiSystem?
It runs virtual Android ROMs on microSD, like booting multiple systems on a PC from different partitions/disks. So, your stock system partition is kept safe/rooted. It won't affect performance or anything (might even be better on the virtual system if you've high quality microSD & the device supports its speed). Also, you can freely modify any of the virtual systems & in the worst case, reboot the safe stock system or another working virtual system to recover. So, no root loss or potential damage to the original device partitions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it a recovery or an APK tool?
It's a shell script that hijacks system at early boot & force Android to boot from the stock system partition or a virtual system IMG & an APK that manages all booting options, virtual ROMs, and works as a recovery replacement + extra features...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it work as a recovery replacement?
It IS a POWERFUL recovery replacement. You can do whatever you do in recovery with the APK. HOW? recovery does its magic b/c it doesn't depend on the system & has its own kernel/ramdisk. In MultiSystem, you can boot a virtual ROM from extSD that sure doesn't depend on stock system partition or any of the other virtual ROMs (it does depend on the kernel, which you can't flash on locked devcies anyway). Hence, install, backup, restore, ... & all recovery functions are all possible +++ more features since you're running a full ROM not just a recovery ramdisk like Safestrap.
Bottom Line: I think it's the best & most convenient recovery replacement ever for locked devices & it can also attract unlocked devices for the powerful features, MultiROM, and recovery from within ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I use FlashFire along with MultiSystem?
Yes. MultiSystem is compatible with FlashFire & fully supports it on stock & virtual ROMs. So, you can use both/any of them for flashing to either a stock or virtual ROM. However, it's recommended to use MultiSystem when flashing to the stock system partition (shouldn't be needed anyway since you can always be safe & flash to your old/new virtual ROMs).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does MultiSystem require FlashFire?
No, MultiSystem doesn't require FlashFire. They're fully combatible though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would the virtual ROM we install be exactly the one in the stock slot?
In MultiSystem APK, you can create a virtual ROM from stock system, a copy from other virtual ROM, a new IMG, a dev-provided ROM, a flashable .ZIP, ... etc. Literally, your virtual ROMs can be any stock or custom ROM that's compatible with your firmware/kernel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can it run virtual ROMs from external microSD card?
External MicroSD will be formated into 2 partitions:
exFAT or FAT32 for the 1st partition (your new external storage)
EXT4 for the 2nd partition (your MultiSystem partition)
It'll hijack the system & boot a virtual system from the 2nd partition. The 1st partition will be automatically detected as your extSD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I run unrooted virtual ROM for work apps or any other reason?
Yes. You can add unrooted virtual ROM & reboot to it via MultiSystem APK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you boot back into a different ROM?
MultiSystem APK manages all functions including ROM activation & reboot to current system, another stock/virtual system, download mode, recovery, ... etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will it be OK to still store media like movies/photos/music to extSD?
100% OK; That's my setup a few months ago. 2 virtual ROMs in the SECOND extSD partition in EXT4 format while all personal data are stored on the FIRST extSD partition in exFAT or FAT32 format... TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERET PARTITIONS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How much space are we going to have for virtual ROMs?
The size of the 2nd partition is optional (> 4GB) for your ROMs, but here is an estimated sizes:
1 Virtual ROM Uncompressed = ~2.7 GB ---> ready for running
1 Virtual ROM Compressed = ~1.5 GB ---> for full ROM backups
I'd say better allocate 4 GB for each ROM you plan to run. If you just need one virtual ROM to keep stock system safe, 4 GB 2nd extSD partition is enough; The remaining space is allocated for the 1st extSD partition as your external storage.
For me, I run Linux too from extSD via MultiSystem. So, I've 64 GB extSD card with two partitions 32 GB each.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I clear up space on an existing SD card and partition it while full or will the entire card need to be wiped and partitioned from scratch?
You need to backup all your files; it'll be wiped & repartitioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I swap microSD cards & be able to run virtual ROMs?
You can swap microSD cards as you wish provided that the device is powered off; don't remove the microSD card when running a virtual ROM. If the new microSD card doesn't include a 2nd parition of available virtual ROMs, the device will boot directly to the stock system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a specific sd card you recommended for this?
I personally have two microSD cards:
SanDisk Extreme Plus 64GB (Up to 80MB/s read speed)
Samsung 64GB PRO (Up to 90MB/s read speed)
You don't have to change your microSD card for MultiSystem; any card you use on your device should work just fine. The need for more speed is relevant when the device supports that speed & if you're going to buy a new card anyway that you may use with a newer device later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I copy virtual ROMs to a new microSD card?
Yes. I'll add a feature for swapping microSD cards so that you can backup/restore virtual ROMs from/to the current extSD to/from internal storage as follows:
power off device
use MultiSystem APK to backup your virtual ROMs
insert the new properly formatted microSD,
power on device (it'll boot to stock system)
use MultiSystem APK to restore your virtual ROMs
use MultiSystem APK to activate one of your virtual ROMs
use MultiSystem APK to reboot to any of your ROMs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about other data/cache partitions and internal storage?
Only system img's are in the extSD. All ROMs share all other partitions. This substantially improves the performance & you won't notice any difference between your stock & virtual ROMs. The reason for performance improvement is that EXT4 loop devices are very fast in reading but not in writing. Your system partition is read-only while data (for example) is read write & cache IMGs cause problems like Safestrap issues on ROM slots. Also, you don't have to worry about switching data/settings between ROMs (they're shared), but you just need to regularly backup your important data (which is healthy anyway).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can your elaborate where data is stored?
The userdata partition is also shared; so, you'll have access to all your FULL storage partitions & all apps/data similarly on either stock or virtual ROMs. This also solves the Safestrap issue of having less storage on ROM slots...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will mSDcard incur a significant performance penalty on some devices?
there's no diffrerence between virtual & stock ROMs in terms of performance & battery life. The reason is simple: loop devices associated with the READ-ONLY system IMG mounted from EXT4 partition using a high-quality microSD card IS very fast more than enough.
The read speed is faster than the device can operate anyway + the exact same device should perform on the lowest speed when reading/writing from/to the FAT/FAT32/ExFAT extSD card (where you store your files or even move apps!!!) anyway, which is much slower than the read speed of a loop device mounted from EXT4 partition.
That's why data partition is shared for many reasons, including the poor READ/WRITE performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If virtual systems are read only, how do we modify them? Do we have to boot to another multisystem rom to modify a virtual rom?
The stock system partition is mounted by default read only & so are the virtual systems. To modify a stock/virtual system, the MultiSystem APK remounts them read/write. You can modify the currently running virtual system, copy it & modify the copy, modify another stock/virtual system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is a corrupted virtual rom handled? Does it see it's bad and default to stock system?
At early boot, MultiSystem checks for the microSD & active virtual ROM to boot it. There's a boot menu that gives you options to select a stock/virtual system, but it crashes on LP. I'm debugging it, but all functions won't be affected if I removed it. To fail safe, you can remove the microSD card to boot to stock system & restore/repair your virtual ROMs.
UPDATE1: MultiSystem v1.0.1 now allows you to also switch to stock system on boot to repair corrupted virtual IMGs or any other reasons. More options will be added during boot to ultimately select another virtual system if the active IMG is not booting normally (e.g., bootloop after applying a mod or flashing a bad .ZIP).
UPDATE2: Now, on boot, you can choose from two primary/secondary virtual ROM or stock ROM. Flashing multiple ROMs at the same time without a reboot is now possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to check if an IMG is corrupted using MultiSystem status?
Code:
Current System IMG: Test_Rom.img
Current System DEV: [B][COLOR="Red"]/dev/block/mmcblk0p23[/COLOR][/B]
When you see "/dev/block/mmcblk0p23"; it's the original system partition; so MultiSystem failed to boot Test_Rom.img, but it should be your current system.
So, the check is simple based on "Current System Device":
/dev/block/mmcblk0p23 = Stock System Partition
/dev/block/loop0 = Virtual System IMG
Note: The block device number (mmcblk0p23) may vary per device & per variant !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does android do any maintenance whatsoever on stored data within /data or external sd? So if I have an app installed on 1 system and not on another system will android see it and clear the data?
No, all storage partitions are shared between ROMs. If you installed an app, it'll be availabe for all of them. Since on locked devcies we're limited to stock manufacturer-based ROMs, this makes the switch between ROMs very convinient (you don't have to worry about your changes/data/setup & storage space on the another ROM; all ROMs share everything except system). However, you should make regular backups in case a virtual ROM (probably with unsafe mods) results in bootloop due to your user data. In this case, it's safe to wipe data & selectively restore apps/data from backup(s). Another advantage of sharing all storage partitions is that your messages/emails/etc received on a virtual ROM are immediated synced (actually shared) to the other ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will anything like Xposed modify the virtual ROM system IMG as opposed to the stock system IMG?
When you run a Virtual System, everything incldung kernel & apps are hijacked to speak to it as the original system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can we install AOSP ROMs on locked devices?
You can only install stock/manufacturer-based ROMs on locked devices while unlocked devices can use kexec or flash the required kernel to boot any AOSP/Stock ROMs. I've got a Note 4 Developer Edition & a lot of development is planned to go there (thanks to the unlocked bootloader!) More devices will get supported including unlocked TMO & international variants after adding more features untilizing the unlocked bootloader with kexec'd kernels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are there limitations to the combinations of ROMs that can be loaded on the "stock" and "virtual" slots? Can you mix KK and LP?
Yes, if they can run on the same kernel. LP won't run on KK kernels & so, you'd have to upgrade the firmware anyway. As for running mixed compatible Android versions, this is possible but your'd have to backup your data before switching ROMs; if it cause no issues, enjoy smooth switch & if it doesn't, do factory reset in recovery & restore your data backup. Backups via MultiSystem are painless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are applications installed once for each ROM slot that has that applicaiton installed, or can I share a game across ROMs (for instance?)
Everything is shared between ROMs, which is very good for storage & for easy switching. Just make regular backups of your sensitive data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How there are no performance hits while internal storage memory was much faster than any microSD technology?
Read speeds from microSD is very fast compared to write speeds & since virtual ROMs are actually a virtual read-only systems (hence, MultiSystem), they provide a high performance. Moreover, again, read speeds from EXT4 loop devices are higher compared to physical partitions. They're very bad in writing, which we don't need for the read-only "system".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a preferred "daily driver" ROM that should be installed in the stock slot?
Uses a stock ODEXED ROM on stock slot for better stability!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it based off of Safestrap?
Short answer NO. I've been working on MultiSystem & Safestrap for ~7 months. Earlier versions of MultiSystem (called, JasmineREC) was based on Safestrap, but it failed to support newer versions of Android mainly due to TWRP changes in the graphics/UI libraries that cause segmentation fault & the stock kernel framebuffer issues. Then, I decided to find another solution. However, the basic idea of system hijack is powered by Safestrap (or 2nd-init recoveries in general) & all the work done by @Hashcode is GREATLY appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can it overwrite system files while running?
MultiSystem allows you to install safe mod's or a ROM in full or OTA-like update. It's strongly recommended to install .ZIP files NOT to the current system, b/c some files can not be overwritten while running. So, you can use backup function to copy the current system & install to the new img or any of your other virtual systems. You'll have several options to activate a virtual img & reboot directly to stock system, any virtual img you've activated, quick reboot, Download/bootloader, recovery,... etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would I benefit from it if I'm only running Stock ROM or would there be no point for me to install it?
If you run a ROM on stock system, you're vulnerable to root loss unless/untill a new rooting method for LP comes out. MultiSystem gives you the option to run safe-to-mod virtual ROMs + recovery replacement + extra features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a way to convert a normal ROM .ZIP into MultiSystem .IMG?
Create or copy any of your IMGs, activate it & reboot to the active IMG! Then, use FlashFire to flash the ZIP file. However, the updater-script should be safe/compatible. Some devs mount the phyical partition, which will redirect everything to it!!
For example:
Code:
mount(“ext4″, “EMMC”, “/dev/block/mmcblk0p23″, “/system”);
will mount the original system partition; while
Code:
run_program("/sbin/mount", "-t", "auto", "/system");
will mount the current system (stock or virtual). This is recommended/safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would a KitKat ROM work with multisystem even though my stock is Lollipop?
Any ROM requires a compatible kernel & modem. So, running KK ROMs requires flashing KK firmware (namely, kernel & modem). This may work with MultiSystem on other devices, especially if the bootlpoader is unlocked. For example, I plan to add features for Note 4 DevED to allow different Android versions (including AOSP, manufacturer-based, & probably Linux systems) by utilizing kernel swapping or execution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When MultiSystem comes out will it be open sourced?
Most probably, haven't decided yet!
Anyway, here's the repository on GitHub: https://github.com/hsbadr/MultiSystem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Video Tutorials
A quick preview of MultiSystem v1.0 tested on Lollipop for VZW Note 3. The video has been captured on a stable virtual ROM of JasmineROM v5.0.1. It's FULLY compatible with FlashFire on virtual/stock systems. More devices will get supported as well, after required testing.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hsbadr/videos/vb.331488823689599/428178174020663

How to check if you are running a Stock/Virtual System?
There're many ways to check whether you're running a Stock or Virtual system. MultiSystem app should include this simple check at some point. That's important to avoint ruining the Stock system & keep it safe. To make it clear to NOOBZ & anyone who's requesting "another" proof even though I owe hime nothing. Very weird!
Anyway, BusyBox mountpoint applet can print the current block/device mounted to /system mountpoint by running the following command:
Code:
busybox mountpoint -n /system
The stock system is mounts the original system partition:
Code:
[B][COLOR="Red"]/dev/block/mmcblk0p23[/COLOR][/B]
while the virtual system mounts a loop device associated with a system IMG:
Code:
[B][COLOR="Blue"]/dev/block/loop0[/COLOR][/B]
Here're two videos for both stock & virtual systems...
UPDATE:
Now, you could run the following command to print the current system (stock or virtual) and the system device (physical partition or loop device):
Code:
MultiSystem status
Note: The block device number (mmcblk0p23) may vary per device & per variant !

How to repartition microSD card for MultiSystem?
You can use any tool/program for partitioning on Android, Linux, Mac, or Windows. For example, MiniTool Partition Wizard is a good partitioning tool for Windows. So, let's use it for this task. Simply, you need to follow this PDF tutorial (thanks to @carl1961). In sum:
Step 1: delete old partitions on SD card
Step 2: create FAT32 PRIMARY partition
Step 3: create EXT4 PRIMARY partition
Then, apply changes (note that the program UI may get changed in newer versions).
Notes:
This partitioning tutorial doesn't create PRIMARY partitions (it creates logical partitions). So, you need to change "Create As" from "Logical" to "Primary" when creatig a partition.
The sizes of the two partitions are arbitrary depending on number of ROMs you plan to install on the 2nd EXT4 partition.
The 1st partition (check size) is automatically detected as your external storage
In Terminal Emulator or ADB shell, check the existence of the two partitions by running the following command (in red):
Code:
[email protected]:/ # [COLOR="Red"]ls -l /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.3/[/COLOR]
drwxr-xr-x root root 2015-05-02 21:08 by-num
lrwxrwxrwx root root 2015-05-02 21:08 mmcblk1 -> /dev/block/mmcblk1
lrwxrwxrwx root root 2015-05-02 21:08 mmcblk1p1 -> [COLOR="Blue"]/dev/block/mmcblk1p1[/COLOR]
lrwxrwxrwx root root 2015-05-02 21:08 mmcblk1p2 -> [COLOR="Blue"]/dev/block/mmcblk1p2[/COLOR]
/dev/block/mmcblk1p1 is mounted by Android as your external storage.
/dev/block/mmcblk1p2 is NOT mounted & will be your MultiSystem partition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

How to check microSD card partitions for MultiSystem?
You need to correctly repartition microSD card into two partitions:
exFAT or FAT32 for the 1st partition (your new external storage)
EXT4 for the 2nd partition (your MultiSystem partition)
Use the directions in this post!
You should check your 2nd SD partition in EXT4 format mounted to /MultiSystem:
check that the /MultiSystem directory exists after a reboot
check that the 2nd SD partition (/dev/block/mmcblk1p2) is mounted to /MultiSystem by running the following command in Terminal Emulator or ADB shell:
Code:
mount | grep /MultiSystem
The output should be:
Code:
/dev/block/mmcblk1p2 /MultiSystem ext4 rw,seclabel,relatime,data=ordered 0 0

How to check MultiSystem Installation?
The 1st thing to do after installing MultiSystem is to check the /MultiSystem directory & its contents (it shouldn't be empty!). Then, check usage by running the following commands in Terminal Emulator or ADB shell:
Code:
su
bash
MultiSystem
If it retuns "MultiSystem not found" or permission denied, try to use open MultiSystem app to Update Configurations & try again. If this does't fix it, try the following command:
Code:
/MultiSystem/bin/MultiSystem
This should work if you've MultiSystem binaries installed in (extracted to) /MultiSystem directory. If so, you can create a symlink in /system/xbin as follows:
Code:
mount -o remount,rw /system
ln -sv /MultiSystem/bin/MultiSystem /system/xbin/MultiSystem
Then, test it by running:
Code:
MultiSystem
The last thing before using it is to check the boot options: reboot & monitor the GREEN LED indicator for 3 seconds (change in the app) , which give you the following options:
Volume UP = Primary virtual ROM
Volume DOWN = Secondary virtual ROM
HOME KEY = Stock System
Pressing nothing will boot the active system: stock or primary virtual system. Sure, you should have installed one or more virtual ROMs.
Backup & restore or creating/installing a virtual ROM are easy as copy & paste: all img's will be at
Code:
/MultiSystem/img/system
To backup a virtual/stock system, you have many options:
Use create function to create from stock system
Use copy function to copy the IMG
Copy & paste with a new name
Use FlashFire (fully supported on virtual/stock ROMs)
...
If you've IMG mounting issues, run the following commands:
Code:
mount -o remount,rw /system
busybox ln -sv /proc/self/mounts /system/etc/mtab
If this doesn't help, try mounting from Terminal Emulator or ADB shell after selecting the IMG in MultiSystem app, by running the following command:
Code:
MultiSystem mount virtual

This is the one thing missing from my Note 4. Thank you for the detailed Q&A and i can't wait to try this tool out.

MultiSystem Video Tutorial
Thanks To: @Tomsgt , aka RootJunky
Don't forget to subscribe & like the video to show appreciation of his great effort & time spent in making the video :highfive::good:

Thank you so much for this! My multbooting-manic* appetive is wet (read: RAVENOUS) :laugh: Thank you also for the extremely comprehensive and clear FAQ, which answered nearly every question that I had, as well as some other very helpful ones that hadn't even occurred to me! I just have a few other questions that arose when planning my own personal setup with the incredible tool (just to be clear, I don't plan on updating to TW LP.... propbably for a while). Also this is what I'm thinking for a 3x boot setup: stock odexed ROM (first question). virtual slot 1: Dynamic Kat 4.2 (KK), v-slot 2: AOSP LP... think I'm leaning towards XenonHD.
Questions:
1. Do you have a recommendation for a custom (Kit Kat) ROM compatible with the N910T? AFAIK JasmineROM isn't compatible, looks nice though. Am I correct in my interpretation that any stock-ish odexed ROM would be a good base for a stable installation? I need to look through the DevDB again, but just wondering if you had a recommendation.
2. I just want to make sure about this, because you asked and answered in the OP Would you consider using the stock kernel with the ROM in stock to be "best practice", or does it matter? I just ask because I've been a longtime supporter of the AEL kernel and would prefer to use that (with both the ROM in stock and v-slot 1). Thoughts?
3. RE: the BusyBox installation in the stock slot, is there a particular version/installer that you recommend? I usually use Sterickson's but have also used BB on Rails. both of which install to system/xbin (and remove any former installation from sbin), so just wondering if it made a difference.
Thank you so much again! BTW, just thought I'd mention that I while writing this, I saw that Amazon had PNY 128GB UHS-1 micro sd's for $75 and ordered one . I currently have 2 of that same card, one in my N4 and one in my Note 10.1 2014 and really think that PNY storage products in general are excellent. Just thought I'd put the word out.... curious why this topic made me think of that...
*multibooting-maniac adj. Descriptor of a person and/or geek who has "Hackintosh"-based triple boot installations on two or more personal conputers and needs the computer that they carrry around in their pocket to catch up with the rest of the gang :laugh:

Would a KitKat ROM work with multisystem even though my stock is Lollipop?
Any ROM requires a compatible kernel & modem. So, running KK ROMs requires flashing KK firmware (namely, kernel & modem). This may work with MultiSystem on other devices, especially if the bootlpoader is unlocked. For example, I plan to add features for Note 4 DevED to allow different Android versions (including AOSP, manufacturer-based, & probably Linux systems) by utilizing kernel swapping or execution.
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First off, this sounds like a really nifty and useful program/app/modification? Sorry, I don't know what to really call it.
As per the above quoted, I am a little confused. The part about (same kernel)? I may be missing something but in regards to being able to run Lollipop ROM along with KitKat ROM either of which located as primary or virtual (SDcard) , how is this actually possible? As far as I know, while we can use say COD6 - bootloader & modem, I am not aware of an actual "Kernel" that could support both? Hope I am voicing this correctly... :silly:
Other question and I apologize if I missed it as I tried my best to read the well detailed OP's...
- What actual recovery is being used? Can I assume TWRP, and if so, is it a "Special - modified version" OR can we use any of the later TWRPs at our choice?
Thanks! Interested in following this!

jazzmachine said:
Thank you so much for this! My multbooting-manic* appetive is wet (read: RAVENOUS) :laugh: Thank you also for the extremely comprehensive and clear FAQ, which answered nearly every question that I had, as well as some other very helpful ones that hadn't even occurred to me! I just have a few other questions that arose when planning my own personal setup with the incredible tool (just to be clear, I don't plan on updating to TW LP.... propbably for a while). Also this is what I'm thinking for a 3x boot setup: stock odexed ROM (first question). virtual slot 1: Dynamic Kat 4.2 (KK), v-slot 2: AOSP LP... think I'm leaning towards XenonHD.
Questions:
1. Do you have a recommendation for a custom (Kit Kat) ROM compatible with the N910T? AFAIK JasmineROM isn't compatible, looks nice though. Am I correct in my interpretation that any stock-ish odexed ROM would be a good base for a stable installation? I need to look through the DevDB again, but just wondering if you had a recommendation.
2. I just want to make sure about this, because you asked and answered in the OP Would you consider using the stock kernel with the ROM in stock to be "best practice", or does it matter? I just ask because I've been a longtime supporter of the AEL kernel and would prefer to use that (with both the ROM in stock and v-slot 1). Thoughts?
3. RE: the BusyBox installation in the stock slot, is there a particular version/installer that you recommend? I usually use Sterickson's but have also used BB on Rails. both of which install to system/xbin (and remove any former installation from sbin), so just wondering if it made a difference.
Thank you so much again! BTW, just thought I'd mention that I while writing this, I saw that Amazon had PNY 128GB UHS-1 micro sd's for $75 and ordered one . I currently have 2 of that same card, one in my N4 and one in my Note 10.1 2014 and really think that PNY storage products in general are excellent. Just thought I'd put the word out.... curious why this topic made me think of that...
*multibooting-maniac adj. Descriptor of a person and/or geek who has "Hackintosh"-based triple boot installations on two or more personal conputers and needs the computer that they carrry around in their pocket to catch up with the rest of the gang :laugh:
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@jazzmachine Curious if you ever found out anymore information on this elsewhere that I may be missing. I see it's reference, youtube videos, and whatnot coming up in various threads but little known as far as it's usability on a (910T) Note 4 - mainly what kernel has to be used that supports kexec on STOCK?

lazer9 said:
@jazzmachine Curious if you ever found out anymore information on this elsewhere that I may be missing. I see it's reference, youtube videos, and whatnot coming up in various threads but little known as far as it's usability on a (910T) Note 4 - mainly what kernel has to be used that supports kexec on STOCK?
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Hey there man, wish I could provide you some useful info wrt this project, but unfortunately I've been unable to find anything directly relevant myself. However, this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/dual-boot-n910f-snap-dragon-variant-t3065211 (shout out and thanks to @aukhan!), which you've likely seen as well, has captured my interest. There are direct references to our device in that thread, but I haven't really been able to make any attempts towards making use of it due to "life stuff" conflicting with my phone tinkering / XDA activity . I haven't been able to follow it as much as I'd like (or hit you up with any actual "useful" info ) but at this point (from what I've read) it seems more... practical wrt our N910Ts.
BTW, I've read and been really appreciative of your contributions to the Emotion kernel thread :good: Definitely keep me posted if you make any progress towards the "multi/dual boot dream"... I'll do the same

jazzmachine said:
Hey there man, wish I could provide you some useful info wrt this project, but unfortunately I've been unable to find anything directly relevant myself. However, this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/dual-boot-n910f-snap-dragon-variant-t3065211 (shout out and thanks to @aukhan!), which you've likely seen as well, has captured my interest. There are direct references to our device in that thread, but I haven't really been able to make any attempts towards making use of it due to "life stuff" conflicting with my phone tinkering / XDA activity . I haven't been able to follow it as much as I'd like (or hit you up with any actual "useful" info ) but at this point (from what I've read) it seems more... practical wrt our N910Ts.
BTW, I've read and been really appreciative of your contributions to the Emotion kernel thread :good: Definitely keep me posted if you make any progress towards the "multi/dual boot dream"... I'll do the same
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Click to collapse
Thanks, I will have a look at the thread you mention. It just seems odd that this post popped up in here some time ago with some questions/replies and went completely abandoned, lol :laugh:
Like one of those teaser posts I guess. I've tried to "Google" around and found some YouTube videos along with active threads on different sections of XDA but anything coming down to usability on our N910Ts and for that matter, other devices, seem to indicated the need for a kexec Kernel in "Stock" Rom. I have yet to find/confirm ANY 910T kernel providing kexec support oddly enough but then again, maybe my google skills are lacking. :cyclops:

Primary system IMG
I can't seem to get MultiSystem to create my primary system IMG. I let it sit while the red LED is on and for quite some time afterwards but it only creates an empty file. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Just happened to stumble across this, I used multirom on my older lg optimus g pro.... It worked goud until I had a few custom roms , then it just went all to hell... I think I may give this a try.

No Virtual IMG Mode works...
hsbadr said:
There're many ways to check whether you're running a Stock or Virtual system. MultiSystem app should include this simple check at some point. That's important to avoint ruining the Stock system & keep it safe. To make it clear to NOOBZ & anyone who's requesting "another" proof even though I owe hime nothing. Very weird!
Anyway, BusyBox mountpoint applet can print the current block/device mounted to /system mountpoint by running the following command:
Code:
busybox mountpoint -n /system
The stock system is mounts the original system partition:
Code:
[B][COLOR="Red"]/dev/block/mmcblk0p23[/COLOR][/B]
while the virtual system mounts a loop device associated with a system IMG:
Code:
[B][COLOR="Blue"]/dev/block/loop0[/COLOR][/B]
Here're two videos for both stock & virtual systems...
UPDATE:
Now, you could run the following command to print the current system (stock or virtual) and the system device (physical partition or loop device):
Code:
MultiSystem status
Note: The block device number (mmcblk0p23) may vary per device & per variant !
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So I've chosen the image and tried booting it by VOL UP and over UI reboot into virtual/ active partition... both failed
/block/loop0 doesn't work, remains mmcblk0p23 though it changed to IMG Stock
Thanks for any help!!!
---------- Post added at 21:53 ---------- Previous post was at 21:48 ----------
fegar said:
I can't seem to get MultiSystem to create my primary system IMG. I let it sit while the red LED is on and for quite some time afterwards but it only creates an empty file. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
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How does the log show the empty file? Exit 0 or something like that? Or do you see a 0 MB sized file created?
Have you checked the MultiSystem installation?

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

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
Code:
fastboot boot <recoveryimagefile.img>
to test it before flashing permanently with
Code:
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.

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.

hitmancho said:
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.
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Click to collapse
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

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.

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.

silverchairbg said:
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I need to reformat /system and /cache only - most times. No need to reinstall apps.

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.

I just restart recovery and try formatting again.

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

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).

I haven't tried flashing a newer rom - just using a "dirty port" of Remix OS I'm using (SK1WG base)
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Can you, please, describe how it is working?
---------- Post added at 11:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------
Sasisco said:
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).
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Click to collapse
Yes, please, more info on that!

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

Can someone get me recovery work in android 4.2.2 ,
10.14.1.47 bootloader please?
"" I searched in google all recovery file can't be downloaded''

Any chance of a flashable version of this?