Freelander PD800 RileyROM 1.0 [Feedback]

[rrileypm]

Freelander PD800 RileyROM 1.0 [Feedback]

There is some extensive work done in the custom ROM that does the Play Store magic. I'm not sure you can get it done on the stock ROM...especially without root.

We need to work on getting this ROM working, somehow. I'm at work today and tomorrow, but I'll dig a little more on Thursday.


Randy

[circusboy]

Nova Launcher

Side note...I put on Nova Launcher as I've never checked it out...this thing now runs like a champ.

[NCR85]

OK, I tried to flash this rom and things went haywire. My tablet is a hair's breadth removed from being bricked. The only sign of activity left in it is that the flash tool sometimes recognizes it as a RKAndroid Loader Rock USB... I badly need help...

The tips on pressing the ESC button (is this the same as home button?) and reset for 5 seconds, then keeping power pressed didn't do much. However, I do get the flash tool recognizing the device...

[circusboy]

OK, I tried to flash this rom and things went haywire. My tablet is a hair's breadth removed from being bricked. The only sign of activity left in it is that the flash tool sometimes recognizes it as a RKAndroid Loader Rock USB... I badly need help...

The tips on pressing the ESC button (is this the same as home button?) and reset for 5 seconds, then keeping power pressed didn't do much. However, I do get the flash tool recognizing the device...

Use the above walk through to get it back to factory. RileyRom didn't work for a few of us now. You can still get apps on stock...you just have to find a site that has apk files. NovaLauncher makes it look like stock android. Good luck!

[NCR85]

RKBatchTool doesn't see the tablet. RKAndroid does see it ("Found RKAndroid Loader Rock USB"), but it sometimes suddenly doesn't for a short moment. I put the factory rom in RKAndroid's roms dir, but it doesn't see it...

RKDevideManage doesn't see the tablet, does see the rom...

Can someone PLEASE check on their Freelander PD800 what combination of reset button + key press gets it into recovery flashing mode as described here? link:

http://www.arctablet.com/blog/featured/flashing-arnova-g2-rockchip-2918-rockchip-flashing-tool/

Just so I know which buttons to press, trying to get this thing to respond again.

You'd really be helping me out with that...

[djcacho]

Is suppose to be volume up plus power button when connecting usb cable

RKBatchTool doesn't see the tablet. RKAndroid does see it ("Found RKAndroid Loader Rock USB"), but it sometimes suddenly doesn't for a short moment. I put the factory rom in RKAndroid's roms dir, but it doesn't see it...

RKDevideManage doesn't see the tablet, does see the rom...

Can someone PLEASE check on their Freelander PD800 what combination of reset button + key press gets it into recovery flashing mode as described here? link:

http://www.arctablet.com/blog/featured/flashing-arnova-g2-rockchip-2918-rockchip-flashing-tool/

Just so I know which buttons to press, trying to get this thing to respond again.

You'd really be helping me out with that...

[rrileypm]

Freelander PD800 RileyROM 1.0 [Feedback]

You need the latest version of RK Batch Tool for the 3188 tablets. I'm mobile so I can't supply a link to it. You might google it.

Sorry you are having trouble.




Randy

[NCR85]

W00t. It's fixed. RKBatch Tool suddenly recognized it after I did a few random button presses. Removing the battery charger seems to have helped too. I installed the official rom unfortunately so can't report on rileyrom's functionality. And I guess you'll understand I don't feel much like experimenting more with this right now.

No hard feelings to the rom creator; I did this at my own risk and I don't think his work is to blame for it. This stuff just always carries risk and I knew this before I got started with it. And things worked out fine in the end.

[NCR85]

Ok, it looks like installing the official rom removed some of my root privileges; will installing RileyRom return that? It says "rooted" in the description?

I'd like to install RileyRom using RKBatchTool if that's possible, but I can only select one file at a time and there's multiple. Which should I select? Should I select them in a certain order?

[rrileypm]

Freelander PD800 RileyROM 1.0 [Feedback]

The rooting is all in the system.img. This file is larger than the stock ROM, so you have to use the parameter file in my ROM to flash it.

So you did get the stock ROM working?

I need to look this ROM over some more to find out why it isn't booting.

Sunday, I will post some ROMs to test, if you are interested in helping get a working ROM. We will start with stock and make some small changes one at a time until we end up with a finished product. I don't have one of these tablets to test.

This has been my biggest challenge yet, and I'm not giving up.


Randy

[NCR85]

RKBatchTool 1.7 can't open system.img or any other file in your ROM directory... I don't know how to use the parameter file in RKBatchTool.

I'm very reluctant to try RKAndroidTool again since that went wrong the last time.

ps. I appreciate all the help

[NCR85]

Ok trying RKAndroidTool again. When doing EraseIDB, the counter only goes to 4096 (says the maximum is 4096 and counts up to that), while your readme file says it should reach 16384.

readme says: "If it doesn't count all the way to 16384, you don't have a proper connection...so start over by rebooting to system."

reboot what, the computer or the tablet..? How can I make sure I have good connection? Does the kind of USB ports and cables I use make a difference?

Writing data to flash works, counts all the way up to 552884...

then I get Error: download file failed. Stops downloading at 8244K out of 552884K.

[rrileypm]

Usually this is caused by two different things.

1. A bad USB connection. This is unlikely the problem since we've gone over it previously. Just triple check everything. Good cable, no hub, USB 2.0 not 3.0.....

2. A bad parameter file. I have rewritten the parameters twice now, with no luck (I suspect this to be the problem).

What makes this ROM unique is the fact that Freelander puts a HUGE amount of boatware in it's firmware, so the original system.img is 637mb. Usually what I do is increase the size of a system.img so the added files I include fit. In this case, after the debloat I shrunk the system.img to save space for user data and the internal SD. Because of this, I changed the parameter file to shrink the allotted space for the system.img. There must be some overlap somewhere within the parameters.

So, my next step is to post a link to the original system.img and the original parameter file. Let's see if it flashes, OK. I have created a zip file called PD800_Stock.zip. Download it and copy the files into the ROM folder of my kit. You will have to rename the system.img.stock file to system.img and the boot.img.old file to boot.img. This should give you a complete stock ROM to work with, but in my format for flashing with my flash tool.

What you will need to do is...from my flash kit, move out the system.img, boot.img and parameter file and copy these files into the ROM folder, then flash.

BTW, every tablet has a different number it counts to when erasing IDB. Since I have never actually flashed a Freelander PD800...I DON'T KNOW the actual number it counts to. I have changed this in later readme files to cut down on the confusion. It will show the number which in this case is 4096. That seems a little low, to me...which is another indication that the parameter file is off. My point in those instructions is to make sure it counts ALL THE WAY to that number (whatever it is). Your first sign of a USB connection problem is when the Erase IDB starts and runs but counts only a few blocks and then says it's finished.

I'm uploading now...and the file is big, so it will take about 2 hours finish. I have to go to work soon, for a 12 hour shift and can't do anything else until tomorrow. If this works, we will have something to go with. I will then just add the root and other tweaks to this system.img, as is...and keep the original parameter file. Using it as a template, I can then make other parameter files for 2,4,6 and 8gb user app space, if desired.

Are you up for the challenge?

We really need to get this ROM working because I can't have a failure out there in internet land.

I had to do the same thing for the PD900...so I'm sure it has the same issues, but nobody has posted any results, yet. I kinda think I will have to fix it, too.

Here is the link...just wait at least 2 hours after the post time above.

Download

[rrileypm]

The upload is finished...so have at it.

One other thing I remember about this ROM is that in order to have a kernel.img, I had to extract it from the boot.img and sign it. The factory firmware didn't have a separate kernel.img. That could also be a problem.

So, the boot.img within this file is the original...with the kernel embedded. Maybe it will work. By using the stock boot.img, you give up init.d support, though.

I'm quizzing the other developers for advice on what to try next, if this doesn't work...so stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks for testing!!!!!!!!!

[NCR85]

Still no luck... same problem... :[

Some things that may still be relevant:

My computer has USB ports at the front and at the back. I've used the ones at the back in most attempts... I don't know how to check whether they are 2.0 or 3.0 ports...

Tablet has two mini USB ports, one marked USB and the other Host. Both seem to get the device detected on the computer. I've used Host this time. Trying the other one...

is it possible that the rockchip usb driver is the problem? I'd install the newest one if I knew how to uninstall the current version.