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**JackTheBear** · 01-12-2013, 07:51

History of this build.

For the record, I have successfully used:

1. Stock Next9P 4.0 that it came with. Hated it. It was kind of slow, terribly unstable with any browser, and scrolling was problematic, even just left and right through the home screen pages. And it had very little space to install apps. JamesCozzby got it rooted with gapps which made it tolerable.

2. nextbook_9p Stock ROM by Finless. All the buggy drawbacks and instability but with none of the added features of the stock 4.0 rom. Probably rootable, but generally worthless.

3. nextbook_9p_finless_v1.5a - a huge improvement over either stock rom. Faster, leaner, much more storage for apps. A good rom, but browsers were still unstable. And it was GB, and the thing came with ICS.

4. GoClever R93 rom from the GoClever website. This was almost a keeper. Everything worked well, but it had minimal app storage. I ran out of space without even trying. But...

5. Finless had already made goclever_r93_finless_v1.4. This one was great. The rom was solid and mostly stable. It was rooted, with gapps, and it had more storage space (but not as much as it said it had - I ran out of app space and it still said there was plenty of space available for apps.) It was still GB, so I kept looking.

6. I found an ICS rom for the GoClever R93 - sort of - a Polish forum that I can't find today mentioned that the bq Newton Android 4.0 rom from http://www.bqreaders.com/descargas-newton.html worked on the R93. I gave it a shot, and it worked great. This was the most stable rom so far. And it was easy enough to root using James' procedure. Browsers still blew up sometimes, but this one was good enough to be a keeper. I think this one lasted me a month.

Looking for a solution to the browser instability, I wound up at a how to build a rom article at xda. And browsing that post I found a bunch of links to ICS, JB, and CyanogenMod builds for rk2918 tablets. Generally you download the base build (with installation tools included), replace the base kernel.img with an appropriate kernel for you tablet, and flash it. Then you might have to flash model specific fix, and add gapps. In theory, not hard. In practice, not so easy. I ran into an unending amount of e:can't mount /cache/recovery... problems, most I couldn't fix through any combination of builds, kernels, model fixes, etc. They just didn't work.

I tried pretty hard to get CM10 installed. It was a no go. Best I could do was get to the boot animation and it got stuck in a boot loop. That may change as there is more input on that topic, but nobody posts about Next9p, so it's going to take some leg work. You can Google odys loox rocks with cm10 to find that post. I was pretty inspired by the boot animation so I tried pretty hard, but I'm no expert.

I did not try the CM9 offering. That may work too. Google odys loox rocks with cm9 for more info.

**brokndodge** · 01-13-2013, 00:20

Originally posted by JackTheBear View Post

Almost 100% functional, and it's rooted, fast and stable. And it's got Google Play and Google Apps. After a couple days of use, this is the best rom I've got working so far. I'll post the laundry list of stuff I've tried separately.

1. get Oma_Odys_Loox_JB_4.1.1_v1.2.2a.7z from http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1903745. Extract it using 7zip.

2. get the 3.0.8 Newton kernel from http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...4&postcount=26. Extract kernel.img. Remember where you put it.
(note! there is a 3.0.8 kernel for the Next9P somewhere in this xda post. I couldn't get it to work. It's significantly smaller, so I don't think it's right.)

3. get Oma_JB_v1.2_Modell_fix_BQ_Newton.zip from http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...&postcount=336. Put this on your sd card.

4. get gapps-jb-20121011-signed.zip from http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=32830784. Put this on you sd card.

5. replace the kernel.img in the \Oma_Odys_Loox_JB_4.1.1_v1.2.2a\rockdev\Image directory with the Newton kernel.img.

6. run RKAndroidTool.exe as administrator from the Oma_Odys_Loox_JB_4.1.1_v1.2.2a\RKAndroid_v1.29 directory.

7. Check Loader in RKAndroidTool

8. Erase IDB

9. Click Run. This takes a couple minutes. You can scroll to the right to see the progress.

10. When it's done, it's going to reboot and end up in the recovery screen. You will likely get some e:can't mount /cache/... errors.

I'm a little dicey on the order of the next 4 steps, but I think this was the winner. My only tablet to test on is all set the way it is. I'm not eager to do this again right now. I've been doing this for about a week...

11. Use the recovery options to install the Modell Fix for bq Newton from the Zip file on your sd card.

12. Use the recovery options to Wipe data/factory reset, then wipe the cache
I think this is when you stop seeing e:can't mount errors.

13. Use the recovery options to install the gapps zip file on your sd card.

14. Use the recovery option to reboot the system. Not the option to reboot into recovery...

15. You should be good.

First boot is pretty slow, and the tablet is kind of unresponsive for a while. Shortly after getting through the new tablet setup wizard, it improves pretty dramatically. By the time you get into Play to download Antutu Benchmark, you should be getting scores around 2500 or 2600. My best (after tweaking) before this rom was around 2400 or so. If you adjust your sd cache settings with the included CPU Tweaks app, you can probably get that up to 2900 or more and I think it can be pushed higher still. I used Cache size 3072, cfq I/O Scheduler. Your mileage and your best settings will vary based on your sd card.

Caveats -
1. you need an sd card. I don't think this can work without one.

2. you will lose access to any free memory on the internal nand (2GB). I think there is a fix for this, but it's only 2GB and my sd card is faster than the internal nand anyway, so I'm not going to fix it.

3. I'm not certain the battery sensor works 100%. It looks like it does, but in settings, battery usage data isn't available. The % available goes down very very slowly/doesn't go down at all for prolonged periods. This rom uses a governor to downclock the cpu when it's not in use. The stock roms were set to performance (100% all the time.) Might just get much better battery life. I'm not sure yet. I haven't run out, so it might be fine.

4. Scrolling is still a little wonky, although better than the stock 4.0 problem. It's certainly useable. Apex Launcher eliminates this issue. Nova, which is included in the rom, actually makes it worse.
I haven't figured out how to enable free scrolling in the email app or the stock browser yet.

5. Actual SD benchmarks are lower with this rom than they were with other roms. I was getting read speeds around 5w/20r MB/s with the same sd card. Now I'm only getting 6w/8r MB/s. Still getting better overall numbers, and it feels a good deal smoother.

6. There are kernels that support overclocking on rk2918. This is not one of them. It maxes out at 1Ghz, which is the same as stock.

There is still performance on the table if we can figure out either the sd card performance or how to bump it up to 1200 MHz.

That rocks man. I'm gonna investigate this tonight. I just put cm10 on 2 nooks for a friend and I was seriously impressed. I'll report my findings, experience here.

what's that modell fix next file at the bottom of their post? http://forum.xda-developers.com/atta...4&d=1349110842

split the stock kernel from the OP in this thread using instructions from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1173427

now that I have my stock kernel, I'm going to attempt installing oma-JB first. Then just to be adventurous I might try oma-CM10.

**JackTheBear** · 01-13-2013, 05:48

Originally posted by brokndodge View Post

That rocks man. I'm gonna investigate this tonight. I just put cm10 on 2 nooks for a friend and I was seriously impressed. I'll report my findings, experience here.

what's that modell fix next file at the bottom of their post? http://forum.xda-developers.com/atta...4&d=1349110842

split the stock kernel from the OP in this thread using instructions from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1173427

now that I have my stock kernel, I'm going to attempt installing oma-JB first. Then just to be adventurous I might try oma-CM10.

The Next modell fix is for Odys Next, not Nextbook. Don't use that one.

You can try your stock kernel. I'm not sure if it's 3.0.8. You can check in in settings, about tablet. Personally, I don't think the stock Nextbook kernels are any good. I think that's what causes them to be unstable using web browsers. My experience was the GoClever R93 kernel and the bq Newton kernels just about eliminated the instability. You just end up with some options that aren't really available (like bluetooth and hdmi.)

I can confirm that the battery meter doesn't work right. It tells you what the charge is at the time the tablet started. There is a fix for it, and it works. Download Oma_JB_v1.2_akkufix.zip from http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=32540217 then save it on your sd card and install it using the recovery option to install from zip. This may lower your benchmark scores, not sure yet. Something lowered mine to mid 2600s, but I have installed a slew of stuff since, including that fix. I'm not sure what the culprit was yet.

There is also an Oma Jelly Bean v1.2.3a rom you can get from http://crewrktablets.arctablet.com/?page_id=254. I just started working with it. I know it works, and I know the akkufix.zip makes it not work. Going to try the akkufix 2.zip and see how it goes. At the moment I don't know if it's any better.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 00:35

Originally posted by JackTheBear View Post

The Next modell fix is for Odys Next, not Nextbook. Don't use that one.

You can try your stock kernel. I'm not sure if it's 3.0.8. You can check in in settings, about tablet. Personally, I don't think the stock Nextbook kernels are any good. I think that's what causes them to be unstable using web browsers. My experience was the GoClever R93 kernel and the bq Newton kernels just about eliminated the instability. You just end up with some options that aren't really available (like bluetooth and hdmi.)

stock kernel is 3.0.8 on the ICS version of Next9P. I had figured that the instability was due to the unusual permissions NextBook inflicts on us. I figure it's worth a try.

I can confirm that the battery meter doesn't work right. It tells you what the charge is at the time the tablet started. There is a fix for it, and it works. Download Oma_JB_v1.2_akkufix.zip from http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=32540217 then save it on your sd card and install it using the recovery option to install from zip. This may lower your benchmark scores, not sure yet. Something lowered mine to mid 2600s, but I have installed a slew of stuff since, including that fix. I'm not sure what the culprit was yet.

There is also an Oma Jelly Bean v1.2.3a rom you can get from http://crewrktablets.arctablet.com/?page_id=254. I just started working with it. I know it works, and I know the akkufix.zip makes it not work. Going to try the akkufix 2.zip and see how it goes. At the moment I don't know if it's any better.

I've got everything together and ready to flash. I'm struggling with the drivers. I've got adb drivers installed and Win7 refuses to switch to the RK drivers. RK isn't working with the ADB drivers. Gonna try in my XP Mode VM.

edit: no dice, the VM is refusing the drivers as well. Gonna look for ubuntu instructions.
edit2: i coaxed xpmode into installing the driver by changing the PID to 0000 in rockusb.inf. still no go tho. the device shows "code 10" and the rkandroidtool can't find the device.

EDIT3: Well, I feel like a 99%er now. I missed the one critical step in driver installation. Press the reset button While plugged up to USB to put the device into flash mode... doh. <facepalm> It's working on Win7

So, I can flash finless stock rom, but OMA JB results in a brick.

The above mentioned Newton kernel does boot. Navigate thru the CWMR menu with the volume buttons select wipe cache with the power button. Wiping the cache gets rid of cache errors. OMA is in german... to change default language: http://androidforums.com/samsung-gal...ml#post3413737

My experience after 20 minutes. I got thru perhaps 3 minutes of looking around. I ran play market and got a hard lock. after 3 resets, I am still hard locked after reaching the initial screen. I installed the modell fix mentioned in the above post using cmwr and at least made it to my home screen on the 4th try. play crashed on first use at the sign in screen. second try got me logged in. successfully installed hackers keyboard (in my humble opinion the #1 most overlooked app in roms.) using play market. my over all first impression is this is veru sluggish and at times unresponsive. downloads are significantly faster tho. angry birds takes 5-10 minutes on stock, took mere seconds on OMA. angry birds still crashes, tho. scrolling still has the bounce back glitch, but pages that crashed previously dont crash now. screen blanks quickly. pages load very quickly. including flash animation. it seems to be touch that is slow. if it wern't for angry birds this version might be a go. i gotta keep looking

touch, while sluggish, is more accurate. I'm now able to touch a 1 character link without zooming. multitouch works. youtube videos play. things are getting more responsive.

finless flash kit will ask for admin privilege. OMA won't. BEWARE. if it fails.. you forgot to run as admin.

OMA seems to always boot to recovery first. you have to select reboot to boot into JB.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 02:24

questions for finless

Now that I have RK29 tools working. Your finless stock rom installs. I would like to boot the OMA JB using stock kernel or boot image. You both use the same methods but the setup looks a lil different. OMA's has a separate boot.img and kernel.img. Splitting out the kernel.img from your boot.img seems to work, but using that kernel.img on OMA's rom doesn't boot. Do you have any recommendations, advice, threads I can read?

**JackTheBear** · 01-15-2013, 04:21

Curious what didn't work.

Originally posted by brokndodge View Post

Now that I have RK29 tools working. Your finless stock rom installs, but the OMA JB didn't. You both use the same methods but the setup looks a lil different. Do you have any recommendations, advice, threads I can read?

I'm curious what didn't work, because I just re-did it after trying the OMA JB 1.2.3 rom. I followed my steps including re-downloading the files, and it worked again. It is deathly slow for the first couple minutes, especially getting through the boot animation, but after about 5 minutes, it's all good for me. The rom is set for German language. If that's the issue it only takes a couple steps to get it back into English. I can post those if you need them.

If it just plain doesn't work, maybe it only works on certain serial number groups. Mine is a YF0812.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 05:32

I tried OMA cm10 with the Newton kernel. while it boots, after 8 minutes i still just have a black back lit screen. it does give the android screen that indicates booting then just goes to black back lit.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 05:36

Originally posted by JackTheBear View Post

I'm curious what didn't work, because I just re-did it after trying the OMA JB 1.2.3 rom. I followed my steps including re-downloading the files, and it worked again. It is deathly slow for the first couple minutes, especially getting through the boot animation, but after about 5 minutes, it's all good for me. The rom is set for German language. If that's the issue it only takes a couple steps to get it back into English. I can post those if you need them.

If it just plain doesn't work, maybe it only works on certain serial number groups. Mine is a YF0812.

sorry i missed your post. perhaps the various updates i did on mine will explain. ultimately, it did run. On first boot clear the cache then install the modell fix you mentioned. then it will boot fine. angry birds still won't install for me.

**JackTheBear** · 01-15-2013, 13:01

Success then

Originally posted by brokndodge View Post

sorry i missed your post. perhaps the various updates i did on mine will explain. ultimately, it did run. On first boot clear the cache then install the modell fix you mentioned. then it will boot fine. angry birds still won't install for me.

OK. Good to hear it works. You'll want to do the Akkufix too, so the battery meter works. The link is above. I suggest not doing the Format Nand and IntSD to NAND fixes you can find on the XDA thread. They work, but you only get 1.1 GB of your internal NAND back and they seem to make it a little more laggy.

And I think all the older Angry Birds titles work. And Angry Birds Space v1.0.1 works on mine, but you'll have to find it outside of Play and don't let it update.

I couldn't get any of the CM9 or CM10 roms to work. Not to say they can't, but I think the roms actually need to be adjusted more than just flashing the Newton kernel. I did get CM10 installed enough to see the boot animation, which was awesome, but it got stuck in a boot loop and just played the boot animation indefinitely.

I repackaged the CM10 boot animation and intalled it on OMA JB 1.2.2a, but it doesn't play as smooth. The original flew on the non-functional CM10 install I had going, but it's not nearly as fast or as smooth on the 1.2.2a rom. I would have loved to get CM10 working just for the boot animation.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 14:13

Originally posted by JackTheBear View Post

I would have loved to get CM10 working just for the boot animation.

Agreed, I just put CM10 on 2 Nook Tablets for a buddy of mine. CM10 is clean and smooth.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 20:19

Originally posted by JackTheBear View Post

OK. Good to hear it works. You'll want to do the Akkufix too, so the battery meter works. The link is above. I suggest not doing the Format Nand and IntSD to NAND fixes you can find on the XDA thread. They work, but you only get 1.1 GB of your internal NAND back and they seem to make it a little more laggy.

akkufix broke my tab. just hangs in the boot animation screen. i reflashed OMA JB with the Newton kernel and just modell fix and everything is back to normal.

**brokndodge** · 01-15-2013, 22:25

it's missing swap space. I've been trying to figure it out for a while and I finally got it. linux needs swap space. if you've got 512mb ram then you need 1gb swap.

**JackTheBear** · 01-15-2013, 23:52

Swap file?

Originally posted by brokndodge View Post

it's missing swap space. I've been trying to figure it out for a while and I finally got it. linux needs swap space. if you've got 512mb ram then you need 1gb swap.

First I've heard of needing a swap file. I was under the impression Android handled memory management different than base linux.

Conveniently there is 1.1GB sitting unused from internal NAND. If you install Oma JB v1.2 Format NAND.zip from recovery, you can get access to it. You can get it at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1903745. I do not recommend using the intsd to NAND fix. It makes a mess that I haven't figure out how to clean yet. My download folder is currently on the 1.1 GB partition, which really isn't enough space for it. And I thought maybe having

I found a resource to look at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1659231. Maybe I'll try that tonight.

**brokndodge** · 01-16-2013, 02:04

Conveniently there is 1.1GB sitting unused from internal NAND. If you install Oma JB v1.2 Format NAND.zip from recovery, you can get access to it. You can get it at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1903745. I do not recommend using the intsd to NAND fix. It makes a mess that I haven't figure out how to clean yet. My download folder is currently on the 1.1 GB partition, which really isn't enough space for it. And I thought maybe having

I had thought that both the internel sd and the external sd are mounted. OMA mounts external on /sdcard as internal nand and mounts internal as emmc. I think int sd is mounted under data. Open terminal emulator (it's available in play store) type mount and you can see the mount points for both. or cat /etc/vold.fstab will show available mount points. I left them the was OMA set em. I don't see the harm and I like the idea of having the extra space for /sdcard. Just remember to always power the Next9P completely off before removing the ext sd.

The box this thing came in said it had 512mb of ddr3. Free only shows 256mb total with 8mb free. That's why every thing I try to run crashes. I created a swap partition on the external partition but have not yet determined if the newton kernel supports swap. Also, I'm struggling with figuring out what virtual device to use in vold.fstab. Under the hood it is still linux. As much as they have butchered the file system, they still had to symlink a lot of stuff back to where it's supposed to be. They even use the same init system Ubuntu uses.
I might have to build my own kernel to get swap. But it's that or this is a paper weight. Won't even run games for the kids.

On a side note, I think the battery meter is correct. I've been keeping an eye on it, but with the governor on the cpu and the ability to turn down the screen brightness, after 6 hours on battery, I've got 51% left. Previously I could only run 2 hours at the most.

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