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diff --git a/content/nonfree-firmware-android.rst b/content/nonfree-firmware-android.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8effa07 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/nonfree-firmware-android.rst @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +:title: Nonfree firmwares for Android devices +:date: 2017-01-07 22:27 +:modified: 2017-03-04 19:30 +:tags: scripting, nonfree software +:category: General +:author: Wolfgang Wiedmeyer +:status: published +:summary: The following instructions make it possible to install nonfree firmware on Android devices. + +The following instructions make it possible to install nonfree firmware on Android devices for the purpose of enabling certain functionalities. Please see `Paul's blog post <http://code.paulk.fr/article16/missing-proprietary-firmwares-in-android-systems>`_ for the reasons why these instructions shouldn't be published on official documentation pages of free systems, but why it still makes sense to publish them elsewhere. + +Paul's script is compatible with CyanogenMod versions 10.1.3 and 9.1.0. It extracts the firmwares from a CyanogenMod installation zip and either installs them with ADB or creates a new installation zip with them. My implementation is intended to be compatible with LineageOS/CyanogenMod 13.0. It's possible to only select a certain functionality for which the firmwares should be installed. The firmwares are downloaded from a `repository <https://github.com/TheMuppets>`_, that hosts the firmware files for CyanogenMod builds, and they are installed with ADB. + +Downloading the firmware files seemed to be the most straightforward solution since it's impractical to extract them from a CyanogenMod 13.0 installation zip because recent Android versions use complicated compression techniques that require tools which are usually not readily available as packages for GNU/Linux systems. Creating installation zips is also not easy anymore because the zip needs to be signed with a key that is trusted by the recovery. If your recovery still accepts any installation zip, then you are using an insecure recovery. + +Make sure that you have ADB and root access with ADB enabled. +These steps are required: + +1. Clone the `firmwares_nonfree repository <https://code.fossencdi.org/firmwares_nonfree.git/>`_: + + .. code-block:: console + + $ git clone https://code.fossencdi.org/firmwares_nonfree.git + +2. Connect the device to your PC and check if the device is detected: + + .. code-block:: console + + $ adb devices + + If the list of attached devices is empty, you will have to check your ADB setup first and figure out why the device doesn't get recognized. + +3. Run the script in the git repository with two arguments, the name of your device and the functionality you want to enable, e.g.: + + .. code-block:: console + + $ ./firmwares.sh i9300 wifi + + This command will only install the firmware files that are needed to enable wifi. The firmware will be downloaded, pushed to the device and the device is rebooted. Use ``list`` as second argument to get a list of functionalities that can be enabled for the specific device. You can also specify ``all`` to install all firmware files which will enable all listed functionalities. + +4. If you want to remove a certain firmware again, you can do so by adding ``remove`` as third argument, e.g.: + + .. code-block:: console + + $ ./firmwares.sh i9300 front-camera remove + + This command deletes the firmware files for the front camera from the device and reboots it. |