Bootloader interfaces

Device Bootloader cmdline from boot.img cmdline from bootloader environment Compatible with upstream Linux Flashing protocols Image formats filesystems
N/A upstream u-boot ? Yes Yes * DFU
* Fastboot
* Thor1
* Other?
* Android Boot.img files
* U-boot uImages
* RAW / zImage
* Other
Yes, various
N/A upstream Barebox ? Yes Yes * DFU
* FAstboot
* Other?
* Android Boot.img files ?
* U-boot uImages
* RAW / zImage
* Other
Yes, various
Galaxy S (GT-I9000) GTI9000Bootloader ? * Thor1 * RAW / zImage No
Galaxy SII (GT-I9100) GTI9100Bootloader Probably not * Thor1 * RAW / zImage No
Galaxy SII (GT-I9100G_CHN_CHN) GTI9100GBootloader ? * Very unreliable2 Thor1 ? No
Galaxy Nexus (GT-I9250) I9250Bootloader used ignored ? * Reliable3 Thor1
* Fastboot
* boot.img No
Galaxy SIII (GT-I9300)
Galaxy SIII 4G (GT-I9305)
Galaxy Note II (GT-N7100)
Galaxy Note II 4G (GT-N7105)
MidasBootloader ignored used No:
* Doesn't clear the data cache before booting Linux
* Has the MMU setup when booting Linux
* Somewhat reliable4 Thor * boot.img No
Galaxy Note (GT-N7000) GTIN7000Bootloader ? * Thor * RAW / zImage No

1 Thor is the protocol used by Heimdall, Odin, u-boot and several nonfree bootloaders. u-boot has a free software

2 It didn't work on GNUtoo desktop computer at all, while it worked fine on his laptop. With the stock Android 2.6.3 bootloader you could also end up stuck on the PC screen without a computer where heimdall works fine.

3 Under IO (disk or SSD) load, a computer can easily flash SYSTEM or even DATA partitions with heimdall.

4 Under IO (disk or SSD) load, a computer typically fails at flashing SYSTEM or big DATA partitions with heimdall. Boot and recovery partitions are typically fine though.

See also