Recovery image installation or update with Heimdall¶

These instructions explain how to install the Replicant recovery image to your device. This procedure is part of the larger procedure of installing Replicant.

WARNING: these new instructions are experimental and have not been tested yet on all the supported devices mentioned below.

• Table of contents
• Recovery image installation or update with Heimdall
  • Prerequisites
    • Applicable devices
    • Personal computer
  • Installing heimdall
  • Downloading the files
  • Check the signature of the recovery
  • Preparing the device
    • Galaxy Nexus (I9250)
    • All other devices
  • Installing the images
    • Upgrading the recovery:
    • Installing the recovery:
  • Troubleshooting
    • Making sure that the device is connected in download mode
    • Heimdall failing with "ERROR: Protocol initialisation failed!"

Prerequisites¶

Applicable devices¶

• Galaxy S 2 (I9100)
• Galaxy S 3 (I9300)
• Galaxy S 3 4G (I9305)
• Galaxy Nexus (I9250)
• Galaxy Note (N7000)
• Galaxy Note 2 (N7100)
• Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (P3100)
• Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Wi-Fi (P3110)
• Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (P5100)
• Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Wi-Fi (P5110)
• Galaxy Note 8.0 (N5100)
• Galaxy Note 8.0 Wi-Fi (N5110)

Using these instructions with a device not listed above can break it, up to the point where it is too long, complicated and expensive to repair, even for technical people.

Personal computer¶

In order to install the recovery image on your device, it is assumed that you have a computer running a GNU/Linux operating system and everything necessary to connect your device to the computer through USB.

Moreover, it is assumed that anyone performing the installation knows how to use the command line in a terminal and has basic knowledge about it.

Installing heimdall¶

The heimdall tool is required to flash the recovery image to the device.
Instructions to install heimdall: ToolsInstallation

Downloading the files¶

Find the row in the table of images that corresponds to your device. Links to the recovery image and corresponding PGP signature that you must download are in that row under the column Bootable/recovery.

Download both files to your PC. For example, if you want to install Replicant to a Galaxy S 2 (I9100), you will download recovery-i9100.img and recovery-i9100.img.asc.

Check the signature of the recovery¶

First, add the Replicant release key to your GPG keyring.

Then, from the command line:

1. Change directories to the location of the recovery image and its signature (the location of the files may differ depending on your system setup):
   

   cd "${HOME}/Downloads/" 
   

2. Check the signature of the recovery with the following command, substituting "<yourdevice>" with your device's identifier:
   

   gpg --verify recovery-<yourdevice>.img.asc
   

Unless GPG reports something to the effect of a "good signature" from the expected key, do not continue! Your downloaded files may be corrupted or compromised.

Preparing the device¶

The next step in the installation process is to prepare the device for heimdall mode.

1. Make sure the device is completely turned off and the USB cable is disconnected from the device
2. Remove the device's external case or protection if it has one.

Galaxy Nexus (I9250)¶

If your device is the Galaxy Nexus (I9250):

1. Start the device by holding the following key combination: Volume down, Power.
2. Hold the key combination until the device shows a green "Start".

All other devices¶

For all other devices:

1. Start the device by holding the following key combination: Volume down, Select, Power,
2. Hold the key combination until the device shows a Warning message.
3. Confirm that you want to download a custom OS using volume up
4. Make sure the device is in Downloading mode

You can then connect the USB cable to both the computer and the device

Installing the images¶

Now that both the computer and the device are set up, it is time to actually install the images to the device.

From the command line, return inside the directory that has the downloaded files:
The emplacement where the files are downloaded might be different for you.
If it is the case, adjust the command below accordingly:

cd "${HOME}/Downloads/" 

You can now use the next sections to install or upgrade the recovery.

Upgrading the recovery:¶

If you only want to update the recovery, without updating or installing Replicant, use the commands in the this section. This will make sure that your Replicant installation is not modified.

If instead you are installing Replicant for the first time use the commands in the Installing the recovery section below.

If your smartphone is the Galaxy Nexus (I9250) you can use the following command to update the recovery:

heimdall flash --recovery path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img

For all other devices you can use the following command to update the recovery:

heimdall flash --RECOVERY path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img

Installing the recovery:¶

When installing or upgrading Replicant, use the commands in the table below. This will make sure that the device is rebooted right into the recovery. It does that by also installing the recovery in the boot partition.

If instead you only want to upgrade an existing recovery use the commands in the Upgrading the recovery section above.

Once in the recovery you can then proceed to the installation or upgrade of Replicant with the MinorVersionUpgrade instructions.

heimdall flash --boot path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img --recovery path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img

heimdall flash --BOOT path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img --RECOVERY path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img

heimdall flash --KERNEL path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img --RECOVERY path/to/recovery-<yourdevice>.img

Troubleshooting¶

Making sure that the device is connected in download mode¶

You can run the following command to verify if the device is in download mode:

lsusb

If it is you will then have one line that will be somewhat similar to that one:

Bus 004 Device 002: ID 04e8:685d Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd GT-I9100 Phone [Galaxy S II] (Download mode)

Heimdall failing with "ERROR: Protocol initialisation failed!"¶

It is pretty easy to end up with heimdall failling like that:

Heimdall v1.4.2

Copyright (c) 2010-2017 Benjamin Dobell, Glass Echidna
http://www.glassechidna.com.au/

This software is provided free of charge. Copying and redistribution is
encouraged.

If you appreciate this software and you would like to support future
development please consider donating:
http://www.glassechidna.com.au/donate/

Initialising connection...
Detecting device...
Claiming interface...
Setting up interface...

Initialising protocol...
ERROR: Protocol initialisation failed!

Releasing device interface...

In that case disconnect and reconnect the USB cable from the computer and try again.

• Doing tasks that uses a lot your storage device (HDD, SSD, etc) can easily make the installation of the images fail.

• Verify if your USB cable is not damaged by trying with another cable if you have one
• Verify if your USB port is not damaged by trying with another port if you have one