This guide was mostly organized by Novaspirit, refined on the Debian Wiki, and based on notes from XDA-Developers.
Here, we've fixed some glaring errors and updated it for Debian squeeze.
This guide will create a dual-boot Linux and Android system. The phone will boot normally into Android; just hold home+power when turning on to enter Debian Linux.
Working
- Phone can boot!
- SDCard reader/writer
- Keyboard
- LEDs
- Touchscreen
- Vibrator
- USB Ethernet
- Xorg with OpenMoko Kernel
- Phone Call : I am able to answer an incomming call from console!
- Unlock SIM Card and register on Network
Working with bugs
- Trackball - No event on click with ball - must click and move ball slightly
- TouchScreen (MonoTouch) - I can use it in console FBDEV, but with Xorg, the calibration doesn’t work - calibration is very difficult but doable
- ALSA - Sound is low, when phone works, sound is very low, and alsamixer, for select OutPut has device bugs.
- Xorg with my Kernel - The phone crashes (freeze) when you leave Xorg found this only happens sometimes not all
Not working
- WiFi card is detected, but crashes when doing “ifconfig wlan0 up”.
Not tested
- GPS
- Accelerometers/Compas
- Other USB Gadgets, like Storage
- Bluetooth
- Internet throug GSM/3G APN
- Power management
- Accelerated GL
- Camera
- TouchScreen (MultiTouch)
You will need:
- A laptop with Debian-based Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, etc.)
- Just run it off a live CD
- An HTC Dream/G1 or MyTouch 3G
- 8GB or larger SDCard
- 4GB for Linux, 4GB for Android
- An Android 1.6 or higher Custom ROM that supports EXT2/3
- only a few older Android versions lack it.
- USB Debugging Enabled
- HardSPL and Engineering SPL
- gives you
fastbootsupport
- gives you
- ADB and Fastboot
- The easiest way to install them is to use Minimal ADB.
It's possible to use Android itself to partition it, but that's another guide...
obtain gparted using:
sudo apt-get install gparted
select your sdcard and select it on the top right menu
You will need three partitions:
- fat32 (android)
- ext3 (android apps and stuff if you got app2sd)
- ext3 (debian)
For example, an 8GB SDCard would be partitioned like this:
- 2 GB FAT32 for Android
- 2 GB EXT3 for app2sd
- 4 GB EXT3 for my real Debian
After creating the partitions, make sure to record the names, found in gparted's top-right corner (ex. /dev/sdb1, /dev/sdc6).
The G1 will see those partitions with names: /dev/mmcblk0p3 or whatnot. Just add the last number of the /dev/sdb1 name, replacing that 3.
Keep your SDCard plugged in.
We will use debootstrap to install all the necessary system packages to an image, which you will flash onto the G1.
mkdir debdroid
sudo /usr/sbin/debootstrap --foreign --arch armel squeeze debdroid/ http://http.debian.net/debian
We now need to copy the system image to the G1. Change /dev/sdb3 to the EXT3 partition for Debian on your SDCard (The names were previously obtained from GParted).
mount /dev/sdb3 /mnt/memory # change correct device
sudo cp -pfr debdroid/* /mnt/memory/
umount /mnt/memory
Now reboot into your G1, and connect it to the computer to begin the second phase of installation. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled, and your phone is recognized by ADB.
Mount the debian EXT3 partition:
adb shell
mkdir /data/mnt
mount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p3 /data/mnt
Now your debian partition should be mounted to file system at /data/mnt
Next, we will chroot into the debian partition to start the second stage of installation. This will take about 25 minutes, so be patient and keep your phone charged.
export PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:$PATH
export TERM=linux
export HOME=/root
export USER=root
chroot /data/mnt /debootstrap/debootstrap --second-stage
umount /data/mnt
rmdir /data/mnt
We will need an SSH service running on the G1 for internet tethering from the PC. We have to install Galoula's SSH modules, and edit configuration files to start SSH on boot.
Insert the sdcard back into your Linux PC and run these commands:
(replace /dev/sdb2 with the name of your debian EXT3 partition)
(the package links will have to be updated for squeeze)
mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
cd /mnt/tmp
wget http://www.galoula.net/fr/Tutoriels/HTC-DREAM-G1/FTP/Native_Debian/2.6.32_GALOULA-001/Modules-2.6.32_GALOULA-001.tar.bz2
tar -jxvf Modules-2.6.32_GALOULA-001.tar.bz2 -C ..
echo g_ether >> ../etc/modules
echo "auto lo" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo "iface lo inet loopback" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo "auto usb0" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo "iface usb0 inet static" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo " address 192.168.0.202" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo " netmask 255.255.255.192" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo " network 192.168.100.0" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo " gateway 192.168.0.200" >> ../etc/network/interfaces
echo "none /sys sysfs rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec 0 0" >> ../etc/fstab
echo "none /proc proc rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec 0 0" >> ../etc/fstab
echo "udev /dev tmpfs rw,size=10240k,mode=755 0 0" >> ../etc/fstab
echo "devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,nosuid,noexec,gid=5,mode=620 0 0" >> ../etc/fstab
echo "HTC-Dream" > ../etc/hostname
echo "127.0.0.1 localhost HTC-Dream" > ../etc/hosts
cat /etc/resolv.conf > ../etc/resolv.conf
mkdir ../dev/pts
sync
cd
umount /mnt
Later on, we will also install the SSH packages on the phone itself.
Now insert the sdcard back into the G1, and plug the G1 into the computer.
Note: Don't worry; we are still installing Native Debian Linux. We are only temporarily using a chroot for greater convenience when pumping in commands.
Make sure your Android G1 has a WiFi internet connection and USB Debugging enabled.
- Set your phone to Stay Awake, so the phone will not suddenly cut off your wifi connection.
Settings->Application->Development->Stay Awake - Disable WiFi sleep, which will cause download issues.
Settings->Wifi->Menu Button->Advanced->Wifi Sleep Policy->Never sleep when plugged in
First, mount the Debian partition on the G1 from your PC, using these commands:
adb shell
mkdir /data/mnt
mount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p3 /data/mnt
Then, enter the chroot:
export PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:$PATH
export TERM=linux
export HOME=/root
export USER=root
chroot /data/mnt /bin/bash
This will install the necessary Debian repositories and some basic packages to the G1.
Type the commands below to add squeeze package repositories:
echo "deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze-updates main contrib non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze-updates main contrib non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
apt-get update
apt-get install bzip2 build-essential
Finally, we can install the openssh packages. An SSH server allows you to access a USB connected phone from your computer, so you can pump in terminal commands using copy and paste.
Type this command in the same chroot at your computer:
apt-get install openssh-server openssh-client libkrb53 openssh-blacklist libedit2 udev libvolume-id0 libkeyutils1
/etc/init.d/ssh stop
Note: During installation, the G1 might restart unexpectedly. Simply enter the chroot again (see previous section).
We will want to create a root user password.
passwd
Type in the password you want to use (make sure that you only use numbers and letters! special characters cannot be easily entered).
As a security measure, text will not appear onscreen, so just keep typing and press enter when you've put it in.
We're all done, so you can exit the chroot.
sync
exit # exits the chroot
umount /mnt
rmdir /data/mnt
exit # exits `adb shell`
Put the sdcard back into your G1, Plug in your G1 to the PC, and type this command to enter fastboot mode:
adb reboot bootloader
Type this command on your Linux PC to download and boot the kernel.
wget http://www.galoula.net/fr/Tutoriels/HTC-DREAM-G1/FTP/Native_Debian/2.6.32_GALOULA-001/zImage
fastboot -c "console=tty0 no_console_suspend=1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p3 rootdelay=2 fbcon=rotate:1" boot ./zImage
Your phone will now boot into Debian.
As a security feature, nothing will be displayed while you type your password.
username: root
password: <the password that you created>
We have to forward your PC's internet connection to your G1. Type these commands in the computer:
ifconfig usb0 192.168.0.200/26
iptables -A POSTROUTING -t nat -s 192.168.0.0/24 -j MASQUERADE
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
iptables -D POSTROUTING -t nat -s 192.168.0.0/24 -j MASQUERADE
(not tested) Alternatively, use these commands: (recommended by Jorge Peñalba)
ifconfig usb0 192.168.0.200/26\
iptables -A POSTROUTING -t nat -s 192.168.0.0/24 -j MASQUERADE\
echo 1 \> /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip\_forward\
ssh 192.168.0.202 -l root\
iptables -D POSTROUTING -t nat -s 192.168.0.0/24 -j MASQUERADE\
echo 0 \> /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip\_forward
Use this command to SSH into the G1's command line, so you can send commands to it from your computer. Log into your phone with the same username and password you set before.
ssh 192.168.0.202
We will create a custom kernel for the phone to dual-boot between Android and Linux. This way, you will be able to hold power+home to boot Linux.
Use your computer to SSH into the G1 and run these commands:
cd /usr/src
wget http://www.galoula.net/fr/Tutoriels/HTC-DREAM-G1/FTP/Outils/mkboot.tar.bz2
tar -jxvf mkboot.tar.bz2
cd mkboot
make && make install
cd /usr/src
wget http://www.galoula.net/fr/Tutoriels/HTC-DREAM-G1/FTP/Outils/android-imagetools.tar.bz2
tar -jxvf android-imagetools.tar.bz2
cd android-imagetools
make && make install
cd /tmp
wget http://www.galoula.net/fr/Tutoriels/HTC-DREAM-G1/FTP/Native_Debian/2.6.32_GALOULA-001/zImage
wget http://wiki.openmoko.org/images/f/f6/Newramdisk.cpio.gz
mkbootimg --cmdline "console=tty0 no_console_suspend=1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p3 rootdelay=2 fbcon=rotate:1" \
--kernel zImage --ramdisk ./Newramdisk.cpio.gz -o Recovery-boot.img
cat /dev/zero > /dev/mtd1
mkdir /dev/mtd
cd /dev/ && for i in `ls -w1 mtd?`;do ln -s /dev/$i /dev/mtd/$i; done && cd - || cd -
flash_image recovery Recovery-boot.img
- Normal boot will get you into Android
- Holding home and power will boot into debian
How to Install Ubuntu with Ubuntu-Install.img ?
Download Ubuntu-Install.img on your Linux-PC.
Turn off your HTC G1.
Turn On HTC G1 in FastBosst mode : Power on with hold the camera button, if it's OK, you can see 3 Android on Skateboards.
In this screen press Back.
Connect USB cable betweek PC and G1.
On your Linux PC type this command : "fastboot boot Ubuntu-Install.img" without quotes.
If the G1 don't start, press the back button on G1.
The G1 start the Ubuntu Installer.
Warning ! My image is set for a French G1 keymap.
The special keys are :
- Up : End
- Down : Back
- Left : Home
- Right : Call
- Escape : menu (on keyboard)
- Tab : Right alt with Q.
- Control : Search Button
For get networking works : This kernel use USB-NET.
On the Linux PC :
sudo ifconfig usb0 192.168.0.200 netmask 255.255.255.0 up
iptables -A POSTROUTING -t nat -j MASQUERADE -s 192.168.0.0/24
sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=1
When the installer tell you for Networking Configuration, chose usb0
You can cancel the DHCP discover.
Type this settings :
IP Address : 192.168.0.202
NetMask : 255.255.255.0
GateWay : 192.168.0.200
DNS : Your DNS
The setup tell you because it can't download "kernel modules", chose continue, my kernel can read the SDCARD for the installation, but it can't read internal partition for more secure.
The setup can tell you a warning because the kernel can't be installed, please continue (and ignore it) because, Ubuntu-Rescue.img contain the appropriate kernel.
Actualy, the file is : boot-recovery.img
Now, you can setup your Ubuntu !