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hardware:google-nexus7

Google Nexus 7

I don't take any responsibility for bricked or destroyed hardware. Also, some actions described here may void your warranty. You have been warned!

All information here is related to 2012 version of Google Nexus 7 manufactured by ASUS and how to do various things with, or to, it from GNU/Linux. 99% of information here can be found on intranets. These are, pretty much, personal notes. Respect to all those people for all work they've done!

Speaking of which, here are some links:

Hardware

Detailed information about hardware can be found at wiki. I see no reason to duplicate this information.

  • CPU - Nvidia Tegra 3 T30L ARM Cortex-A9, quad-core, 1.2GHz
  • GPU - Nvidia ULP GeForce, twelve-core, 416MHz

Unlock boot loader and root

I didn't put this under How to for couple reasons - it would be lost there and unlocked boot loader is building block for pretty much everything.

Unlock boot loader

Unlocking boot loader will wipe all your data. Therefore, you're advised to backup your data before proceeding further.

  • you need Android SDK to get adb and fastboot. Look for adt-bundle-linux-x86_64. Note, however, despite it's 2013, “compat” libs are still required by 64bit version(what a shame!). This is covered by installing ia32-libs on Ubuntu. I don't know about other distros.
  • enable USB debug mode by:
    • go into SettingsAbout tablet and click on Build number seven times
    • go into SettingsDeveloper options and enable USB debugging
  • # ./adb devices
List of devices attached 
015d46d948101e11        device
  • # ./adb reboot-bootloader or, I guess, this would do too: power off Nexus 7, hold simultaneously buttons Volume Down, Home and Power
  • # ./fastboot oem unlock
  • press Power button to unlock boot loader

Replace recovery image

  • enable USB debugging, if you haven't already
  • # ./adb devices
  • # ./adb reboot-bootloader
  • # ./fastboot devices - if it doesn't list your Nexus 7, you can't continue
  • download clockworkmod recovery image here - based on version of Nexus 7 you have, choose either WiFi or GSM
  • # ./fastboot flash recovery <path_to_image>
  • # ./fastboot erase cache
  • use Volume Down/Up buttons to choose Recovery mode and Power button to boot into recovery mode
  • once in ClockworkMod
    • go into mounts and storage and mount /system
    • also, I think I had to format /cache partition(?)
    • go into backup and restore and backup and “create image zip”
    • you get get these files off the device by # ./adb pull <remote_file> <local_file> - highly recommended for later use, resp. restore
    • you'll be asked on exit whether to install ClockworkMod permanently or not - yes, to keep; no, to use only once. This can be reversed via backup/image(?)

Get root

  • boot into ClockworkMod recovery image
  • get SuperSU
  • push SuperSU on Nexus 7, eg. # ./adb push <path_to_SuperSU> /sdcard/
  • in ClockworkMod, install zipchoose zip from sdcard and locate SuperSU
  • reboot device and you should have SuperSU icon in your menu

How to ...

Enable developer menu

  1. Go to SettingsAbout tablet
  2. Click on Build number seven times

Enable USB debugging

  1. Go to SettingsDeveloper options
  2. enable USB debugging

Change USB connection type

  1. Go to SettingsStorage
  2. open USB computer connection menu(three vertical dots in the right top corner of the screen)
  3. choose either MTP or PTP mode

Transfer files between 'droid and Linux

I've been using go-mtpfs to transfer files between 'droid and Linux.

Alternatives to 'droid

FIXME

Arch Linux

Ubuntu

hardware/google-nexus7.txt · Last modified: 2016/04/17 01:48 by stybla