maemo.org - Talk - [Android] NITDroid V2 Help/Tutorial Topic

This thread has been started to help members install Android on their N900 and to (attempt) to help answer questions and solve some issues.

This is not a thread for Bugs - All bugs should be report @: bugs.nitdroid.com

Now onto setup and installation!!

At this point, please keep the Android partition under 2GB.
Don't worry about the smaller size as Android has access to your

Any 'code' boxes are what you need to enter in xterm/ssh and should be entered one line at a time followed by enter/return key

pre 1: you must be root for these steps so do this first:
Code:

Code:

root

pre 2: bootmenu-n900 is not compatible and must be removed also:
Code:

Code:

apt-get remove bootmenu-n900

1. Lets download the required files:
If you wish to download from primary server (downloads.nitdroid.com) commands are below:
Feel free to copy and paste
Code:

Code:

cd /home/user/MyDocs/

wget http://downloads.nitdroid.com/multib..._0.1_armel.deb

wget http://downloads.nitdroid.com/multiboot_0.2.5_armel.deb

wget http://downloads.nitdroid.com/nitdro...nal1_armel.deb

wget http://downloads.nitdroid.com/NITDro...ing-world.tbz2

For the files2 mirror the commands are :
Code:

Code:

cd /home/user/MyDocs/

wget http://files2.nitdroid.com/multiboot..._0.1_armel.deb

wget http://files2.nitdroid.com/multiboot_0.2.5_armel.deb

wget http://files2.nitdroid.com/nitdroid-...nal1_armel.deb

wget http://files2.nitdroid.com/NITDroid-...ing-world.tbz2

if you have a MultiBoot version other than 0.2.5 Installed currently please perform the below otherwise proceed immediatly to step 3,

2.
Download this file into /home/user:

Code:

Code:

cd /home/user

wget http://downloads.nitdroid.com/Jay-c/...t-0.1.x.tar.gz

Then run this as root On the device:
Code:

Code:

cd /home/user

tar xzvf remove-multiboot-0.1.x.tar.gz

chmod +x multiboot-remove

./multiboot-remove

rm multiboot-remove

rm remove-multiboot-0.1.x.tar.gz

Also, if you don't use Titans power37 kernel, you can manually delete the files:
Code:

Code:

rm /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28.10power37

rm -r /lib/modules/2.6.28.10power37

3. Now lets get down to actually installing things starting with Multiboot:

Code:

Code:

dpkg -i /home/user/MyDocs/multiboot-extras_0.1_armel.deb

dpkg -i /home/user/MyDocs/multiboot_0.2.5_armel.deb

Thats the new Multiboot installed

4. Next up lets partition that MicroSD: first a bit of background info though
* NITDroid MUST be installed to a ext3 that is SMALLER than 2GB.

* The Rest of your memory card will be usable by Maemo totally normally but the nitdroid partition is not seen in file manager etc

* You need to decide how to best partition YOUR card, i personally have my card partitioned as ~6gb fat32 and rest (~1.9gb) as ext3

* Some suggested size ratios are (in MB fat32/ext3 layout): 2GB: 100/1900, 4GB: 2100/1900, 6GB: 4100/1900 8GB: 6100/1900, 16GB: 14100/1900, 32GB: 30100/1900

* in below command REPLACE the <SIZE> text with your choosen fat32 size

This can also still be completed using a Linux box and fdisk/Gparted and or mke2fs -j -m0 -L NITDroid /dev/sdb2 via terminal.

ignore errors when running umount its normal sometimes

Code:

Code:

umount /dev/mmcblk1p1

sfdisk -uM /dev/mmcblk1 << EOF

,<SIZE>,C

,,L

,,

,,

EOF

Its always smart to REBOOT your n900 now to apply any partition changes so do that now by issuing the reboot command

5. Once your n900 is back up lets continue:
Old NITDroid users THIS IS REQUIRED for you aswell (well formating ext3 is not the vfat one)
Code:

Code:

umount /dev/mmcblk1p1

mkfs.vfat /dev/mmcblk1p1 -n sdcard

mke2fs -j -m0 -L NITDroid /dev/mmcblk1p2

6. Thats the 2 partitions formatted. maemo should now be able to use the fat32 one. next lets mount the ext3 partition and install then extract required files:

Code:

Code:

cd /

mkdir /and

mount -t ext3 -o noatime,rw /dev/mmcblk1p2 /and

cd /home/user/MyDocs

bzip2 -d NITDroid-N900-the-flying-world.tbz2

cd /and

tar xvf /home/user/MyDocs/NITDroid-N900-the-flying-world.tar

dpkg -i /home/user/MyDocs/nitdroid-kernel-2.6.28-05_final1_armel.deb

7. Now you should have most of nitdroid setup but you cant boot anythign as multiboot doesnt have an item file yet , lets go create that now

Code:

Code:

cd /etc/multiboot.d

cat > NITdroid-2.6.28.NIT.05.item << EOF

ITEM_NAME="NITdroid on MMCp2 - 2.6.28.NIT.05"

ITEM_KERNEL=2.6.28.NIT.05

ITEM_MODULES=ext3 fat vfat

ITEM_DEVICE=\${EXT_CARD}p2

ITEM_FSTYPE=ext3

ITEM_FSOPTIONS=rw,noatime,errors=remount-ro,commit=3

EOF

Write ITEM_DEVICE=\${EXT_CARD}p2 correctly and don't forget the =\$.

thats the item file built

finally: dont forget to umount android partition:
Code:

Code:

umount /dev/mmcblk1p2

8. that should be everything done, simply reboot with keyboard open to test

9. IF YOU USE Titans excellent power kernel then you need to do the following also :

Code:

Code:

cd /home/user/MyDocs

wget http://downloads.nitdroid.com/Jay-c/...power37.tar.gz

cd /

tar xzvf /home/user/MyDocs/multiboot-power37.tar.

Edit:

I have been requested to add more to this (requested by: Bec) as many people are needing this:

ok no more reboots but first nitdroid boot stops after
Code:

battery init with a _

Try to re-extract the rootfs...

Just do these steps again as root:

Code:

mount /dev/mmcblk1p2 /and
cd /and
rm -rf *
tar xvf /home/user/MyDocs/NITDroid-N900-the-flying-world.tar

Please add this to the first post in [Android] NITDroid V2 Help/Tutorial Topic - Updated since it seems most of the installs end with the stuck cursor issue.

Yes, you may press the "Thanks" button ;)

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...ges/thanks.gif

Edit: Please be mindful that none of this would be possible without all the hard work provided by: dj_steve, eyes, Jay-c and all else involved.
Also, Bec for the extra help other's needed.
Thanks for your hard work getting Android to work! THANKS!