Android Recovery general concept
Android Recovery - (original position restoration / return). On Android devices, the restoration - a simplified runtime based on the Android operating system, implemented either separately from the underlying operating system, and in parallel with it. File «recovery.img» is a service (empowering the basic software) software, a dedicated logical partition on the internal memory and separate from the operating system partition (boot / kernel, root / system) and the user's files are on the same drive. It contains its own Linux-kernel, the kernel is separated from the main Android system. The separate core and recovery_apps, the device has the ability to independently boot into recovery mode, even if the basic system is damaged, allowing the user to edit via the set of available tools the faulty device. Recovery is completely independent of the Android operating system and has a special mission - to update and restoring the OS. System Restore is not intended for archiving user data, so using it is not possible to restore deleted or corrupted user data.
1. The main functions of Android Recovery:
--- System Status Information
--- OS recovery
--- Resuscitation, output from bootloop, elimination of consequences
--- Software update and installation
--- Software Initialization
--- Mounting system partitions
--- Logging event
2. What information is displayed
--- Build number
--- Product code name and device type
--- Current Android OS version
--- Current CSC-code informing for which Country the OS is installed
--- Instructions control buttons Android Recovery
--- ....
Updates by air - General concept
Fota - an abbreviation of the English. FIRMWARE OVER-THE-AIR - the technology firmware update "over the air". In the process of updating the software (the software) via "of FOTA" service loading only "new modules" to the installed firmware. If the standard method of updating the program "the Smart Switch" or "Odin Odin" to download the entire software package «CSC_HOME ...» and installed over the old OS (in consequence of which there is a complete rewriting of the system) then the incremental update downloads only the so-called "delta" - the difference between installed software and downloaded the service pack. This approach saves both user traffic and time. Unlike "the Smart Switch" or "Odin Odin", the service pack "of FOTA" downloaded and installed in series - from version to version, using the verification mechanism of the software, according to the principle - "Updating only pure stock". Updates are downloaded as installation package «update.zip» in «/ data / fota» folder or «/ cache / fota» depending on the version of the Android OS, and kept there until the installation. Archive update usually automatically deleted after the installation in order to increase the system memory space, since updates may exceed the amount of over 400MB.
1. How to check and install FOTA update:
--- Settings>>About the device>>Download update files. manually
2. How to enable and disable the FOTA automatic update check:
--- Settings>>About the device>>Auth. downloading update files>>disable
--- To prohibit downloading updates over a WIFI network, you need to uncheck this item, after which the updates will stop downloading to the phone.
3. Why don't updates come when everyone gets:
--- The latest software version is already installed on the device.
--- Server overloaded due to increased demand and excitement
--- There is a concept - "test distribution". The update is distributed gradually for different countries, and in the process of distribution, defects are corrected and made changes, in connection with which the process can take up to several months (as in S5 with the transition from 5.0 to 6.0.1 for Russia)
--- Your region is in the update queue
--- Discontinued device support for some regions (for example: carrier versions, Chinese, many republics ...)
--- If the update for your region has been distributed for quite a long time, and the update server reports that you have the latest software version, then you need to reset to the factory settings and update the device
4. How to remove downloaded FOTA update by regular means:
--- In the settings, disable the theft protection device - “Activation lock” or “Reactivation Lock”
--- Using "Smart Switch" to make a backup of user data, for later recovery
--- Perform a system reset to factory settings: "Settings>>Backup and reset>>Data reset>>DEVICE RESET »
--- Start the system not including WIFI in order to avoid automatic updating
--- In the settings, uncheck the items: “Auth. download update files and wifi network updates (Essence ...)
--- Using “Smart Switch” to restore backup user data
5. When downloading FOTA, a window appears "... an unauthorized modification of the OS ...":
--- Reason: the system has the status of "Special." That is, it is embedded in "Root" or installed modified software
--- Solution: assign official status to the system. “Official.” - flash the device with service firmware for the desired region
--- KNOX 0x1 in no way affects the registration, download updates from the server and installation
6. FOTA update is not downloaded to the phone:
--- Refurbished
--- Assembled constructor with restored efs partition.
The composition of the firmware files for Odin'a
The firmware consists of five archives or files: “AP” “BL” “CP” “CSC” “HOME_CSC”
Application processor
«AP» (from the English Application Processor.) - Application Processor «Exynos 8890 Octa 8 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996». application processor is responsible for the bulk of mobile processing and handles everything except the network. LCD controller, camera interface, serial interface, memory interface, USB controller, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi controller, display, touch-sensitive keys, the keyboard, and much more, the control processor applications. Mobile application processor - a system on a chip / chip (SoC), designed to support applications running on the mobile operating system. AP provides autonomous operating environment that provides all the features of the systems needed to support the applications in your device, including memory management, graphics and multimedia decoding, etc. mobile application processors can be independent of other specialized processors in the same mobile device, for example: BaseBand Processor - the main processor radio module for wireless communication (radio reception).
For application processor, the following software is intended:
boot.img (kernel) - a central part of the Android operating system which provides an interface between hardware and software components of the system: memory management and processes, work with drivers. The core consists of a set of drivers of all available hardware on the device and memory management, network security, and other basic operating system functions. The kernel manages absolutely all the equipment: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, memory, and other devices. It is no exception and the "heart" of the device - its processor. The kernel can control its frequency and power supply. The kernel is the part of the Android operating system and has its own allotted in accordance with the markings PIT section (block) in the internal memory of the device.
persist.img (saved) - inside the file “sensors_settings” (sensor parameters); “sw_calib” folder (software calibration); folder "pen_pairing" (pen mate); folder "mixer" (mix); folder "epos"
recovery.img (recovery) - this service (extends the capabilities of the underlying software) software, a dedicated logical partition on the internal memory and is separate from the operating system files from user files located on the same drive. the operating system does not depend on the line of this software, because the recovery, particularly has a special mission - to update and restoring the OS. This software plays a pivotal and important role in upgrading the OS technology means FOTA and Smart Switsh application.
system.img (system) -
userdata.img (user data) -
Boot loader
«BL» (from the English Boot Loader.) - a computer program that loads the operating system (OS) or the runtime environment for the smartphone after the self-test is complete, adds functions for erasing and flash memory programming, as well as handles the actual download new or updated software this allows you to use the minimum primary loader PBL. When you attempt to download the software on the phone, which was not properly signed by supplier unit, the boot loader scans all of the code and making sure that mismatch blocks the installation of the software on the device.
The archive for BL includes the following files:
sboot.bin (from. boot secondary boot) - the secondary bootloader, it loads the OS.
The main functions of sboot.bin:
a) transfer the core to memory;
b) provide the information necessary for proper operation of the kernel;
c) prepare the environment for the kernel;
d) transfer control to the kernel;
e) verify the code and signature;
f) provide when pressing certain buttons, the choice of boot modes: in recovery, bootloader, operating system and in safe mode;
g) check the partition table
param.bin - a file that adds a visual information display to the boot process, in the form of JPEG images (.jpg), this is the “Samsung Galaxy S7 edge” boot logo, splash screen for recovery mode, battery charge image, notifications and change warnings and emergency situations in the form of dialog boxes, figures from 1% to 10%. The file also has an image adv-ev.img
(for some reason)
cm.bin - Cryptography Manager
Communication Processor
«CP» (from the English Communication Processor.) - Communication Processor «Cortex-R», the main processor modem processor or baseband (Baseband processor). Baseband processor (baseband processor and a radio modem core processor) core hardware element (chip) radio block system board that controls all radio functions that require the antenna (except for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio). Baseband processor is a separate unit cell phone used to operate the GSM-stack and the digital signal processing and interacting with the main processor, and sometimes with the main phone memory. BB processor performs complex protocols requiring a significant amount of its resources to interpret, process and generate packets that are transmitted network provider. In turn, baseband processor is divided into two parts - a modem for modulating and demodulating a radio signal and a processor protocol stack which controls the communication between the base station and the mobile terminal by establishing connections, radio resource control, error handling and packaging of incoming and outgoing data. The baseband processor usually uses its own memory and its own software «modem.bin».
Functions modem processor: ""
a. Radio control
b. Generation, processing, signal interpretation
c. Modulation and signal coding
d. Frequency change
e. Search and transmission of signals
h. GSM standard 2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, (LTE Advanced Pro and 5G Cortex-R8 processor) connection
For the communication processor, the following software is intended:
modem.bin MODEM or RADIO - software (SW), a driver for hardware (radio unit) responsible for wireless communication. The driver software you need, without which the work of the smartphone hardware in most cases impossible. Driver 'explain' smartphone, what he can do with a particular piece of hardware. A typical driver starts by checking the input parameters. If they do not meet certain criteria, the driver returns an error (failure occurs when a radio module or of the radio). One of the driver features: initialize this device and check its status, a device, in this particular case means that the radio module in accordance with the instructions laid down driver handles calls, etc., as well as the transfer function of requested data and status completed operation.
Country Specific Configuration
«CSC» (from the English Country Specific Configuration.) - Configuration of individual countries. International settings incorporated in the archive and updates CSC, the manufacturer has divided for ease of maintenance and distribution: for state and dependent territories, as well as basic administrative units within states. Configuration settings, distributed as files with the name of the consumer countries, such as the Asian continent for the SER-Russian, SKZ-Kazakhstan, CHC-China, INU-India; for the European XEF-France; for the American TMB-USA; for African-KEN Kenya, etc. CSC installation files can be odnoregionalnymi containing settings for one country and multi-regional, containing in the archive and more than one CSC package, with the settings for the different states.
The CSC archive contains the following files:
cache.img - a container for delivery of updates to the operating system, which incorporated various types of regional settings and CSC-content: it is - a special service team (file command - causes the system to factory condition); language preferences (File - language.xml); WIFI settings (folder - ets); audio, video, audio-butanimatsiya (folder - media); wallpaper boot animation (folder - wallpaper); system apk applications for specific countries (folder - app); sales_code.dat (-sale code CSC, for which the country went on sale the phone); customer.xml (settings for mobile operators, emergency number: 911, 112;) and configuration for specific countries. In this case, the file - cache.img is not a system partition on the «/ cache» internal memory which is the section - folder into which downloaded updates FOTA systems or «/ data / dalvik-cache» - cache memory for Java machines that Dalvik is the "engine" in Android is responsible for launching and running applications.
In short: cache.img is a container for delivering international content to the operating system.
HERO2LTE_EUR_OPEN.pit - PIT (from the English. Partition Information Tables) - Table of information sections. Responsible for the allocation of internal memory into sections (sectors / blocks / partitions), as a rule, the NAND array is divided into many blocks. PIT files contain all the necessary information for each section: section name; the name of the flash file; block size; number of blocks; section description, in general information about the entire file system.
hidden.img - file contains the following: Common_app folder - common (common to all countries within the CSC file) of the application; folder with the name of a particular country: SER; SEK, etc. (they contain personalized content for consumer countries); INTERNAL_SDCARD folder (it holds music - «Over the Horizon», the default for all countries). Depending on the number of countries included in the update package and the availability to them of individual regional content, the file is «hidden» will have a corresponding size from 10MB (an update to one or two countries) to 200MB (the update for 19 countries), the more countries as part of updates, the more «hidden» file size. «Hidden» file size specified in the filename PIT: HERO2LTE_EUR_OPEN_HIDDEN60M.pit; HERO2LTE_EUR_OPEN_HIDDEN100M.pit etc
User Guide
Official User Guide for Galaxy S8 / S8 +
Direct link -
in English Post has been editedyunusalievfarhod - 05.06.17, 09:59