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This document will guide you through the necessary steps needed to flash install or update Android on your Gemini with Linux or Android OS.

'''Please note: &nbsp;''' '''<span style="color: #ff0000;">Flashing Installing Android or Linux will delete any user data on the device. Please make sure you have a backup of any important data before starting!</span>'''

<div style="text-align: justify;">'''Important Note: <span style="color: #ff0000;">please Please don’t use other tools to flash firmware fo your Gemini as it’s easy to loose key information such as the IMEI number. In particular, never use the “Format all + download“ option in the SP Flash Tool as this erases key information stored in the NVRAM partition and can lead to a non-functional device.<br data-attributes="%20/"><br data-attributes="%20/"></span>'''</div>There are 3 steps needed to install or upgrade Android on your Gemini: # Install the FlashTool software on your Windows PC or Linux PC# Download and unzip the Android firmware# Flash the firmware on your device These steps are detailed in the next sections. ==<br data-attributes="%20/">Download and Install FlashTool on Windows==The first step to install FlashTool on a Windows PC is to install the flash tool drivers. These The drivers are needed for your Windows PC to communicate with your Gemini, the minimum requirement is to have a 64bit Windows operating system.

Once downloaded the Windows flash toolFlashTool, please unzip it to reveal the '''FlashToolWindows''' folder. Next, run the flash tool by double clicking on '''flash_tool''' (flash_tool.exe) file in the '''FlashToolWindows''' folder.

 ==Download and Install FlashTool on Linux=='''The following procedure has been tested on Debian 9.0, Ubuntu 18.04 (see notes below) and Fedore Fedora 28 (see notes below).'''

<code>ATTRS{idVendor}=="0e8d", ENV{ID_MM_DEVICE_IGNORE}="1"</code><br data-attributes="%20/"><code>ATTRS{idVendor}=="6000", ENV{ID_MM_DEVICE_IGNORE}="1"<br data-attributes="%20/"></code>

 &nbsp;<code>sudo apt-get install libjpeg62</code>

On Fedora you will have to write the following command to allow applications running with root privileges to access the X server (this will fix the lines above for both the gedit and the flash_toolcommand):

Additionally you will have to  to&nbsp; restart the udev service by typing (or rebooting your machine):

<code>udevadm control --reload-rules &amp;& amp; udevadm trigger</code>

==Download Android Gemini Firmware==Now that the Flash Tool FlashTool application is running, it is time to download the Gemini Android Firmwarefrom the [[Gemini Firmware|Gemini Firmware page]].

Planet Computers provides both an Android-only After downloading the firmware and a Linux , unzip it to reveal the folder containing the firmware folder, for example '''Gemini_WIFI_MP_09052018''' or Android-Linux firmware'''Gemini_x27_FOTA3_12062018'''.

If you ==Configuring FlashTool==Use the choose button as in the following screenshot to flash a standard Android firmware, load the scatter file that you will have to download one from this pagefind inside the downloaded firmware. In particular: [[Gemini Firmware|Gemini Firmware.]]

After downloading * Downlad-Agent should be set to the firmwarefile MTK_AllInOne_DA.bin, unzip it to reveal which is located in the FlashToolWindows or FlashToolLinux folder containing .* Scatter-loading file should be set to the firmware code, for example '''Gemini_WIFI_MP_09052018Gemini_Android.txt''' or '''Gemini_x27_FOTA3_12062018''' and proceed to file, which is located inside the of the next sectionfirmware folder that you downloaded.

[[File:Screen_Shot_2018-06-20_at_1121_at_10.0645.0658.png|center|640x422px800x511px|border]]

After selecting ==Backup the NVRAM partition size, you can select ==Before flashing the operating systems device with a different firmware it is a good idea to use for each boot modebackup the current NVRAM partition. Gemini supports 4 boot modes. When the Gemini is OFF, press Esc(On) This partition stores key information for around one second to initiate the booting process. Immeditately after that, the unit will vibrateyour Gemini, and after a few seconds including the screen will turn ONIMEI number. When the screen turns ONIf it gets lost or damaged, the your Gemini will check the status of the Esc (On) key and of the side silver buttonnot be able to take or receive calls. Based on the status of those buttons there are 4 possible booting modes:

* Boot 1: Both Esc (On) key The provided flash tool is already configured for your Gemini. To create a backup of your NVRAM partition, just click on the '''Readback''' tab and side then on the '''Add''' button are not pressed. This is A row will appear in the table as in the default booting option when no buttons are pressed.* Recovery Mode: Esc (On) is pressed. This will always boot into overy modefollowing screenshot.* Boot 2: Side button is pressed.* Boot 3: Esc(On) key is pressed and Side button is also pressed

* Boot 1[[File: Standard Android* Boot 2: Debian GNU/Linux* Boot 3: Sailfish OSScreen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_10.52.02.png|center|799x526px|border]]

[[File:Screen_Shot_2018-06-20_at_11Next, just click the '''Read Back''' button, connect your Gemini to your PC and restart the Gemini.16Once booting, the flash tool will detect the unit and will write the NVRAM partition on a file on your hard disk called NVRAM0 (see screenshot below).03It’s a good idea to keep this file as a backup.png|center|640x421px|border]]

After you made your selection, there are 3 modules to download using the buttons on the right[[File: * The Base firmware contains the basic Android firmware. This is the main component, it needs to be extracted to reveal the Gemini Base firmware folder. All the other component need to be copied/unzipped here.* The Scatter file contains the definition of your Gemini partition, based on your selection. This needs to be copied into the firmware folder* The optional Linux (Debian, Sailfish or Debian+Sailfish) contains the additional Linux module. This needs to be unzipped into the firmware folder Once you have extracted the base firmware,  copied the scatter file and unzipped the optional Linux module, you will be ready to proceed to the next step. ==Configuring Flash Tool==Use the choose button as in the following screenshot to load the scatter file that you will find inside the downloaded firmware. In particular: * DownladScreen_Shot_2018-06-Agent should be set to the file MTK_AllInOne_DA21_at_10.bin, which is located in the FlashToolWindows or FlashToolLinux folder51.* Scatter-loading file should be set to the specific scatter file of the firmware that you want to flash, which is located in the firmware folder  [[File:flash150.png|center|800x527px|border]]   ==Backup the NVRAM partition==Before flashing the device with a different firmware it is a good idea to backup the current NVRAM partition. This partition stores key information for your Gemini, including the IMEI number. If it gets lost or damaged, your Gemini will not be able to take or receive calls.  The provided flash tool is already configured for your Gemini. To create a backup of your NVRAM partition, just click on the '''Readback''' tab and then on the '''Add''' button. A row will appear in the table as in the following screenshot.

Next, just click If you want to flash the complete firmware to your unit then select '''Read BackFirmware Upgrade''' button, connect your Gemini to your PC and restart from the Geminidrop down menu. Once rebooted, This will automatically select all the flash tool will detect partitions in the phone table and it will write the NVRAM partition on a file on restore your hard disk called NVRAM0unit to its factory state. It’s a good idea to keep this file as a backupPlease note that you will loose all your personal data/settings. 

== Flashing the Gemini with an alternative firmware==Be sure to follow the previous step to store a copy of the NVRAM partition as backup[[File:Screen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_11.01. Now, run the Flash tool software and click on the '''Download''' tab20. Next, locate the '''Scatter-loading File''' option and click on the associated '''choose''' '''button''', as highlighted in the picture below:png|center|800x597px|border]]

To start the flashing process, just click the big '''Download''' button, connect your Gemini to your PC and restart the Gemini. Once you select booting, the flash tool will detect the unit and will start flashing the scatter file, device with the table should be populated as below:selected firmware.

[[File:flash2Screen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_11.12.29.png|center|800x597px|border]]

==Notes on To start the flashing firmwares==When switching between a standard Android to a dual boot Android/Linux firmwareprocess, you will need to use just click the big '''Firmware Upgrade Download'''mode because you need button, connect your Gemini to format your PC and restart the deviceGemini. If you don't need to repartition the deviceOnce booting, you can use the '''Download Only '''mode and flash a single partition without formatting. This is useful because you can update tool will detect the Android system partition without deleting your data (which is stored in unit and will start flashing the user data partition), or you can update device with the boot.img and switching from an Android system to a rooted one or viceversaselected firmware.

==Linux dual boot notes==The dual boot mechanism works as followfollowing screenshot shows a successfully completed flashing process:

* '''Dual boot Android[[File:Screen_Shot_2018-Linux firmware'''** Press Esc (On) for around one second to turn ON the unit and boot into Android. You should release the Esc (On) button before the screen turns ON, otherwise the unit will boot into recovery mode (see below).** Press Esc (On) for around one second to turn ON the unit and at the same time press and hold the side button until the screen turns ON to boot into Linux. You should release the Esc (On) button before the screen turns ON, but you must keep the side button pressed until you see the turning ON. When the screen turns ON you can release the side button, and the unit will boot into Linux06-21_at_11.** Press Esc (On) and keep pressing the button until the screen turns ON to boot in recovery mode17. At this stage the recovery mode is disabled and you will see a droid image with a red triangle and a "No command" text44.png|center|800x595px|border]]