Changes

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:

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. 

If you intend to install FlashTool on a Windows PC you can skip this section, otherwise please keep reading if you want to install FlashTool on a Linux PC. '''The following procedure has been tested on Debian 9.0, Ubuntu 18.04 (see notes below) and 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>

Finally, run the flash tool application by entering into the '''FlashToolLinux''' folder and typing: <code>cd FlashToolLinux</code>

'''Building from sourceNotes - Ubuntu 18.04''' On Ubuntu you will need to install the following dependency: &nbsp;<code>sudo apt-get install libjpeg62</code>  '''Notes - Fedora 28''' 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_tool command):

You can also build the flash tool by yourself. You will find the source <code>xhost +local:</code>

You Finally, you will need a 64 bit Linux machine and you might need root access to run it. The executable file is flash_tool.sh. <span style="caret-color: #2b2e2f; color: #2b2e2f; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none;">If you get a BROM error when connecting install the Gemini (see flash_tool console log) then you should follow this guide </span>[https://forum.xda-developers.com/general/rooting-roms/tutorial-how-to-setup-spflashtoollinux-t3160802/page16 https://forum.xda-developers.com/general/rooting-roms/tutorial-how-to-setup-spflashtoollinux-t3160802/page16]<span style="caret-color: #2b2e2f; color: #2b2e2f; font-familyfollowing dependency: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none;"> - specifically the 2 points regarding udev rules.</span>

'''Building the flash tool from source''' You can also build the flash tool by yourself, the code is hosted on github: [https://github.com/dguidipc/SP-Flash-Tool-src Flash Tool Source]   ==Download Android Gemini Firmware==Now that the FlashTool application is running, it is time to download the Gemini Android Firmware from the [[Gemini Firmware|Gemini Firmware page]]. After downloading the firmware, unzip it to reveal the folder containing the firmware folder, for example '''Gemini_WIFI_MP_09052018''' or '''Gemini_x27_FOTA3_12062018'''. ==Configuring Flash ToolFlashTool==

* Scatter-loading file should be set to the specific scatter '''Gemini_Android.txt''' file of the firmware that you want to flash, which is located in inside the of the firmware folderthat you downloaded.

[[File:flash1Screen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_10.45.58.png|center|800x511px|border]]

==Backup the NVRAM partition==Before flashing the device with a different firmware it is a good idea to backup the current NVRAM partition[[File:Screen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_10. This partition stores key information for your Gemini, including the IMEI number52. If it gets lost or damaged, your Gemini will not be able to take or receive calls02.png|center|799x526px|border]]

The provided flash tool is already configured for your Gemini. To create a backup of your NVRAM partitionNext, just click on the '''ReadbackRead Back''' tab button, <span style="color: #252525; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">connect your PC to the left end USB-C port on your Gemini</span> and then on restart the '''Add''' buttonGemini. A row Once booting, the flash tool will appear in detect the table as in unit and will write the following NVRAM partition on a file on your hard disk called NVRAM0 (see screenshotbelow). It’s a good idea to keep this file as a backup.

[[File:nvramScreen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_10.51.50.png|center|800x527px|border]]

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]]

Once you select To start the scatter fileflashing process, just click the table should be populated as belowbig '''Download''' button, <span style="color: #252525; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space:normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">connect your PC to the left end USB-C port on your Gemini</span> and restart the Gemini. Once booting, the flash tool will detect the unit and will start flashing the device with the 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 to format the device. If you don't need to repartition the devicebutton, you can use the <span style="color: #252525; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro''Download Only '''mode and flash a single partition without formatting, sans-serif; font-size: 15. This is useful because you can update 008px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">connect your PC to the Android system partition without deleting left end USB-C port on your data (which is stored in Gemini</span> and restart the user data partition)Gemini. Once booting, or you can update the boot.img flash tool will detect the unit and switching from an Android system to a rooted one or viceversawill start flashing the device with the selected 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]]