Questions tagged [kernel]

The kernel is a central component of most computer operating systems. It acts as bridge between applications and the hardware and also manages the systems's resources.

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9 answers
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What is the difference between: Rooting, Jailbreaking, ROM, Mod, etc.?

What is the difference between: Unlocking the bootloader (prerequisite for doing many, though not all, other things below) Rooting Jailbreaking ROM NAND and Nandroid Operating System Mod (e.g. ...
81 votes
3 answers
14k views

What linux distribution is Android based on?

Did Google use some existing distribution (Debian, Red Hat, etc.) to create Android, or did they use the bare essentials (kernel, file system and some mandatory files)?
lamcro's user avatar
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55 votes
1 answer
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Which Android runs which Linux kernel?

Is there a list of which kernel version comes in each Android AOSP version? Or lets say, which version /proc/version would spit out.
Robert Siemer's user avatar
19 votes
6 answers
14k views

Why are there so many different Android kernels?

Isn't Android a common kernel that is used across all devices? For example, CentOS will install on Dell, HP, and a variety of other hardware. Sure there are different modules, but it's still CentOS ...
user974896's user avatar
18 votes
3 answers
19k views

What is the difference between the Linux Kernel and the Android Kernel?

What are the modifications done in linux kernel to make it an android kernel ? By this question I mean what are the differences between linux kernel and android kernel ?
trish's user avatar
  • 191
17 votes
4 answers
2k views

Where can I find a comparsion of non-offical cooked rom/firmware of Galaxy S i9000?

I've been searching around for the topic these few days. However, I am getting into a problem of information overflow - there are too many different version and custom kernal around. Most of them are ...
15 votes
1 answer
644 views

Are there any Google devices that support file based capabilities in their default kernel?

If I systemless root (no modification done to /system partition) a Nexus device, would I be able to able to set capabilities on executables without changing the original kernel binary ? I often want ...
user2284570's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
48k views

How to install kernel module for android?

I currently have a custom kernel and ROM installed on my android device. The kernel I'm using comes with a separate download with kernel modules that you are to install yourself if you want. However ...
Scott's user avatar
  • 358
8 votes
2 answers
4k views

Given that every application runs as a separate user, what happens when you want to add a new user account?

According to this, every application in Android runs as a separate kernel-level user, with a unique user ID and group ID. So, what happens under the hood when you add a new user (e.g. to your shared ...
Reflection's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
14k views

How can I enable last_kmsg?

I'm trying to diagnose a random reboot on LineageOS 14. last_kmsg is not in /proc, nor it is in /sys/fs/pstore/console-ramoops. EDIT: ~# mount | grep PSTORE ~# mkdir /mnt/pstore && mount ...
Ne Mo's user avatar
  • 433
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

How does CF-Autoroot work?

What's the theory behind how CF-autoroot is able to root android devices? I'm wondering on what techniques it used to run su? Does it use a custom/patched Linux kernel? Or it is based on local root ...
Zskdan's user avatar
  • 183
8 votes
1 answer
8k views

AFwall+: Why does the Kernel need an internet connection all the time?

Since I started using AFWall+ (a firewall based on iptables) on Android, I was wondering why the Linux kernel tries to connect to the internet all the time? Allthough blocking the kernel I didn't ...
UdeF's user avatar
  • 191
8 votes
1 answer
8k views

l2_hsic prevents my device from Deep Sleep. How to fix it?

I have installed BetterBatteryStats and CPU SPY, because I noticed that I had a faster than normal battery consumption when the tab was left alone. I made a 30 mins test Wifi OFF, Flight Mode On, ...
EnexoOnoma's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
51k views

How to find out if my Device's Kernel has Loop Device Support

I would assume most all of you know why I am asking this, but for those who don't, Loop Device Support of a Kernel on an Android device is utilized to mount a Linux Distro IMG file (Ubuntu or Debian, &...
insomnia's user avatar
  • 267
7 votes
1 answer
16k views

Backup/dump kernel image (and full ROM) without root for Mediatek Devices

I would like to pull the boot image of my device Pipo N7. I don't have root. I found the following link: Backup/dump kernel image without root or twrp/cwm` But when I try to find /dev -name 'by-name'...
Sruly's user avatar
  • 988
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Faster CPU means higher battery consumption?

A friend of mine and I have the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. His tab is flashed with a custom kernel giving 1.2Ghz instead of the 1Ghz I have by default. Using antutu benchmark, we saw what we expected, ...
Johnili's user avatar
  • 159
7 votes
1 answer
15k views

Can IMEI number of a device really be changed

I bought a slightly used android phone(Asus Zenfone 2) recently.Now what i noticed was that the imei number that my phone was showing to me when i dialed *#06# was not the same as that on the box in ...
With A SpiRIT's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
13k views

Custom Kernels on Stock ROMs?

The General Question: Is it possible to install custom kernels on a Rooted Stock ROM? The Example: I have a Nexus 7 which I have rooted running 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean JRO03D) would it be possible to just ...
Clement's user avatar
  • 185
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

What happens if you install another phone's kernel on yours?

What would happen if you install a Oneplus 1 for an example on a Nexus 5? Would it cause hardware problems, like my touch won't be recognized or something like that? And how much tweaking would it ...
Elhamer Yacine's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
5k views

Is kernel mode of operating system and root permissions in android same thing?

As written in book of Peter Baer Galvin's Operating System Concepts , there are two modes of operation - 1.user mode 2.kernel mode So, my question is when we root our android do we alter the ...
ashishmalgawa's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
12k views

How to make Ethernet work on Android over OTG?

I am trying to use an LTE modem connected to an Android 7 device over an OTG cable. The kernel recognizes the device and registers it with cdc_ether, but I am unable to use the connection from the ...
dazza5000's user avatar
  • 163
5 votes
1 answer
5k views

Can I flash a kernel without flashing a ROM?

Does flashing a new kernel require flashing a new ROM? Will flashing a new kernel wipe the data? Because if so, I might as well flash a new ROM. How can I see which kernels are compatible with ...
Nathan Fellman's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

What is needed to run ELF binaries compiled from android APKs? (understanding android internals)

I'm trying to understand how Android works internally. Before ART, it used Dalvik to run java code. I guess it created a Dalkiv process in 'Linux' kernel which was simply a VM that ran the dex ...
Guerlando OCs's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
7k views

Where are kernel modules installed?

I am trying to find Linux kernel modules on my nitrogen board. I have unpacked kernel config from /proc/config.gz and I see kernel was compiled with a lot of modules. I see only one in /vendor/lib/...
Lev's user avatar
  • 51
5 votes
1 answer
428 views

Which kernel versions does the udev exploit work?

Which kernel versions does the udev exploit work? Upon googling this, I found articles claiming that it works on Android 2.1 and maybe 2.2, but there is no information about the kernel versions.
Lelouch Lamperouge's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
6k views

Does CyanogenMod include a kernel?

I've installed CyanogenMod 10.1 stable for S III LTE (i9305), and noticed that my kernel version is 3.0.64 (I expected it to be 3.4 or something higher). As I've said in this question, the kernel I ...
jcora's user avatar
  • 239
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Android early boot console over usb

I'm trying to port newer kernel versions onto my Nexus S device. Most newer kernels panic very early on in the boot process. I would like to debug this. However, since the phone has been provided to ...
Guru Prasad's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
9k views

How to change the display refresh rate of an android device [closed]

I am creating a custom ROM for my android device (MT6577 + ICS 4.0.4).The base ROM I'm using is the stock ROM of the device. My device's display refresh rate is pre-configured at 30Hz. Now, I want to ...
mujahid's user avatar
  • 183
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why are some files under /proc are universally readable?

Why are some files under /proc are universally readable by anyone using adb? e.g. /proc/<pid>/statm /proc/<pid>/maps /proc/<pid>/smaps We can even cat the content of these files, ...
babysnow's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
2 answers
33k views

Backup/dump kernel image without root or twrp/cwm

Is there any way to backup/dump kernel image without root or twrp/cwm ?
Једноруки Крстивоје's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
2k views

Why does Android differ so much from Linux?

I have read all related questions here, but they don't answer my questions or are not up-to-date since Android is particularly included in Linux kernel ( > 3.x.x). Why didn't Google just take a Linux ...
Motte001's user avatar
  • 145
4 votes
1 answer
36k views

Is it possible to flash a boot.img kernel with TWRP?

I'm looking to flash a ROM's boot.img on another ROM with TWRP 3.0. Is it possible? If it's relevant, both ROMs are CM-based running Android 5.1 Lollipop.
answerSeeker's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
37k views

How can I update the Linux kernel of my Android device?

I am using Sony Xperia E Dual with the kernel that identifies as 3.0.8-perf administrator@ubuntu-scm01 #1 and now I want to update it to the latest and the best one. Please help me understand it can ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
5k views

SELinux permissive kernel - is it a security risk?

As in title. I am talking of Kernel, not ROM (plenty of questions dealing with ROM on this site). I have a OnePlus 7 running stock Android 10 and prefer a custom kernel. Of late, OnePlus hasn't ...
beeshyams's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
2k views

How can /proc/sys values be changed at boot (sysctl.conf does this on normal Linuxes)?

How can /proc/sys values be changed at boot? sysctl.conf doesn't exist on Android and echoing values to the proc files isn't persistent.
Seolh's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is it possible to unload built-in kernel module?

I have a kernel with built-in module that I want to replace. I have built a .ko and tried to insmod it, but it failed since the kernel was already built with it. Is it possible to do this?
noti's user avatar
  • 153
4 votes
1 answer
6k views

Where can I configure SELinux in Cyanogenmod 10.1.3?

Cyanogenmod released the stable version 10.1.3 yesterday and it apparently includes SELinux enhancements running in permissive mode per default. I thought that you could change the mode in the ...
king_julien's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
31k views

Where can I find the stock kernel for my Samsung Galaxy S2?

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 phone (GT-I9100). I installed clockworkmod, a custom kernel and rom (Resurrection Remix) earlier this year. One day I couldn't boot it anymore. I restored a backup of the ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
2 answers
10k views

Is USB debugging needed when flashing stuff?

I mostly worked on Samsung phones, but I also had a shot on some cheap MTK phones. Over the course of rooting/flashing roms/flashing kernels I built myself/using Odin (Samsung)/etc. on a lot of ...
Aloha's user avatar
  • 345
4 votes
1 answer
13k views

Extract boot.img

I have pulled boot.img from my phone's CWM backup. How do I extract it? I tried split_bootimg.pl. But throws an error - Android Magic not found in boot.img. Giving up.
Anirudh's user avatar
  • 204
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

Where can I get the stock Android Kernel configuration for Galaxy S3 running ICS?

Question: We are trying to find the kernel configuration on a currently running Samsung Galaxy S2, with Android 4.0.3 (Ice-Cream Sandwich). We do not wish to root the phone. We checked /proc/config.gz ...
Novarum's user avatar
  • 69
4 votes
0 answers
584 views

Emulator startup issue

I am trying to run a standard AVD (ARM, empty layout, other settings as proposed by Android Studio) on the emulator. Enabled -verbose, -debug all and -show-kernel modes. The emulator boots, but ends ...
Enrico's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
0 answers
16k views

How to read/interpret Bluetooth HCI snoop log?

... to continue troubleshooting to my previous question: bluetooth - Nexus 6p - kernel wakelock - bluesleep - Android Enthusiasts Stack Exchange, I Enable Bluetooth HCI snoop log via (Settings -> ...
alexus's user avatar
  • 1,038
3 votes
7 answers
15k views

CPU-Z shows 8 cores, but 4 of them are stopped

I am using CPU-Z to test basic things about the J7. It reports an Exynos Octa 7580, 8 cores, 8x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz, r0p3, 28 nm. At all times that I checked, only cores 0-3 are active, and cores ...
sancho.s ReinstateMonicaCellio's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
6k views

Booting kernel from fastboot

We all have heard of "fastboot boot xxxx" command. How does it work when you use it for kernel (fastboot boot boot.img)? Is it simple as this: it boot Android with that kernel if possible or it make ...
Једноруки Крстивоје's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
248 views

Can you install custom kernels on DroidX running CyanogenMod?

Can you install custom kernels on DroidX running CyanogenMod? Or does the locked bootloader prevent that?
DVK's user avatar
  • 2,059
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can system apps be enabled/disabled directly from the filesystem?

System apps can be disabled by using pm disable [appname] and re-enabled in the same fashion. But is there a way to accomplish the same thing by editing some file(s?) somewhere? Context: My Android-...
Marc.2377's user avatar
  • 464
3 votes
2 answers
768 views

Where are custom kernels being flashed to in internal memory?

I've unzipped zip files for custom kernels and noticed that the majority of the files that are being applied are in a /kernel folder. However that folder is unlisted when listing the root directories ...
SAGExSDX's user avatar
  • 1,398
3 votes
1 answer
306 views

Salvage Android Phone as Linux-Server (radio/wifi hardware broken)

My device has hardware problems with radio/wifi. Hence it's not possible to use sim-card or wifi. That also makes it restart frequently. Now it's useless as a phone. So I am trying to turn it in a ...
imbr's user avatar
  • 198
3 votes
2 answers
5k views

How do I change the Battery Percentage that corresponds to a Voltage in Android

My original Li-ion has 3000 mAh capacity. I've modded my device to have a total of 7000 mAh capacity now. The enhanced capacity means that my percentage is not displayed accurately anymore. About ...
Oliver's user avatar
  • 31

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