Messages

1

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 15, 2019, 01:02:07 pm »

Not to worry! It has been a great instructional experience for us all! A real solid crash-course to re-learning android stuff for me. It'd been six years or so since I've had a device that wasn't super locked down (samsung flagships), and thus, fell worlds behind.

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Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 15, 2019, 11:23:08 am »

Interesting! Your Cosmo has very slightly different data in the Picachu region at 00040000 - this is probably generated at manufacture time and specific to each unit somehow... So that answers one of my questions.

What happens if you use Reboot > System from TWRP? Does that override things sufficiently enough to boot into Android?

If not, I would be inclined to suggest dumping that partition (via either TWRP or FlashTool readback), replacing everything from 00000000 to 0001FFFF with the string from mine and re-flashing that to see if it makes LK behave...

Haha!!!! That did it!! Dumping my partition and replacing the section with data from yours, and I have been able to boot into android! Oh, man, this feels good! A hundred Thank You's!!! Gonna reboot a couple time now to make sure it sticks, and then try to remote in to my work computer where I had a Titanium Backup of everything I had on here before this nightmare began. Once more - THANK YOU!!!

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Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 15, 2019, 09:23:35 am »

Ran that. We can certainly see that it's being directed to boot into recovery every time. Thanks for this! I spent an eternity last night trying to find a file somewhere that would be directing this.

Here's my dump from the xxd command:

Code: [Select]

00000000: 626f 6f74 2d72 6563 6f76 6572 7900 0000  boot-recovery...
00000040: 7265 636f 7665 7279 0a2d 2d75 7064 6174  recovery.--updat
00000050: 655f 7061 636b 6167 653d 2f63 6163 6865  e_package=/cache
00000060: 2f75 7064 6174 652e 7a69 700a 2d2d 6c6f  /update.zip.--lo
00000070: 6361 6c65 3d65 6e2d 5553 0a0a 0000 0000  cale=en-US......
00020000: 454e 565f 7631 0000 6f66 662d 6d6f 6465  ENV_v1..off-mode
00020010: 2d63 6861 7267 653d 3100 756e 6c6f 636b  -charge=1.unlock
00020020: 5f65 7261 7365 3d70 6173 7300 7065 7273  _erase=pass.pers
00020030: 6973 742e 7665 6e64 6f72 2e72 6164 696f  ist.vendor.radio
00020040: 2e63 6675 2e71 7565 7279 7479 7065 3d30  .cfu.querytype=0
00020050: 006d 645f 7479 7065 3d31 3200 0000 0000  .md_type=12.....
00023ff0: 0000 0000 454e 565f 7631 0000 951e 0000  ....ENV_v1......
00040000: 0100 0000 1537 5d7a 518f b5fa e355 44f1  .....7]zQ....UD.
00040010: 0000 0000 0000 0000 1d56 44f1 3a00 0000  .........VD.:...
00040030: 0000 0000 e355 44f1 e05e c600 0000 0000  .....UD..^......
00040040: 8f56 44f1 3600 0000 0000 0000 0600 0000  .VD.6...........
00040050: 7000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  p...............

4

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 14, 2019, 09:01:38 pm »

Wow! You're amazing and thank you! All the flashing went smoothly. The device is automatically booting into recovery mode every time I try to reboot it. I had been doing this before the flashing. I'm using your TWRP from the other thread, as my manufacturer recovery hadn't been accessible. Any ideas about this? This constant progress has me very hopeful, at least!

5

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Unofficial TWRP build

« on: December 14, 2019, 08:24:03 pm »

Yes, that's normal because of the way the Cosmo's ROM is laid out. It's a system-as-root configuration, so under Android, the system partition is mounted at /, but in recovery it's mounted at /system (as the recovery OS requires its own rootfs). Hence, what maps to /system in Android ends up being /system/system inside TWRP.

Regarding your issues: I've seen in the rooting thread that you've tried reflashing preloader and boot with no success. Have you tried flashing lk as well? You can get a known-good lk image from Planet themselves out of the OTA zip. From my understanding, lk is the component that fits into the boot sequence between the preloader and boot, so it may be worth a shot.

I'm also curious, does my TWRP build successfully decrypt /data for you? This was a massive pain to get working, but if it works, then this suggests that your userdata, metadata (stores the encryption keys for userdata) and tee (TrustZone OS) partitions are all in a good state.

I'm uploading the images I used for the update and I'll post a link in the rooting thread once I get that sorted out.

Thank you so much! Yeah, I've tried the lk as well. All img files from he OTA zip, actually. It certainly seems that /data is being decrypted successfully. I haven't tried pulling any of the files with ADB, but I would think if file and folder names are looking right, that the decryption is working.

Just finished downloading your images. Gonna give it a whirl!


Thanks!!
-Prof

6

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Unofficial TWRP build

« on: December 14, 2019, 06:33:49 pm »

Ninji - Great work! I flashed your TWRP (I couldn't possibly make my current situation any worse, so why not?). Finally able to escape my eternal boot loop! Still cant boot android up, but it's a hell of a start! Certainly strange - the fingerprint issue. There is no build.prop under /system, though there is one under /sytem/system that has the OTA's expected fingerprint. I think I'm still stuck waiting for Planet to release full ROMs, but now I have confidence my device will be able to work again!!

7

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / New Cosmo Firmware Update

« on: December 13, 2019, 12:19:15 pm »

I'm wondering, can you successfully boot the Cosmo into the bootloader (Fastboot mode) or into recovery mode? If either of those work fine then that's probably a good sign that you just need to reflash a clean full ROM.

It's slightly frustrating that Planet haven't released factory images yet - I was able to put together images for some of the partitions by dumping them from my Cosmo and then using imgpatchtools to apply the patches from the OTA package, but I would much rather just have the original files available for download.

Unfortunately, neither of those are doable. I can connect with SP Flash Tool, however. TauPan has been helping me a bit. He uploaded his preloader rip for me. Using that, the screen now comes on again during the boot loop! No loop change, though.
Main point there is that I can flash individual partitions. I wonder, if you have an image of the recovery, if flashing that would allow me to boot into recovery. But I fully agree - they need to drop stock images.

Thanks for the help!
-Prof

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Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 13, 2019, 05:05:53 am »

I would qualify flashing your preloader as progress! I'm back to an endless loop, at least, though the screen remains black. I should have stock boot.img on there, but I went ahead and re-flashed that. You know, I'm not confident That I didn't flash the boot.img to the recovery partition at some point. Specifically because, for reasons unknown, I keep trying to go there first before I have to stop myself, and its been a couple real late nights trying to fix this thing.

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Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 12, 2019, 08:07:25 pm »

Oh  dear! Looks like we broke the OTA upgrade. I've read in another thread that another rooted user managed to upgrade by completely reverting (flashing original boot and locking the bootloader) before upgrading.

I'd be able to provide the original firmware files from my dump, but I see several potential problems here:

1.) I read in you other post that you have a Verizon device. I have a European one. I don't know if the firmware files are completely compatible.  
2.) I'm not sure if it's ok to attach them to this forum wrt. Copyright and forum rules. It may be, because they're publically  downloadable anyways and we did not reverse engineer them or anything.
3.) I'm not 100% confident that my dumps are ok, as I already had problems with preloader.bin having the wrong length. Maybe Zimbix and I could compare checksums.

In turn, I would be very interested in your unlocked seccfg partition (see my scatter file) as I have unlocked myself and my display  is broken and the Cosmo doesn't boot.

I think 2. is pretty much a non issue, so I can provide the files with checksums later. Maybe someone can shed some light if the files are compatible. We don't want to make the bricks worse than they already are.

Balls. I cant seem to make things happen today. No. That's not right. I can't make things happen positively. I can still connect, and it still tries flashing. I was going to attempt various pieces of the OTA update. I'd love to get you the seccfg file, but I can't seem to connect to do a readback. Ha! Finally connected for a readback while I was typing this. I am uploading a copy of thr error along with this message. Invalid preloader, or some such debauchery. Same error for both download and readback attempts. I might, at this point, be willing to try your preloader.bin, if you'd be willing.

Again, and every time,
Thank you!
-Prof

10

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / New Cosmo Firmware Update

« on: December 12, 2019, 12:33:57 pm »

Yes, for he Gemini it pulls up. Assuming the Cosmo uses the same battery you should be able to pull the connector upwards. Before one has to remove (for the Gemini, did not open the Cosmo, yet) the black plastic side cover on the connector's side and unscrew a small piece of metal that holds the connector in place. Bu most probably it is the same here.

Mith

I ended up pulling the battery last night. Let it all sit for a couple hours. Plugged it back in, and the problem continued. Tried using SP Flash tools to re-flash boot.img. Oh, right, to be clear, I'm fortunate enough that SP Flash Tool can still catch the phone during its cycle. The screen wont try coming on anymore, but windows still gives me the connect and disconnect sounds, so I can tell the cycle is still going on, and I can still connect with Flash Tool, so I reckon I'm probably stuck waiting until a full rom is released.

-Prof

11

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Rooting the Cosmo Communicator

« on: December 12, 2019, 10:18:27 am »

Yesterday, while applying the android firmware update via OTA, I invoked some kind of ancient magic that got my Cosmo stuck in an endless boot loop. Key/button presses were of no help. I was boot loader unlocked and rooted. After the first two failed attempts at the OTA, I flashed the original boot.img back to the device via fastboot. Cosmo booted right up. This time, attempting the OTA seemed successful until it did its restart after updating.

Begin the endless boot loop. Attempts to power on. Shows only the splash screen with the unlocked bootloader unsafe whatever - not the boot animation. 5 seconds pass. Goes black for something like 7 seconds. Powers back on. Repeat until dead.

Then I learned about using SP Flash Tool, downloaded the scatter file from here and tried re-flashing the stock boot image that way. Now I get no screen display, but the SP Flash tools can, at least, still connect.

Hoping with growing desperation that someone may have some suggestions. I'm no fool when it comes to tech stuffs, but this is a little outside my usual realm these days.

Thanks!
-Prof

12

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Verizon

« on: December 11, 2019, 06:02:20 pm »

AFAIK any mobile device, certified by Verizon, which supports IMS (which is the case for both the Cosmo and the Gemini; they both support VoLTE voice calls, which uses IMS) must use "ims" as the APN, and no other APN is allowed. That's the reason why smartphones designed to use that network have it set by default, and why it can't be changed.

To check what APN is being used, in case no app is able to display it, you could try (on your rooted system) to send the following AT command:

AT+CGDCONT?

To send it, you might try to use Termux, install Minicom on it and run it on the /dev/radio/pttycmd1 serial port, though I'm not sure if the serial port name is the same as on the Gemini. Otherwise, on some smartphones the Engineering Mode has an AT commands client, though it's not available on the Gemini.

For anyone interested in the specification with this requirement:
https://opendevelopment.verizonwireless.com...October2019.pdf, chapter 1.4.1.2.2.2
PDN CONNECTION FOR NETWORK ATTACHMENT - NORMAL OPERATION, VZ_REQ_LTEB13NAC_6349.

Varti

Thanks Varti! Appreciate it! I'm currently fighting an eternal boot loop from the firmware update, but once I can break free, I'll give it a shot!

Thanks,
-Prof

13

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / New Cosmo Firmware Update

« on: December 11, 2019, 05:55:20 pm »

Most probably you have already tried:
-Press Esc long (takes about 10 secs at the rotating planets)
-Press Esc+silver  button (side) long
-Press Esc+Vol Up/Down (next to the cover display) long

Also had a similar (seemed to be related to a magisk module I am trying to develop...) behavior. For me it helped to "reboot" several times using the Esc long press. Booting works when the blue caps lock led turns off. If it stays on the phone is frozen.

If not faint-hearted you might try to remove the back and pull the battery plug. Once I had to resurrect  the Gemini (now it's undead  this way. It refused to turn on.

Mith

Thanks Mith! I'll give that a shot tonight. Gotta go have dinner with the in-laws first. I had it apart at work, but that battery connector looked real odd to me. More like it was soldered on. Probably a mix of bad vision + light that are far too bright in my lab. I'm assuming it pulls up, not out? As in away from the keyboard, not towards the other end of the device. Oh! And to be clear, it doesnt make it to the rotating planets. Just the initial PC splash screen.

Thanks again!
-Prof (the NQ means "Not Quite")

14

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / New Cosmo Firmware Update

« on: December 11, 2019, 04:52:24 pm »

I went ahead with the firmware update. Hit restart or reboot, whatever it said. Now I'm stuck in a boot loop that doesn't get past the splash screen to the boot animation. Then powers off, and immediately restarts. One boot/power off cycle takes about 13-14 seconds. Holding any key/button combinations seems to be of no help. Additional information! I was rooted with magisk. Two failed attempts to install the new firmware, so I flashed the original boot image back to the device and rebooted. That went no problem. Tried the OTA update one more time. This time I didn't get an error message at the end of it. Phone restarted, and here I sit 6 hours later, hoping the battery eventually drains so I can try ADBing in. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Something I'm noticing as I'm typing this, just as the phone powers down, the screen has a glitch-in-the-matrix style flicker. I doubt that really means anything to anyone, but just in case.

A pre-thanks to everyone!

15

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Verizon

« on: December 11, 2019, 04:27:51 am »

Anyone else having Verizon issues? In the same (maybe only similar?) situation. First, my SIM is recognized by the phone as a sprint SIM. Fair. It was about 5 years old, and frankly I don't know what has changed over the years. I loaded it back into my note 8 and headed up to the Verizon store to get a newer one. Same issue.

Whats happening for me, as a result, is constant tower jumping, my Cosmo telling me I'm roaming while also telling me I'm on a Verizon tower (some times). When I can connect to any tower, it's at best 50/50 if I'll have data, texting, and calling.

I suspect phone-side, the APNs need tweaking. However, being Verizon, the SIM card locks that out. To the point that APNs aren't in the settings. I rooted the phone, in hopes of finding some way around this. Followed several tutorials online to get APN settings back, but Magisk, being a systemless root, no methods stick.

I've also started using the built-in Engineer Mode - the good one - to try tweaking antenna /receiver settings. Able to jump through different network types and world modes. It can help at times, for short periods, but I suspect the temporary resolution is due more to the power-cycling of the receiver that is involved with some of these setting changes.

All said, I love this phone. Just looking forward to getting it to work right with Verizon.