Which ROM AOSP 12 for ARM 64 A Only device ?

[ED4free]

Hello,
Thanks again @phhusson for that useful work !
My device (Blackview BV4900 Pro, Mediatek MT6762D) sold with Android 12 is Treble compliant, VNDK 31.0, system partition A only, ARM64.
I don't see any A Only ROM for AOSP12. So which ROM must I take ?
Thierry

[JonnyTech]

A-only images were discontinued after Android 11 - in fact, Google stopped them beforehand and phhusson kept them going for longer (thanks phh!), but alas no more. Are you sure that your device is really a-only?

[phhusson]

Your device uses AB GSI images.

[ED4free]

Thank you both for your answer @JonnyTech and @phhusson
The application Treble Chek tell it is A Only. Cf screenshot.
.
I continue to test with AB ROM, but for the moment :
The "fastboot flash system XXX" says "Invalid sparse file format at header magic", but after the smartphone don't boot.
In fastbootd mode there is written "Secure boot - yes", perhaps it's why it don't boot.

[JonnyTech]

We wish that people would stop using Treble Check, please downvote or leave a negative review, then use Treble Info instead: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tk.hack5.treblecheck

The "fastboot flash system XXX" says "Invalid sparse file format at header magic"

That message is not an error message.

Did you flash vbmeta to disable AVB?

[ED4free]

Thanks for this advice.
Yes, I tried both, with and without "fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta vbmeta.img"
I downloaded vbmeta.img on this page : https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/guide-phh-gsi-flash-aosp-12.4328891/
After I go in recovery mode and make "wipe cache partition" and "wipe data"
The device try to boot, wait 10 second, stop and try again, it make loop.

[JonnyTech]

Try https://dl.google.com/developers/android/qt/images/gsi/vbmeta.img

Did you format data parition from stock recovery and not custom recovery such as TWRP?

Which GSI did you flash? Please provide a link.

[ED4free]

I tried with vbmeta.img you provided me. The result is a little different. The device don't boot, it is blocked. With the other one it was trying every 30 seconds.

Yes I format data partition from stock recovery, not TWRP.

I took GSI from here : https://github.com/phhusson/treble_experimentations/releases/tag/v416
I tried with :
AOSP-12-v416-system-squeak-arm64-ab-gogapps.img
AOSP12-v416-system-squeak-arm64-ab-vanilla.img
AOSP-12-V416-system-squeak-arm64-ab-vndklite-gogapps.img

[JonnyTech]

Try stock vbmeta.img, with and without the disable options (you may need to reflash stock boot.img first)

[ED4free]

It works !
I didn't flash vbmeta.
It is strange : there was no process of configuring android (language, wifi, accet conditions, etc...)

[ED4free]

It is Android 13. Already rooted.
I guess that now you know what was the problem.
So what ROM do you recommend ?
If you remember our mail exchanges 2 years ago, it is not for personal use. I install on it a small Debian server and then software and content for education in Africa (this model will be for Tchad).
I don't mind if it is Android 10,11,12,13
I don't need any application.
I only need to install Linux Deploy, and to start a shell at boot and for that Magisk is very easy (in Andoid 10 I used init.rc, but I noticed that after it was no more possible because /system/bin was reinit a t boot).
Thanks a lot.

[phhusson]

It is strange : there was no process of configuring android (language, wifi, accet conditions, etc...)
Yes that's expected, it's a "vanilla" variant, so it includes only bare minimum apps. No Google apps or anything. Not even an actual web browser.

If you remember our mail exchanges 2 years ago, it is not for personal use. I install on it a small Debian server and then software and content for education in Africa (this model will be for Tchad).

Yup, (I Just didn't realize it initially)

I guess that now you know what was the problem.

Yes it's TrebleDroid/device_phh_treble@812b0e8 + TrebleDroid/device_phh_treble@918cfbf + TrebleDroid/device_phh_treble@7ad3802

Those patches could be integrated in Android 12

(in Andoid 10 I used init.rc, but I noticed that after it was no more possible because /system/bin was reinit a t boot).

Disable magisk temporarily or put it into "core mode" and you'll be able to write to /system

I don't mind if it is Android 10,11,12,13
FWIW Treble doesn't allow downgrade. So your original OEM ROM is Android 12, you can't go lower than Android 12.

I only need to install Linux Deploy, and to start a shell at boot and for that Magisk is very easy
I don't think you actually need magisk for that, the integrated root should be enough. But use whatever suits you.

[ED4free]

Thanks a lot !
I'll test several configurations and choose the best one. Perhaps Vanilla will be fine because it is very light.
NB : 15 mini educational server based on Smartphone with PHH ROM are already running in Madagascar schools. Next countries : Tchad, Mauritania, Gabon, Senegal. It will be demonstrate at next exhibition "eLearning Africa" end May in Dakar.

[phhusson]

Cool. thanks for the update

[JonnyTech]

I suggest asking in the Telegram support group: https://t.me/phhtreble