Amazon Fire 7 2017 (amazon-austin)

From postmarketOS
Amazon Fire 7 (2017)
Manufacturer Amazon
Name Fire 7 (2017)
Codename amazon-austin
Released 2017
Category testing
Pre-built images no
Original software Android
Original version Lollipop (Fire OS 5)
Hardware
Chipset MediaTek MT8127
CPU 4x 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7
GPU Mali-450 MP4
Display 1024 x 600 IPS
Storage 8 GB, up to 256 GB microSD card
Memory 1 GB
Architecture ARMv7
Type tablet
Features
USB Networking
Works
Flashing
Works
Touchscreen
Works
Display
Works
WiFi
Partial
FDE
Mainline
Broken
Battery
Works
3D Acceleration
Audio
Bluetooth
Partial
Camera
GPS
Mobile data
Internal storage
SMS
Calls
USB OTG
Works
NFC
Sensors
Accelerometer
Magnetometer
Ambient Light
Proximity
Hall Effect
Barometer
Power Sensor
Misc
Built-in DVB
Camera Flash
Keyboard
Touchpad
USB-A
HDMI/DP
Ir TX
Ir RX
Stylus
Memory Card
Haptics
Ethernet
FOSS bootloader


Users owning this device


Unlock the bootloader

The bootloader can now be unlocked through a new hardware method: https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/development/unlock-fire-t3899860

How to enter recovery mode

Press and hold Power + Volume Up

Installation

This assumes that you already have Linux distro installed and the bootloader on the tablet is unlocked. Don't worry if it looks complicated. If you are unsure of something ask on the postmarketos matrix or leave a comment for help.

  1. Install pmbootstrap as stated in the Installation_guide, does not matter which options or device you pick.
  2. Once that is done download and drag the two folders in the git repo into "/home/YOURUSER/.local/var/pmbootstrap/cache_git/pmaports/device/testing/" also displayed as "~/.local/var/pmbootstrap/cache_git/pmaports/device/testing".
  3. Run pmbootstrap init and select amazon as manufacture and austin as the device, mate, lxde, xfde, are confirmed working.
  4. Run pmbootstrap install
  5. Boot into twrp and wipe all partitions including data
  6. Boot into the hacked bootloader from the twrp options
  7. Run pmbootstrap flasher flash_rootfs --partition userdata (system partion is too small to flash!) and once it is done flashing run pmbootstrap flasher flash_kernel
  8. Unplug the device, wait 10 seconds and then hold the power button. Once it is powered on YOU MUST boot it into twrp at least once as it needs to restore the AMONET exploit, until you do that the device will not boot.

Amonet

Amonet is an lk exploit used to boot an unsigned kernel. Sources of amonet are available here: https://github.com/xyzz/amonet/tree/mustang. This exploit is installed by a bootrom exploit. But probably some 2nd stage bootloader is a good idea.

Device problems

  • Mainline will highly unlikely be ever supported.
  • This device use exploit due to locked bootloader. See #Amonet.
  • This device's bl is not very good for running linux, due to it appends much of bad cmdline params, and some things in device tree.

See also