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Samsung Galaxy Core Prime VE LTE (samsung-coreprimevelte)

From postmarketOS Wiki
Note This is one specific Galaxy Core Prime hardware revision. For an overview, see Samsung Galaxy Core Prime
Samsung Galaxy Core Prime VE LTE
Running Sxmo on Sway
Running Sxmo on Sway
Manufacturer Samsung
Name Galaxy Core Prime VE LTE
Codename samsung-coreprimevelte
Model SM-G361F
Released 2014
Type handset
Hardware
Chipset Marvell PXA1908
CPU 4x 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU Vivante GC7000UL
Display 480x800
Storage 8 GB
Memory 1 GB
Architecture aarch64
Software
Original software
The software and version the device was shipped with.
Android (TouchWiz) 5.1.1
Extended version
The most recent supported version from the manufacturer.
Android (TouchWiz)
FOSS bootloader yes
postmarketOS
Category community
Pre-built images
Whether pre-built images are available from the postmarketOS Installation page.
yes
Mainline
Instead of a Linux kernel fork, it is possible to run (Close to) Mainline.
yes
pmOS kernel
The kernel version that runs on the device's port.
6.19.10
Unixbench score
Unixbench Whetstone/Dhrystone score. See Unixbench.
1207.7
Device package device-samsung-coreprimevelte
Kernel package linux-samsung-coreprimevelte
Firmware package firmware-samsung-pxa1908
Initial MR
Initial merge request.
pmaports!1823
Features
Flashing
Whether it is possible to flash the device with pmbootstrap flasher.
Works
USB Networking
After connecting the device with USB to your PC, you can connect to it via telnet (initramfs) or SSH (booted system).
Works
Internal storage
eMMC, SD cards, UFS...
Works
SD card
Also includes other external storage cards.
Works
Battery
Whether charging and battery level reporting work.
Broken
Screen
Whether the display works; ideally with sleep mode and brightness control.
Partial
Touchscreen
Works
Multimedia
3D Acceleration
Broken
Audio
Audio playback, microphone, headset and buttons.
Broken
Camera
Broken
Camera Flash
Broken
Connectivity
WiFi
Partial
Bluetooth
Partial
GPS
Broken
NFC
Near Field Communication
Broken
Modem
Calls
Broken
SMS
Broken
Mobile data
Broken
Miscellaneous
FDE
Full disk encryption and unlocking with unl0kr.
Works
USB OTG
USB On-The-Go or USB-C Role switching.
Works
Sensors
Accelerometer
Handles automatic screen rotation in many interfaces.
Broken
Proximity
Broken
Haptics
Works
U-Boot
Primary Bootloader
Whether it is possible to replace stock bootloader with U-Boot.
Broken
Secondary Bootloader
Whether it is possible to chainload U-Boot from stock bootloader.
Works
Mainline
Whether latest upstream versions of U-Boot are not broken and it is possible to use them.
Partial
Internal Storage
Whether it is possible to boot from internal storage (e.g. eMMC or UFS).
Works
SD card
Whether it is possible to boot from SD card.
Works
USB Host
Whether it is possible to boot from a USB storage or connect a keyboard.
Broken
USB Peripheral
Whether it is possible to use device as a peripheral in U-Boot, e.g. for fastboot mode.
Broken
Display
Works
Keyboard
Broken
Buttons
Whether it is possible to navigate in boot menu or grub with volume and power buttons.
Broken

Users owning this device

Installation

After unlocking the bootloader (simply enable developer options and enable OEM unlocking), obtain an image through Installation/Using a pre-built image or Installation/Using pmbootstrap.

To enter flash mode, press Power+Volume Down while powering up the phone, release once you feel a vibration and answer the upcoming question with Volume Up.

Using Heimdall (or pmbootstrap flasher depending on your image source), flash boot.img (containing U-Boot) onto KERNEL and the rootfs image onto SYSTEM or USER. USER has much more space than SYSTEM (~5.2GB versus ~1.8GB) and as such is preferable, but note that you will lose all Android data that way.

SD card is also an option; it has no known practical size limits but from the author's experience is relatively slow (at least an old card).

Pre-built Sxmo images are available here: edge (recommended), v25.12.

If you wish to use the downstream port for whatever reason, you can do so by choosing coreprimevelte-downstream as the device.

Flashing

The device can be put in flashing mode by powering it on while pressing the POWER + HOME + VOLUME DOWN buttons simultaneously, and answering the appearing question by pressing VOLUME UP.

Flashing via recovery zip also works.

UART

UART over the microUSB connector can be enabled by putting a 150k or 619k resistor between the ID and GND pins. The device TX will be on the D- pin, and RX will be on the D+ pin. A 619k will power on the device as soon as the UART cable is connected, while a 150K won't.

Signal level is 1.8V, although I had once connected it to 3.3V and it doesn't seem to have damaged the phone nor the UART in any way. It's still recommended to avoid going above 1.8V.

U-Boot

The mainline port uses U-Boot. As of now, it loads the kernel from the /boot (sub)partition using blkmap and bootcmd trickery. Eventually, bootstd should be supported.

The U-Boot fork can be found here.

See also