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Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) (samsung-gto)

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019)
File:Samsung-gtowifi.jpg
Manufacturer Samsung
Name Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019)
Codename samsung-gto
Released 2019
Type tablet
Hardware
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 429 (SDM429)
Display 800x1280
Storage 32/64 GB
Memory 2/3 GB
Architecture aarch64
Software
Original software
The software and version the device was shipped with.
Android 9.0
Extended version
The most recent supported version from the manufacturer.
Android 11
FOSS bootloader no
postmarketOS
Category downstream
Mainline
Instead of a Linux kernel fork, it is possible to run (Close to) Mainline.
no
pmOS kernel
The kernel version that runs on the device's port.
4.9.227
Device package device-samsung-gto out-of-tree
Kernel package linux-samsung-gto out-of-tree
Features
Flashing
Whether it is possible to flash the device with pmbootstrap flasher.
Broken
USB Networking
After connecting the device with USB to your PC, you can connect to it via telnet (initramfs) or SSH (booted system).
Untested
Internal storage
eMMC, SD cards, UFS...
Works
SD card
Also includes other external storage cards.
Works
Battery
Whether charging and battery level reporting work.
Partial
Screen
Whether the display works; ideally with sleep mode and brightness control.
Partial
Touchscreen
Works
Multimedia
3D Acceleration
Untested
Audio
Audio playback, microphone, headset and buttons.
Broken
Camera
Broken
Connectivity
WiFi
Works
Bluetooth
Broken
GPS
Broken
Modem
Calls
Untested
SMS
Untested
Mobile data
Untested
Miscellaneous
FDE
Full disk encryption and unlocking with unl0kr.
Untested
USB OTG
USB On-The-Go or USB-C Role switching.
Works
Sensors
Accelerometer
Handles automatic screen rotation in many interfaces.
Untested
Note If you have ever installed, or if your device shipped with, stock firmware newer than T290XXU3CVG3, you cannot use custom firmware as Samsung locked the bootloader down.

Contributors

  • Irihapeti
  • Oatm22

Users owning this device

  • AlinTriesPorting (Notes: Botched repair job, name keeps being edited (why?))
  • ByteXD23!
  • Dusky (Notes: LineageOS 12)
  • Irihapeti
  • Lifehackerhansol (Notes: Official LineageOS maintainer)
  • Mirko (Notes: Cracked screen, overheats daily and i dont really use it anymore)
  • TurkLine (Notes: I have three of these devices and I'm trying to run postmarketOS on them.)
  • Zephyr1112 (Notes: LCD destroyed, disassembled)

Known problems with this port

  • On LightDM, the desktop won't work until you disable logind-check-graphical in /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf. (see Display manager#CanGraphical_issue)
  • Battery capacity doesn't update.
  • Device now kernel panics when connected to USB. Likely related to USB networking.
  • Networks are detected but nmcli and nmtui say "Secrets were required, but not provided" if you try connecting to an encrypted Wi-Fi via terminal even with the correct password. Can be a kernel issue or service issue.
  • SD card has to be mounted manually via terminal.
  • On the edge version, LXQt shows a black screen after boot.

Download mode

  • Turn off the device.
  • Plug in a USB A to Micro-USB Data cable from a PC to the tablet while holding down both volume up and down buttons, releasing the buttons when the screen turns on.
  • Press the volume up button to start flash if you get the confirmation screen. If not, reboot and try again.

Volume up is located right under the power button.

Installation

Note You can replace mmcblk0p69 with mmcblk0p63 to flash to your system partition instead and keep your Android data, and return to Android from a system partition backup later. Beware that you risk your data partition becoming irrecoverably corrupted by anything running in pmOS if you do this (Has happened with KDE Plasma).


Run pmbootstrap install, then pmbootstrap export.
Transfer the exported files to the device using your preferred method. (e.g. microSD, USB OTG, adb push)

Start TWRP and do the following

  • Wipe System and Data partitions.
  • Flash boot.img to Boot.
  • Go to Advanced > Terminal and run dd if=samsung-gtowifi.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p69 and be patient. Make sure you adapt the input file to wherever you copied it to.
  • Reboot. TWRP may give an OS undetected warning, which can be ignored.

/dev/block/mmcblk0p69 (data) and /dev/block/mmcblk0p63 (system) are the only partitions this will work in. You may brick your device if you enter the wrong partition.

Hardware photos

UART TX Pin 1.8V Warning!: Touch GND to any metal plate on the board; this should work. I do not recommend doing what is shown in the photo.

See also