Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 (samsung-skomer)
![]() Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 GT-S7710 | |
Manufacturer | Samsung |
---|---|
Name | Galaxy Xcover 2 |
Codename | samsung-skomer |
Model | GT-S7710 |
Released | 2013 |
Type | handset |
Hardware | |
Chipset | ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500 |
CPU | 2x 1 GHz Cortex-A9 |
GPU | Mali-400 MP1 |
Display | 480x800 TFT |
Storage | 4 GB EMMC |
Memory | 1 GB |
Architecture | armv7 |
Software | |
Original software The software and version the device was shipped with. |
Android (TouchWiz) 4.1.2 |
Extended version The most recent supported version from the manufacturer. |
Android (TouchWiz) |
FOSS bootloader | yes |
postmarketOS | |
Category | testing |
Mainline Instead of a Linux kernel fork, it is possible to run (Close to) Mainline. |
yes |
Device package |
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Kernel package |
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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
|
Battery Whether charging and battery level reporting work. |
Works
|
Screen Whether the display works; ideally with sleep mode and brightness control. |
Works
|
Touchscreen |
Works
|
Multimedia | |
3D Acceleration |
Works
|
Audio Audio playback, microphone, headset and buttons. |
Broken
|
Camera |
Broken
|
Camera Flash |
Works
|
Connectivity | |
WiFi |
Works
|
Bluetooth |
Partial
|
GPS |
Broken
|
Modem | |
Calls |
Broken
|
SMS |
Broken
|
Mobile data |
Broken
|
Miscellaneous | |
FDE Full disk encryption and unlocking with unl0kr. |
Broken
|
USB OTG USB On-The-Go or USB-C Role switching. |
Untested
|
Sensors | |
Accelerometer Handles automatic screen rotation in many interfaces. |
Works
|
Magnetometer Sensor to measure the Earth's magnetism |
Works
|
Proximity |
Works
|
Haptics |
Works
|
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. |
Works
|
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. |
Untested
|
USB Host Whether it is possible to boot from a USB storage or connect a keyboard. |
Works
|
USB Peripheral Whether it is possible to use device as a peripheral in U-Boot, e.g. for fastboot mode. |
Works
|
Display |
Works
|
Buttons Whether it is possible to navigate in boot menu or grub with volume and power buttons. |
Works
|
This device is based on the ST-Ericsson U8500. See the SoC page for common tips, guides and troubleshooting steps |
Contributors
Users owning this device
- Bastindo (Notes: Works)
- Chaosleo07 (Notes: oh god oh fuck i can't find my charger)
- GeraltvonNVIDIA (Notes: Kernel 6.1.0 on Plasma-Mobile)
- Linusw (Notes: Final ST-Ericsson product based on U8500)
- Madhaxbro (Notes: GT-S7710, runs U-Boot + pmOS v25.06. Repartitioned for pmOS. Ready for testing. Fancy and indestructible calculator. GNOME actually works fine on this thing!)
- Newbyte (Notes: I don't know how many I have, I wouldn't strictly mind giving away one if you want to work on improving it)
- Zekiu (Notes: deleted a bunch of partitions 'cause i didn't know you can install on a microSD :P)
Model variants
- GT-S7710 (Global) - Works.
Boot modes
Fastboot (U-Boot) - hold $ fastboot reboot bootloader
on a connected USB host
Recovery (using U-Boot) - hold $ fastboot reboot recovery
on a connected USB host
Recovery (using Samsung bootloader) - hold Home+Volume Up+Power, or (with USB debugging enabled) - execute $ adb reboot recovery
on a connected USB host
DFU (Odin/Download) mode - hold Home+Volume Down+Power, or (with USB debugging enabled) - execute $ adb reboot download
on a connected USB host
Installation
The mainline kernel can only be booted through U-Boot, not directly with the Samsung bootloader. U-Boot is installed as intermediate bootloader on the boot partition, so it does not replace the Samsung bootloader entirely.
Boot into Download Mode and follow the the NovaThor U8500 U-Boot installation instructions to install U-Boot.
Finally, just follow the Installation guide. It should be recommended that you use an external SD Card to install the rootfs to, because the internal storage is pretty small on this device.
Battery
While charging now works with the mainline kernel as of linux-postmarketos-stericsson 5.17-rc1 in postmarketOS, it is good to note that if you somehow end up depleting the battery entirely, you risk bricking your device as it cannot charge if it cannot boot to the kernel, and it cannot boot to the kernel if the battery level is too low as it shuts down before it gets there. This is also the case in Android. If you end up in this situation, you can either get an external charger or a new battery. You can also boot DFU mode when connecting the USB cable as it allows the battery to be charged.
Mainline kernel v5.18
Working:
- Display
- GPU (Mali-400 MP using Lima)
- Touchscreen
- Broadcom WiFi
- Bluetooth (partial; needs to be set up manually)
- Accelerometer
- Magnetometer
- Proximity sensor
- USB
- Battery charging
Not working:
- Audio
- Camera
- GPS
- FDE (keyboard appears and is GPU accelerated with working vibrator, but device hangs a few seconds after unlocking)
- ...
Display
DSI Scaling Error in Phosh
If you are running phosh, and the scaling is wrong so that you cannot type in the password to unlock the initial login screen, this can be fixed by changing this file /usr/share/phosh/phoc.ini
like this:
[output:DSI-1] scale = 1
Wireless connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth does not work. It should be fixable from the command line by executing:
# btmgmt public-addr 53:33:6d:69:6e:69
Instead, it returns this output:
Set Public Address for hci0 failed with status 0x11 (Invalid Index)
This needs further investigation.
Bluetooth does not have any Bluetooth device address (bdaddr or "MAC address") set after boot at the moment. To make Bluetooth work, you need to manually configure one:
# apk add bluez-btmgmt # btmgmt public-addr <bdaddr>
where <bdaddr>
is a MAC address like 53:33:6d:69:6e:69
.
The Bluetooth controller should then show up in bluetoothctl
:
# apk add bluez # rc-service bluetooth start $ bluetoothctl
You can e.g scan for devices:
[bluetooth]# show [bluetooth]# power on [bluetooth]# advertise on [bluetooth]# system-alias skomer [bluetooth]# scan on
GPS
This device has a CSR CSRG05TA03-ICJE-R SirfStarV 5t GPS chip. It has been added to the device tree but no userspace tests have been successful.
Sensors
Compass/Magnetometer
- The magnetometer is an Alps hscdtd008a
Light/Proximity
- The Skomer has a Sharp gp2ap002s00f proximity sensor which only detects proximity and cannot provide ambient light measurement
Rotation/Accelerometer
- The accelerometer is a Bosch BMA254
Mainlining TODO
- Check functionality on the latest kernel.
- Possibly update this article.
- Fix #Bluetooth. Needs investigation.
- Get #GPS support working. Needs investigation.
- Possibly add more divers/DT nodes. Modem is 3G. Be aware of it.
- Also, look at behavior with weak batteries.
- Upstream as much as possible.
Links
Source code
Specifications