Forum Thread: [ROM][SM-T705][Fenris]

.... Background

The rom is built for Lucky patcher, Xposed and general exterior and interior hacking duties, in fact they are actualy built in.

Furthermore it is the fastest ( Antutu Benchmarks ) and smoothest T705 Custom rom out there, being totally devoid of crapware.

On this rom we have conqured GAPPS, beaten Samsung, and given the MAN the finger.

.... What ?
This is a rom i put together as a daily driver. But which has slowly grown into a project.

Android Version …. 6.01
Base…. https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-tabs/SM-T705/TGY/download/T705ZHU1CQB1/124107/
Build Date …. Mon, 13 Feb 2017 06:03:11 +0000
Modem…. T705ZHU1CQB1
Features ....
Stripped to the bone of Samsung crapware
AOSP Launcher 3
Hackers Keyboard ( English dictionary ) ( Samsung keyboard had a bug )
Floating window and multiwindow
Supersu preinstalled into /system
Xposed preinstalled into /system
BusyBox preinstalled
Huge number of Android naitive compiled binaries ( Bash nano and many more )
Preinstalled and working Mgapps ( open source gapps alternative )
Preinstalled , and pre-researched Xposed modules, System tools.
Custom kernel, selinux permissive, Samsung configs removed.
Old style installer, make system changes easily without having to extract images

.... Why ?

I am a lifelong AOSP user ( in various incarnations CM, Vanir,AICP etc on various devices ) and would normally be using Vanir on this device, but the fingerprint and text situation of CM13 has finally stopped me ( when I realised I actually liked having a fingerprint sensor ).

Firmly stuck with a TouchWizz ( TW ) base I resolved to strip the stock image down to the very bone, in an effort to somehow mimic the streamlined performance of Vanir.

My interests include Pentesting and Linux in general, so this Rom had to be compatible with both

.... Design

There is always a trade-off in any system between functionality and resource usage ( in this case ram and cpu cycles ), i am firmly on the resource side .

I believe the function of an OS is to better facilitate the running of programs , NOT to replace the programs with OS native attempts at the same.

Given that this ROM is all about minimising cpu and ram usage , while at the same time keeping core functionality ( at this point have to admit i kept a few processes that have nothing to do with core functions , i just found then extremely cool ).

The target was to approach the cpu/ram usage of a similar cm13 build, i feel that has been achieved, Fenris runs with approx 30-40% greater resource usage ( than a cm13 build ). I think it would be very difficult if not impossible to get any nearer to AOSP/CM performance , and keep the cool stuff.

.... Keeping processes in check. ( or ) Fu*ckin GAPPS

There is little point in all this optimisation effort on the OS if along comes a badly written program to ruin the whole show, normally this is in the hands of the user , but when it comes to gapps its not in the hands of the user..

Google play services can be considered a system component, the APIs it presents, are required for quite a few of the apps i like. And as such its resource usage must be considered ..

GMS started off ( around v4..xxx to 5..xxx when i started tracking it ) with heavy but acceptable resource usage, it was also to a degree customisable by disabling services and receivers.

By v11..xxxx it had grown by about 50% both in ram and cpu usage. So what to do ?
https://microg.org is the answer in this case

And is fully implemented into Fenris, more importantly it works at a tiny fraction of the resorce usage of GMS and associated components.

Its such a vital project that i would ask anyone using Fenris for their own benefit to donate or contribute to https://microg.org

.... Linux

I use linux a lot and always like to have a bash terminal handy, so I imported bash from Vanir CM13 build, nano also from the same, SSH plus a bag of others ( thanks nanomod ) All are native and work within the android directory hierarchy.

.... NetHunter
There is a nethunter addon available, giving full nethunter capabilities

.... User pre install configuration

Fenris is packaged oldschool style , and is totally open for a user to modify as required without having to extract and repack a sparse image,

Just open up the archive and modify the contents of the system directory as required, the installer script will cope with additions and deletions for the most part.

.... Included Patches

Fenris includes licence verification =1 patch, Modded playstore and Fake signiture patch AS STANDARD, ie built in. In simple terms this means any paid application installed into Fenris will just work, all licencing being pre patched.

You only need to run lucky patcher for in app purchases, or to tackle those really resistant apk's

.... Install

.... ROM download link

https://mega.nz/#!RoZmBSwB!A0kKD9eVMDhM_HFQXbHJRyXyPhD1uZvcUFvf9gBc7SY

Prerequisites....
a) The most recent TWRP recovery..
b) A recent marshmellow bootloader and radio.. ( T705ZHU1CQB1 for maximum compatibility)
c) Working wifi connection

Flashing
IMPORTANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fenris does not format within the script, I have noticed instabilities when format is called from the EDDIFY script, it is FAR safer and better to format the system partition from within TWRP.

In TWRP
Wipe>Advanced Wipe>Format System,Data,Cache
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a) Full TWRP wipe
b) Flash Fenris v0.xx
c) Wipe both caches
d) reboot into system

.... post install

a) The setup is very sparse, with no goolgle login, you need to login after, ie when booted into system

b) Enable Micro g

c) Reboot

d) Log into google

e) Reboot

f) Setup playstore, disable auto update of apps

c) Goto XPOSED>MODULES and enable all the preloaded modules reboot

f) Goto APPSETTINGS>CAMERA set dpi to 320

App Settings is a memory hog ( about 40 meg ) but is essential since Samsung camera will only run at 320 dpi, and Fenris runs at 300 dpi native.

So we need to set Samsung Camera to 320 dpi.

While you are here adjust other apps to something suitable, the samsung interface is very chunky, turn offending apps up to 280 or even 240.

adjust any permissions, generally get stuck in. Reboot often.

g) Install your normal app load, run everything make sure everything works, if not post here and i will do my best. Configure everything to your liking..

.... Optional post install

a) Further reduce ram usage, turn of anything that offends you with MAT.
This is an entire essay by itself which i will not cover here

b) Firefds Kit ... was designed for a samsung phone, but by some chance most of the functions work
I use remove sfinder bar, extended reboot menu and most other options without issue

c) Aptoide ... where you get all your safe paid APK's , be sure to share if you take !!

.... Bugs
No bugs that i have found yet

Finish.

Credits
XDA, as the source for a lot of this work