Siyah kernel - Dummies Guide

[ironass]

SIYAH KERNEL ICS/JB for the Samsung Galaxy S2... i9100, i9100M, i9100T & i9100P only and no other variant.

(If you are unsure of the model of your phone, go to Settings > About phone > Model number)

Supports ***Samsung, CM9, MIUI and Boot-to-Gecko (B2G) ROMs with a single kernel image.


Installation instructions (please read carefully and thoroughly)

You will need to be rooted, see here, and have ClockWorkMod, (CWM), installed.

Before doing anything further you should do a nandroid and Titanium backup.

You should also install Root Explorer, or a similar file manager, and use it to navigate to the, "/efs", file in the root directory of the phone and make a copy of this and put it on both your external SD card and PC as its loss or corruption in future could render your phone unusable and require a Samsung repair. Alternatively, you can install GSII Repair, free from the Play Store, to backup and restore your efs file.

These are your, "Get out of jail FREE" cards in case anything goes wrong, now or in the future.

Download the .zip version of the Siyah kernel* and Hawker's, GS2KernelWiper and place them on your external SD card, safest place, (if you downloaded them using your phone they will be in... "/sdcard/Download"), and then go into CWM Recovery and select, "install zip from sdcard", followed by, "choose .zip from sdcard", and then navigate down the menu until you get to "GS2KernelWiper" and install it. It is a small script that wipes any crud from your previous kernel and takes about 2 seconds to complete. You then navigate to "Siyah-(kernel version you wish to install)", and install it and then reboot your phone.

After installation of the latest Siyah kernels, you will find an app called STweaks, (not on beta releases, needs to be downloaded from the Play Store), installed that will allow further customisation of the kernel. For some suggested settings for STweaks on the Siyah v6.0b4 and Siyah 6.0b5, see post #2.


Siyah kernel downloads. (Be careful... Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3 downloads are mixed together.) *Siyah v5.? is for ICS and v6.? is for JB.

Hawker's GS2KernelWiper thread and download.

This video may help to show you what to expect.

What is a Android Kernel and how to flash one? [SiyahKernel] - YouTube


***The Siyah (v5.x) ICS kernel and (v6.?) for JB are NOT compatible with Gingerbread (2.3.X), ROM's.

For Siyah Gingerbread kernel, see here.


(Whilst I have taken every care in compiling this guide, I cannot be held responsible for any damage that may occur through its use and the decision to use this guide lies with you, the owner. This guide is written solely for, and on behalf of, Android Forums and may not be reproduced, in part or whole, without permission)

ironass motto... "Flash in haste... repent at leisure"

 

[ironass]

If, like me, you want to give the basic Siyah 6.0beta4 or Siyah 6.0beta5 a go on JB but find it lacks Profiles, (Profiles in Recovery are disabled in these beta versions), in the STweaks app, then here are some quick settings that you can configure...

DEFAULT

Basically this is the setting that the kernels come with and is, by-and-large, the stock settings that will give you a balance between battery and performance. As they stand, they are an improvement on the stock, Samsung, kernel IMHO.

You may want to enable BLN, (Back Light Notificaion) or increase sound in Sound on STweaks.

PERFORMANCE

CPU

DEFAULT CPU GOVERNOR = ondemand

CPU MAX FREQUENCY = 1300 MHz

CPU MIN FREQUENCY = 200MHz

MISC

DEFAULT I/O SCHEDULER = sio or vr

(Do not enable JB Power Saving in JB Settings)


BATTERY

CPU

CPU UNDERVOLTING = -50mV (If you encounter problems, revert to no u/v)

DEFAULT CPU GOVERNOR = conservative or ondemand

CPU MAX FREQUENCY = 800MHz

CPU MIN FREQUENCY = 200MHz

MISC

DEFAULT I/O SCHEDULER = row

(Do enable JB Power Saving in JB Settings)


ALL CONFIGURATIONS

I uncheck in CPU, GENTLE_FAIR_SLEEPERS

DO NOT, in CPU_UV check, "Set on boot", until you are confident with your settings.

The above are just basic settings for each state that you can adjust to suit your needs accordingly. Proceed with care.

 

[Kie]

Great work ironass! A nice, fresh start to Siyah! It's good to be looking forward to new Siyah releases again

I've installed beta 4 on AndyX ROM v7.0 (still can't download 7.1 grr). So far it's working well and it's infinitely better than the alpha versions.

Edit: Since the beta stage, I can finally use 200-800MHz setting, which is awesome! BUT, a strange thing is happening with this beta: My touchkey lights are always on when the screen is on. I always set the setting to 'Always Off' and right now it's set to that, but my lights are on! Turning them 'On' then 'Off' again turns them actually off, but when it goes to sleep and i turn the display back on, there they are! It's only happened since I switched from Siyah alpha to beta! Freaky deeky!

 

[vince1]

Right I have voltage control (set to 200 - 800) and Lulzactive.
What else do change to get the best battery?
Would have a look in XDA but their threads are always a mess (only 2 days and 50 pages WTF).

Running Wanamlite 9.6 with Siyah 3.0 Beta 4

 

[ironass]

Right I have voltage control (set to 200 - 800) and Lulzactive.
What else do change to get the best battery?
Would have a look in XDA but their threads are always a mess (only 2 days and 50 pages WTF).

Running Wanamlite 9.6 with Siyah 3.0 Beta 4

Siyah v3 should also be used in conjunction with ExTweaks, free from the Play Shop, see here:-

https://play.google.com/store/apps/...SwxLDEsImNvbS5kYXJla3hhbi5leHR3ZWFrcy5hcHAiXQ..

There is an xda site devoted to ExTweaks, (only 7 pages currently), here:-

[APP - public beta]ExTweaks - xda-developers

However, as this is a new beta release and you are relating it to a specific firmware, you will need to use trial and error on your settings as they will be personal to your handset, CPU, app's and usage.

Hope this helps.

 

[Kie]

Siyah v3 beta5 changelog:

- fixed GPU overclocking/undervolting problems
- removed brightness curve (line actually) temporarily. all brightness&screen settings are stock now
- some extweaks fixes (i/o schedulers added, some descriptions modified)
- possible fix for kernel panic on cm9 roms.
- compiled with linaro toolchain 4.5-2012.03
- CIFS

Edit: Good morning gents! Siyah 3 beta5 is now out

 

[ironass]

Siyah kernel v3.0 beta 5 is up!











Ninja'd! Just noticed Kie's edit in the his post above.

 

[Hawker]

Is it any good butty?

 

[ironass]

Is it any good butty?

How would I know old stick?

It is a, "beta", release... so, work in progress.

I'm happily using Siyah v2.6.14 on Gingerbread's CheckROM v6.

 

[Hawker]

Hence my tongue poke.
Keep up old boy!

 

[steslatt]

Its better than stock kernel. I still have bluetooth problems but im not sure if thats kernel or firmware related.

 

[matttye]

Its better than stock kernel. I still have bluetooth problems but im not sure if thats kernel or firmware related.

What problem do you have? My Bluetooth headset can answer calls but not make them, and I'm not sure if there's any way of fixing it. Looking for an answer.

 

[Shotgun84]

Hence my tongue poke.
Keep up old boy!

Hawker giving ironass a tongue poke? Enough said about that one

 

[Hawker]

Hawker giving ironass a tongue poke? Enough said about that one

You would be surprised the things ironass is partial to after a hard day chasing cheese down a hill butty!

 

[steslatt]

What problem do you have? My Bluetooth headset can answer calls but not make them, and I'm not sure if there's any way of fixing it. Looking for an answer.

I have a bluetooth car stereo and after a while of being connected my phone just reboots itself. It doesnt happen straight away, maybe after 15-20 mins or so. Its done the same on all ICS roms i've tried, LPQ, LPH, LP7. Makes and receives calls fine when its not rebooting though.

 

[hippityhop]

Can beta5 be installed to Andyxrom 7.1? Just wanted to makes sure as gokhan's website says that it's for stock roms only.

 

[Shotgun84]

Can beta5 be installed to Andyxrom 7.1? Just wanted to makes sure as gokhan's website says that it's for stock roms only.

I haven't tried it personally but others have said it works fine.

 

[matttye]

I have a bluetooth car stereo and after a while of being connected my phone just reboots itself. It doesnt happen straight away, maybe after 15-20 mins or so. Its done the same on all ICS roms i've tried, LPQ, LPH, LP7. Makes and receives calls fine when its not rebooting though.

I should be more specific, my phone will make calls over Bluetooth but I have to use the screen to do it. When I press the call button on my hands free kit nothing happens (on stock samsung rom it opened vlingo), but when I press the same button when I'm being rang, it answers the call.

 

[Kie]

I haven't tried it personally but others have said it works fine.

Indeed it does my good mate!

In other news:

Siyah v3 beta 6 changelog:

- removed some tweaks to have better performance (sounds weird? yes, it does)
- rebooting into download mode with cm9 phone options menu (holding the power button) is now working (yes, I am on CM9 now)
- J4FS
-

 

[ironass]

Siyah v3.0 beta 6 is up!

SiyahKernel for SGS2 | "One kernel to rule them all"

"Changelog:

removed some tweaks to have better performance (sounds weird? yes, it does)
rebooting into download mode with cm9 phone options menu (holding the power button) is now working (yes, I am on CM9 now)
“Reset customconfig profiles” in CWM recovery “advanced” menu.
XZ compression
fixed MTP problem in CyanogenMod. (Thanks to codeworkx. Although I didn’t do exactly what he suggested his suggestion made this possible). I hope I didn’t break Samsung part
RWSEM_XCHGADD_ALGORITHM
fixed adb in recovery mode
optimized CRC algorithm
CONFIG_TINY_SHMEM
removed powersave and userspace governors
enabled IKCONFIG"

 

[yisao]

Hey guys... the kernels of Gokhammoral are the best!... someone also had troubles with Zombies vs. Plants on ICS? (I

 

[ironass]

Siyah kernel v3.0 beta7 is up!

"Changelog:

LZO compression for faster booting
SLQB
Charge current interface (thanks to Entropy512). You can now use currentwidget to see how fast your devices is being charged.
Tegrak

 

[abhishek021196]

People, I AM IN DEEP SHIT. PLEASE HELP ME. PLEASE.

I flashed the SiyahKernel v3.0beta7 on my Samsung Galaxy S II [international] running Cyanogenmod 7.1 [gingerbread]. I know.. What a stupid stupid mistake.

My phone is not switching on now. It just reaches the screen with the yellow triangle and then it turns off.

PLEASE HELP ME. PLEASE.
Thanks in advance,
Abhishek.

 

[Hawker]

If you can get into upload mode (VOL-UP+HOME+POWER), flash a GB kernel via CWM
If not, if you can get into download mode (VOL-DOWN+HOME+POWER), flash a GB kernel via Odin
If you cant get into either then you will need to find a good paddle.

 

[Shotgun84]

Welcome to the forum Abhishek and thanks for joining.

Yeah it should be easy enough to sort out. If its like the other guy I helped out, recovery mode won't work so just flash a GB cfroot or siyah kernel with Odin.

Edit: actually don't use a cfroot kernel, use a siyah one. Cfroot won't work on cm7.