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Flash OpenABL

Handhelds only

OpenABL is for handhelds. Tablets don't use it, see the Lenovo page.

Warning

This step replaces the device's bootloader. Flashing the ABL for the wrong chip can leave the device unable to start. Use only the folder from the image for the device, and back up the stock ABL first.

Note

Already on OpenABL 1.2 or older? It keeps working, leave it. Newer versions don't start Zaviya's boot images, so flash the copy from the image if the device is on one of those.

Steps

  1. Flash the image to a microSD card, see Flash to a microSD card.

  2. Insert the card and boot into Android. Copy the openabl folder from the card's BOOT drive to the top of internal storage, so it is /sdcard/openabl. Do not place it inside Download or another folder. The scripts only look there.

  3. Open the device's root script tool in Android settings.

    Note

    The name depends on the manufacturer. Look for Run script as Root, Root Script or similar, usually in the device's own settings section. These tools don't show what a script prints, so check the results as described below.

  4. Run backup_abl.sh from the openabl folder. It saves the current ABL as abl_a.img and abl_b.img in the same folder. Check that both files are present and not 0 bytes, then copy them to a PC.

  5. Run flash_abl.sh. It writes OpenABL to both ABL slots.

    Warning

    Each image contains the ABL for its own chip only. Never run the scripts from another chip's image.

  6. Restart holding Volume Down to open the menu. Volume moves, Power selects. Set Device model to the device, Boot mode to Linux, then Start.

About OpenABL

OpenABL is a boot menu that is flashed once. At power-on it selects Linux or Android, and Linux can start from the microSD card or from internal storage. Android stays on the device. OpenABL is made by the Open Handheld Collective and is GPL-3.0. Each Zaviya image includes the copy for its chip.

Using the menu

At power-on What happens
Nothing held Starts the selected boot mode
Volume Down Opens the menu
Volume Up Starts Android when the boot mode is Linux

To make Android the default again, set Boot mode to Android.

Restoring the previous ABL

Put abl_a.img and abl_b.img back in /sdcard/openabl and run restore_backup_abl.sh. It writes the backup back to both slots.