cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/16224989
What OS can I install on a Samsung GT-I8730?
Hi everyone!
I have to use an iPhone for work but I have an old Samsung GT-I8730 lying around.
It’s a really old phone but it seems to work well on its base Android OS, so I would want to experiment a bit with it.
I have experience with Linux distributions on my computers, but I’ve never installed an alternative OS. That’s why I’m looking for advices on what I could install on such an old piece of hardware.
I’ve always been interested in /e/os as I think it would still allow me to use my (swiss) banking apps, but I’d be interested in any distribution which might also make it possible.
If no OS would make such a thing possible, I would just want to know what I could install on this device to experience a bit.
Thanks in advance for your help!
There may be some custom ROM out there. Your best bet is LineageOS. If you can get the device, vendor and kernel tree, you could build it yourself. You’ll be presented with the option to include Gapps.
I have no experience with switching OS on a phone, so sorry if my questions sound dumb.
If I don’t find a custom ROM for this specific model, does it mean I have to give up?
It’s not like Linux which you can put on almost every computer with more or less success?
What do you mean by vendor and kernel tree?
What is Gapps?
If I don’t find a custom ROM for this specific model, does it mean I have to give up?
No. You’re gonna have to build one yourself, but you might brick your software.
It’s not like Linux which you can put on almost every computer with more or less success?
True. Custom ROM involves playing around with recovery, bootloader and ROM images.
What do you mean by vendor and kernel tree?
There are proprietary blobs not released in the open, for a particular device. In such cases you will require device tree, vendor tree and kernel tree. Almost all custom ROM when built from scratch requires these.
What is Gapps?
If you want to use Google apps, you have to flash GApps. In your case, it’s probably not needed.
Well thanks for all your precise answers.
I’m gonna try to get more knowledge by myself as everything sounds really alien to me right now 😅
The bad news is that unless you’re a serious Android tinkerer you’re reliant on someone else building the ROM for you, assuming the manufacturer even made the device open enough to install anything full stop.
I could only see one LineageOS XDA thread and it’s for a pretty old Android version, so even if you could get it working I wouldn’t trust it with any important data as it will still be missing years of security updates.
It’s a real shame that a lot of old devices just become ewaste because they’re too locked down to do anything with.
ARM has been a disaster for e-waste. At least an outdated x86 machine can run modern Linux. You have to pray for your device to have a diehard community if you want anything long lasting thanks to the lack of BIOS.
I had really thought it would just a tiny bit more difficult than installing Linux on a Windows computer, but apparently I’ll have to learn a lot before trying everything. Thanks for your help 👍
Sometimes it’s really simple, like installing GrapheneOS on a Pixel - that’s the only one I’ve done recently and it’s incredibly smooth compared to the old days where you had to run some dodgy software to find a root exploit to even get a custom bootloader. But yeah, you’re at the mercy of the manufacturer even making it modifiable, and that’s before you find a community of enthusiasts who want to tinker with a particular device!
