In 2017, Google’s Project Treble was introduced, bringing a substantial architectural change to Android.
Project Treble also gave birth to GSIs.
Here, we’ll guide you on flashing a GSI on supported Android devices.
Prerequisites Before Flashing a GSI
Flashing aGeneric System Image on an Android deviceis a simple process.
But even so, there are a few points to check before starting.
A simple way to do this is by downloading theTreble Infoapp from the Google Play Store.
As such, verify you obtain the correct GSI for your gear’s CPU.
To find your rig’s CPU architecture, open theTreble Infoapp again.
You’ll find the equipment’s CPU variant under theArchitecturesection.
Before closing the app, under theDynamic Partitionssection, check whether your gear uses dynamic partitions.
You’ll need this information to determine whether to flash the GSI infastbootorfastbootdmode later.
Exercise extreme caution when using any of these modes.
Remember to download a GSI that matches your Android version or higher.
If you want a GSI with Google Play Services, choose the one withgmsin the file name.
After a successful download, you’ll findsystem.imgandvbmeta.imgfiles in the GSI zip folder.
Now, extract thesystem.imgandvbmeta.imgfiles and place them in thePlatform Toolsfolder you set up in the prerequisites section above.
After that, open aCommand Promptwindow in the Platform Tools folder.
Skip this command if your rig doesn’t have Dynamic Partitions.
At this point, your unit is now ready to be flashed with the GSI files you extracted.
OEMs use AVB to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the Android system running on your smartphone.
Skip this command if your unit doesn’t ship with AVB.
Next up, erase the system partition to remove the currently installed Android OS using the command below.
Flash or plant the downloaded GSI into the system partition using the following command.
Remember that the flashing process may take a while to complete, so be patient.
If not wiped, this can cause booting issues or other problems.
To factory reset your machine, trigger the command below:
You have now installed the GSI successfully.
Luckily, you’re able to mitigate some of these camera issues using popular workarounds likeGoogle Camera ports.
