The operating system for Droid4X is based on Android 4.2.2 which you can use for almost any app from the immense Android catalogue. This operating system is one of the most widely used operating systems out there, which is why it is familiar to almost all users. The Droid 4 doesn't have an unlockable bootloader, so rooting the device requires an exploit. The easiest exploit is called 'Saferoot', which was originally intended for Samsung devices, but also works for many others, including the Droid 4. You can find a saferoot.zip file in this XDA-Developers thread.
| Motorola Droid 4 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Motorola |
| Codename | Maserati |
| Dimensions | 127x67.3x12.7mm |
| Release Date | 2012-02-10 |
| Specifications | |
| SoC | TI OMAP4430 |
| DRAM | 1024MB DDR2 |
| Features | |
| LCD | 960x540 4' |
| Video | PowerVR SGX540 |
| Storage | 16GB flash |
| Sensors | AK8975 compass, LIS3DH accelerometer, ISL29030 proximity and illuminance, TMP105 temperature sensor |
- 6Stuff to try
Status
| Feature | Leste supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kernel version | 5.8.0 | Mainline + some patches not yet in mainline - see https://github.com/maemo-leste/droid4-linux |
| Serial | Yes | On MicroUSB port, requires special cable |
| Charging | Yes | |
| Wireless | Yes | |
| Ethernet | N/A | |
| Micro USB | Yes | OTG and USB network |
| Keyboard | Yes | Slightly modified keyboard layout, see https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-omap/msg135137.html (TLDR; Shift key produces CTRL, SYM produces ALT, and Caps lock produces SHIFT) |
| Screen | Yes | |
| 3D Acceleration | Yes | PowerVR SGX540 (closed driver) - https://github.com/maemo-leste/pvr-omap4/ |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Capacitive |
| Audio | Yes | Switch around in alsamixer to get the right outputs working ('Speaker Right' set to 'HiFi' and 'HiFi' set to above 0 gets you output) |
| 2G/3G data | Yes | Works with ofono, no UI yet - see https://github.com/maemo-leste/connui-cellular/ |
| SMS | Yes | Works with ofono. Needs Leste UI |
| Phone calls | Yes | Works with ofono (good call quality, too), needs Leste UI |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Needs firmware - install latest firmware-ti-connectivity - See also https://github.com/maemo-leste/bugtracker/issues/290. Due to interference with WiFi, load driver manually, AFTER wifi module loaded |
| FM Transmitter | No | Apparently exists, and will need serdev kernel modules/drivers |
| FM Receiver | Not yet | |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Available in /sys, and as input device via iio-uinput |
| Compass | Yes | Available in /sys (after loading ak8975 module. No Leste integration applications using it yet) |
| Proximity sensor | WIP | needs mce work |
| Ambient Light Sensor | Yes | |
| Vibration Motor | Yes | |
| HDMI-out | Yes | No UI integration |
| TV-out | N/A | |
| GPS | Yes | Works with gpsd but is not integrated yet, see GPS |
| Infrared | N/A | Missing in hardware |
| Camera | No |
Installation
Hardware requirements:
- Droid4 with fully charged battery
- MicroUSB cable
- MicroSD card
Software requirements:
- Host Linux or Windows system
- Android Tools: fastboot
- Flashing tools:
- XZ Utils and coreutils for Linux
- Etcher[1] for Windows
Download from https://maedevu.maemo.org/images/droid4/
- VRZ_XT894_9.8.2O-72_VZW-18-8_CFC.xml.zip
- flash-droid-4-fw.sh
- Latest maemo-leste-1.0-armhf-droid4-*.img.xz
Download from https://github.com/tmlind/droid4-kexecboot.git
- utags-mmcblk1p13.bin
- droid4-kexecboot.img
Check what kernel version your Android OS runs.For this go to Settings -> About phone. Slide to the bottom, where you can see 'Kernel version'.If you have at least 3.0.8, you may skip 'Updating Android' step below.
Installation:
- Create a working directory with above mentioned files in it
- unzip VRZ_XT894_9.8.2O-72_VZW-18-8_CFC.xml.zip
- Power off Droid4 and connect it to the host machine with MicroUSB cable
- Start the device in fastboot mode. For this press power button and bottom volume key simultaneously and release them after a second.
Updating Android. This will reinstall the Android OS on your device, deleting all user data. Do a backup, if you want to save something. When everything is ready, go to the working directory mentioned above and run:
Now, assuming you are in the working directory, install kexecboot:
If you did 'Updating Android' the device should run the firstboot steps.If you didn't, the device should reboot and show kexecboot menu for a few seconds before it boots to Android.
Now, flash the Maemo Leste image to your sdcard:
On Linux:
On Windows: Use Etcher
Wait for sync to complete and insert MicroSD card into Droid4. Reboot the device and select Maemo Leste from the kexecboot menu.
You should now see Maemo Leste booting up, and it will show you hildon-desktop after a minute.
Updating
Normally you can just apt update && apt dist-upgrade to update to the latest version. If for some reason this fails:
- Poweroff device, grab the SD card
- Backup any important files
- Grab the latest image from https://phoenix.maemo.org/view/Images/
- Write it as before : xzcat maemo-leste-1.0-armhf-droid4-20190227.img.xz | sudo dd status=progress bs=1M of=/dev/MICROSDCARD-DEVICE
Notes
The battery in Droid4 is not easily removable. If you got the device stuck, use this combo: power button + bottom volume key. You should hold them for about 7 seconds. Droid4 will then reboot.
If Maemo is still running, you can also hold just the power button for ~10 seconds, and the device will run poweroff.
Some users reported that Bluetooth kernel module interfere badly with the WiFi driver on their devices.Blacklisting the module may help if you have such problems:
Also see Motorola_Droid_4/ModemMotorola_Droid_4/PowerVR
Also see: http://elektranox.org/droid4/ and http://muru.com/linux/d4/
Serial Cable
As explained at http://muru.com/linux/d4 , the Droid 4 exposes a serial console on the USB port. You can construct the required cable easily by following the instructions there. If you have old Nokia CA-42 or DKU-5 cables, then you can use them with the Droid 4, using instructions at https://jethomson.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/diy-usb-to-serial-cable-for-3usd/
While using the serial cable, if you lose the connection, the following may help:
Stuff to try
Blinkenlights
Adding this in rc.local above the exit 0 gets you some blinkenlights to watschen und relaxen.
Make Audio Automaticaly set up (Temporary Solution)
Adding this in /etc/rc.local above the exit 0 to make audio work from boot.
Wifi
The WL1285C Wifi chip in the droid 4 has no onboard nvmem to save its calibration parameters or its MAC address. Instead it gets these parameters from a configuration file provided by the kernel. By default a generic file is provided but for optimal range and a correct persistent MAC address a calibration procedure must be performed.
Install necessary tools:
Run calibration:
Phone Call
Make sure there is a SIM in the phone.
Run this over SSH:
Audio wise, in alsamixer, make sure echo cancellation is turned on. I had to set Call out to 'speakerphone' and set the right speaker to 'voice' codec, and set volume for both call and voice to something non-zero.
3G Internet
GPS
Droid 4 X For Macbook
22:30 < tmlind> hmm there's a probably kernel gnss bug for gsp access fyi, you can currently only open one connection before you have to restart gpsd :)
Can try toUSSD
Gallery
Droid 4 X For Mac Os