Porting a custom recovery (like TWRP or OrangeFox) is essential for installing custom ROMs, formatting partitions, and debugging bootloops.
This guide covers how to port a recovery from a similar device and make it boot on yours.
Use AIK to unpack both: ```bash ./unpackimg.sh recovery.img
Compare:
ramdisk contents (init.rc, sbin, default.prop, etc.)
Kernel and DTB/DTBO if needed
🔧 Step 2: Replace Ramdisk (If Needed)
You can try:
Using stock kernel + TWRP ramdisk
OR using TWRP kernel + stock ramdisk (rare)
Most stable method:
Use your stock kernel with ported recovery’s ramdisk
📋 Step 3: Patch default.prop
Inside the ramdisk, check default.prop:
ro.debuggable=1 ro.secure=0
Change values to match your base system if needed.
⚙️ Step 4: Fix fstab and Partition Paths
Edit:
/ramdisk/etc/recovery.fstab
Make sure partition names match your device (e.g., system, vendor, product, userdata).
Use your stock fstab as a reference — it’s usually found in:
vendor/etc/fstab.*
🧪 Step 5: Test Boot
Repack recovery using AIK:
./repackimg.sh
Flash with:
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img fastboot boot recovery.img
OR use adb sideload or Odin if using Samsung devices.
🛠 Common Issues & Fixes
Issue Fix
Bootloop Wrong kernel or broken ramdisk Touch not working Kernel DTB mismatch or missing drivers Internal storage missing Wrong fstab or selinux labels Red error logs Check recovery.log in /tmp/ or via ADB
📺 Recommended Videos
▶️ Port TWRP for any Android device ▶️ Advanced Recovery Porting
✅ Summary
Use stock kernel + donor ramdisk for best chance of success
Always match partition paths in fstab
Compare and debug with adb logcat or recovery.log
🔐 A good recovery is your fail-safe. Always test thoroughly before sharing publicly.