Update the Ulefone Metal Kernel for possible new units.

[Sinrequilorios]

Good morning (or good night) friends. I am writing this message to ask you to update the Ulefone Metal kernel.

What happens next, it seems that there are new lots of mobile with slight changes in the hardware (if so and you should know).

How did I come to this conclusion?

After doing some tests with my mobile, which were the following:

-I tried to install the initial stock roms, the date "20160912" and previous dates, none works, all are left with the black screen on (yes, the screen comes on and flashes) and not even the logo Of "Ulefone". The stock roms "20161024" and "20161117" work without problem.

Entering a little more on the side of custom roms, custom kernels and custom recovery:

• At the time of flashing any recovery: it installs correctly, but, when you try to start (being in the menu after pressing Volume Up + On) the mobile simply reboots. The only custom recovery that works is the TWRP provided by the user "hanuma50" in the needrom website. But this last one has some modifications that do not allow to install some roms.

-Using the TWRP of "hanuma50": The rom Eragon provided by the user "skeleton1911" (based on the official firmware "20161024") installs correctly and works without problems.

-The DarkSense Kernel provided by user "Johnny" does not work (as well as the recovery provided by that user as I mentioned), the mobile simply goes into an infinite loop at startup (which does not allow you to start and reboot every time in the Logo of "Ulefone"), this happens in the official firmware and also in the rom Eragon.

These tests led me to conclude that my Ulefone Metal unit has some hardware changes, and therefore I would like to update the kernel to extend the compatibility to this hardware.

I hope my message is not ignored and the problem can be solved, thank you very much in advance.

[Sinrequilorios]

Another curious fact, was in the Eragon rom (based on the firmware Stock "20161024") and you could see a gray line on the screen, mainly in black tones. I went back to the last stock firmware available and the problem was solved. So yes, the problem seems to be on the screen. My unit bought it geekbuying (to whom it may interest).

[Sinrequilorios]

Curiously in the stock rom "20161117" I have had no problems with sensitivity. Well, at least I have not detected them so far (honestly I do not understand the kind of problems they have been reporting, but my touch works correctly, or as expected). I have read several comments from other users who have updated to the latest version and have not experienced any problems with the touch (but the vast majority did have it), so I do not know if it is because we have not detected the problem because We had little time with the mobile. (And we have not been able to test very old versions of the firmware) or simply that it is a revision of the model (I have been inclining by this option).

To add, my phone came to my hands with the latest firmware (20161117), I do not know if it was updated from the store that sold it (Geekbuying) or simply left the factory with that version.

[Sinrequilorios]

I have communicated with you by email from December through email, I was informed that they were working on it and that they hoped to have an early solution. We are almost in February and there is still no solution, the Chinese New Year will come and it will diffuse things.

[hargut]

It would be really helpful for all users which have bought their phone at a later point to have the kernel sources updated that "newer" phones will boot as well.

I can confirm the above described points as I also failed to get a non-stock rom running on the devices. It seems that the kernel used in the non-stock versions fails during boot, and ends up in an infinite reboot loop.

Please be so kind and provide information on the changes, or if required updated kernel sources / kernel configuration.

Many thanks in advance.

Harald Gutmann