Dynamic partitions?

[hacker1024]

Dynamic partitions, introduced on devices launching with Android 10, seem perfect for a dual-boot solution. This has already been partially implemented in AOSP with the related DSU functionality.

Could we build a new dual-boot solution on top of these features? I'm starting this thread here as it seems like a good place to find people to collaborate with.

I'm not too familiar with DBP and dynamic partitions, but I'm learning as I use my first device with this new feature. I plan to look into this idea later on as I learn more. Does anyone more experienced have anything to say? Are there any immediate problems with this idea?

[chenxiaolong]

I think using dm-linear volumes on the super partition (what DSU does) is a great way to implement dual-boot, though I don't think using DualBootPatcher as a base for that functionality is a good idea. Due to it no longer being maintained, it's very far behind with changes that have been made in AOSP since Android 8.0.

Off the top of my head, there are several things that would be needed for DBP to work at all on newer devices:

• Support for boot image header versions 2 through 4
• Support for the vendor boot image
• Support for vbmeta images
• Support for vendor partitions
• Support for file-based encryption in /data. I haven't looked enough at how AOSP handles key management for fscrypt, so I'm not sure if it's even possible for multiple ROMs to share /data the way DBP did.
• Support for the DRM (direct rendering manager) APIs in the boot UI. Most newer devices don't support fbdev (/dev/graphics/fb0) anymore.

If someone is interested in this, I think a better approach might be to build something on top of (or replacing) AOSP's gsid. I think that would be a very cool implementation, though I probably won't do it myself since I don't have much interest in dual booting anymore.

[gaochuntie]

Maybe we can have a try on partition clone.
It means we can have another super partition.And hide the previous one.And also do the same with the firmware partitions.But I have failed in cloning formware partition with crashing into 9008.But! The super works fine!!!!!!!I have already make it all possible even perfect with only two shortcomings.1 no password support (very traditional bugs),2 more disk place covered.The approach has already been taken in some Chinese developers since 3 years ago.Until now ,it's still in hot.A developer called rannki has supported almost all new devices and old ones from android 5-1(13).There is him page
http://www.coolapk.com/u/1294855

(Sorry He is lack in English )