How to install a Custom ROMs on most Android Phones
I have noticed how many people on tek syndicate are still using the stock bloated rom that came with there phone. Using a custom rom is a much more enjoyable experience than stock and it can expand the lifespan of your phone. Usually updates for a phone stop around 18 months after the phone has been released. If you have an older device this could mean unpatched security bugs and a general feeling of having an outdated device even though it is capable of running the latest version of android.
Before we get started here are the risks involved in installing a custom rom:
Risk:
Chance of Soft Brick
Chance of Hard Brick
Voided warranty (If you restore it to stock the warranty is void again)
Loss of hair over broken device
Data loss
Here is a great video of bricking devices:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_PvIMuwfLM
If you do anything to your phone using this guide:
/*
* Your warranty is now void.
*
* I am not responsible for bricked devices, dead SD cards,
* thermonuclear war, or you getting fired because the alarm app failed. Please
* do some research if you have any concerns about features included in this ROM
* before flashing it! YOU are choosing to make these modifications, and if
* you point the finger at me for messing up your device, I will laugh at you.
*/
To install a custom rom you need to do a few things:
Unlock your bootloader
Install a custom recovery
Backup the stock rom
Install a custom rom
All devices are different but I will go over most popular phones, I will start with the easiest phones and work my way to the hardest.
Easiest Devices:
OnePlus One
All Nexus devices
Unlocked HTC devices
Unlocked Sony Devices
Since I own a OnePlus One and I know many other forum members do I will start on this device.
OnePlus One:
Noob Method:
Since the oneplus one is so easy to flash custom roms to XDA member manudroid19 made a tool kit program that can do all of this with a single button click!
Steps:
Turn off phone and start it up again by holding down volume down and power (You should see fastboot on the phone screen of you did this correctly)
Open the program in administrative mode (You need java to run the program)
Click unlock bootloader with method one (Note: this will erase all data so backup first!)
Once you rebooted you need to do two things:
USB Debugging - On your phone go to Settings > About phone > Tap on Build number 7 times. This will enable Developer options. Now go back to Settings > Developer options > Enable USB debugging
Disable CM Recovery Protection - On your phone go to Settings > Developer options. Then disable the 'Update recovery with system updates' option.
Repeat steps one and two
Click root
Click flash a recovery (I highly recommend TWRP recovery but you can flash another recovery like CWM)
Click boot a recovery
Make a backup
Reboot phone
Download any custom rom, gapps or kernel you want
Reboot to recovery (Volume down and power)
Hit wipe and slide to factory reset (Won’t remove your data)
Hit install
Install in this order: 1. Rom 2. Kernel 3. Gapps 4. Super SU
Reboot
- Enjoy the new rom!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMkG29a5a1o#t=13
If you like written instructions XDA Member xBeerdroiDx made a writen guide and thats the general bases of this guide.
Normal Method:
Download the full Android SDK (Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Download for other platforms then SDK Tools Only)
Run the program and install only
- Tools > Android SDK Tools, Android SDK Platform-tools
- Extras > Android Support Library, Google USB Driver
Open a CMD windows at type
Code:
cd Desktop/android-sdk-windows/platform-tools
adb version
If it returned "Android Debug Bridge version x.x.xx" you installed it correctly
On the phone:
- Go into Settings
- Under About Phone, you'll be able to locate your Build Number
- Tap Build Number until you are notified that you have activated Developer options
- Go into Developer Options, ensure it is enabled and check the Enable OEM Unlock box
- While in Developer Options, ensure the USB Debugging box is checked
Turn off the phone and restart it with volume down and power
Plug phone into computer and open a cmd window
Code:
cd Desktop/android-sdk-windows/platform-tools
fastboot oem unlock (Will wipe all user data on the phone, BACK UP FIRST)
fastboot reboot
Wait for the phone to do its thing when rebooting once it boots back up turn it off and turn it back on and download any rom you want with gapps and super su. Then turn it off and then on again with volume down and power
Open a in cmd window
cd Desktop/android-sdk-windows/platform-tools
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img (Download me HERE and rename me to recovery.img and place me in Desktop/android-sdk-windows/platform-tools)
- On the phone, use the volume buttons to scroll onto "Restart Bootloader" and hit power to select it. After it reloads use the volume buttons to scroll onto "Recovery Mode" and power to select it.
Hit wipe and slide to factory reset (Won’t remove your data)
Hit install
Install in this order: 1. Rom 2. Kernel 3. Gapps 4. Super SU
Reboot
- Enjoy the new rom!