We create android firmware from scrap materials. Self-made firmware for Android

Let's start with what the phone firmware means. This concept means operating system mobile device. A software package consists of the operating system kernel and drivers, also known as hardware. They are responsible for the functioning of the elements of the device. The phrase “flash phone” is understood as the process of installing software. Installing software can cause difficulties for novice users. In some cases, a software package is created individually for a specific device model. The flashing may fail due to a lack of knowledge about the procedure algorithms and a lack of information.

The platform is very popular. It is open to the public, which is why many manufacturers of mobile gadgets use it. There are several reasons why you need to reflash Android:

• Malfunctions. None, even the most expensive device, is immune to errors. The new installation of the platform will eliminate any failures not associated with breakdowns of internal and external elements the device itself.
• Upgrade. Platform developers often release new software versions. The system receives new features and interface updates. The update will allow better use of the hardware capabilities of the device.
• Inconvenient software from the manufacturer of the gadget. Some brands install their own developments in the units. They can be uncomfortable. Pure Android firmware is not overwhelmed with features and marketing gimmicks. The user is guaranteed continuity, performance and automatic update applications.

Preparatory activities

Reinstallation of the platform requires care and strict adherence to technology. If a mistake is made, you will have at your disposal a useless piece of microcircuits in a plastic case.

Before flashing, you need to prepare. Be sure to charge your gadget to 100%.

Before reflashing your phone, you need to take into account the current android version, volume random access memory (perhaps a newer version of Android will slow down if RAM is low) and the phone model. In the settings menu, you need to find the full name of the device and the modification of the current software. It is advisable to write them down to the last character.

Before starting the procedure, you need to perform Backup. This term means backing up data for the possibility of rolling back to its original state if something went wrong during the firmware. It's not hard to do.

The device must be turned off before formatting and backing up. After reformatting, the boot files will start downloading to the SD card. When the download is complete, a message will appear on the screen.

Services that can be used before reflashing Android through a computer without involving a specialist:

• Super Backup. The service is convenient and fast. Using the utility, you can back up and restore data. The service offers to buy a premium version. When you use it, ads are disabled. You can also use the free option.
• Helium App Sync Backup. This application is also available in paid and free versions. Basic options such as SMS and call log backup are free. If you want to get your hands on the cloud so that it is more convenient to reinstall Android and get rid of advertising banners, you will have to fork out.
• Ultimate Backup. There are paid functions, for example, file recovery from the cloud. The free version has a backup option and a task killer that allows you to forcibly complete the firmware process. A useful bonus is clearing the cache from the aggregate.

There are other apps to help you make a Backup. We have reviewed the most convenient ones.

How to reinstall Android yourself

You must download the firmware before reinstalling. It is better to do this from the official website of the device. Otherwise, it may stop working after reinstallation. The firmware is selected depending on the model of the mobile device. On the website of the device manufacturer, you can request developer rights. To do this, you need to use any application with Google play... After that you need to download CWN-recovery for your mobile device model. The downloaded archive must be placed on an SD card. To place the downloaded firmware for Android, do not use the built-in memory of the device. In this case, it can hardly be called a reliable storage, since all data from the phone will be erased.

To reflash the device using Recovery, you need to turn off the device. To do this, simultaneously press the Power (on / off) + Volume Up (volume up) buttons. Some models may have a different key combination. Before reflashing your smartphone, you need to wait for the device to vibrate. A window will appear. In it you need to select the Recovery Mode key. Next, specify apply update from external storage. The installation process begins. After its completion, the device needs to be rebooted.

To flash a gadget, it is better to use a PC or laptop. Windows, starting from the seventh version, does not require drivers to work with the device. Or she offers to find them on the Internet. Before flashing Android from a computer, you need to fully charge the device. Next, you need to do the following manipulations:

1. Transfer to hDD Software Update Tool application and drivers.
2. Unplug your device.
3. Press Power (on / off) + Volume Up (volume up). The device should vibrate for some time.
4. After Fastboot USB appears on the screen, connect the device to the PC.
5. Open the application to install the software.
6. Specify the location of the saved software.
7. Specify the type of OS.
8. Click Erase user data.
9. Click “Start”.

After these manipulations, the download of the firmware to the Android device will begin. This will take some time. The new system will be installed. Then you need to reboot the device. The first start-up will take longer than usual. Don't worry about this.

When working with a PC, there are several important nuances to consider. The PC on which the operation will take place must have at least a dual-core processor. Choose devices with the latest windows versions or Linux.

The software can be installed without a PC - using one SD card. Before flashing Android in this way, charge the battery to 100%. Do not disconnect the power supply during boot. Launch ROM Manager. Click on the "Install ROM from SD card" button. Specify the location of the software archive. Click “Ok”. Wait for the installation to complete.

Another option for installing software into a mobile gadget is to update it to the next version. First of all, the user needs to find out which version of the software is in his device. To do this, you need to look at the "About phone" section in the settings. Usually, you receive a system notification that updates are available. However, the notification does not always arrive on time. In addition, there is a possibility that you accidentally erase it.

Before you update Android to 6 or to another available version, you need to confirm the action. The download will start automatically at background.

To update the software, find the "System Update" button in the system settings, click "OK". The software will load in the background. After installing all components, you need to restart the device. In some cases, you cannot download new version OS. This is due to the fact that they are not produced for this model. Or the latest version is already installed. Usually manufacturers stop releasing fresh software for units older than 3 years.

What are the programs for flashing Android from a computer

The most successful services:

• ROM Manager. This utility is installed to boot the OS from an SD card without using a computer.
• SP FLASH TOOL. The service is designed to work with a PC. Requires gadget connection via USB cable. The main advantage of this utility is its versatility. It is suitable for many device models. The service has an intuitive interface that even a novice user can understand.

There are services developed for a specific manufacturer. For example, the ODIN utility has been developed for Samsung devices. This is a well-known South Korean corporation's own production service. It features a simple operating principle and an intuitive interface. Before flashing Samsung, be sure to download ODIN.

What if the device won't turn on?

You will be able to reinstall the software if the bootloader is not damaged. To check this, press the On / Off button. If an image of a robot or any sign appears, for example, “!”, You can make the assumption that there was a software failure. After that, connect the device to a PC via a USB cable. Press the On / Off button and Volume Plus. The PC will find the device. In 95% of cases, you can successfully install the OS using one of the above programs for flashing the phone through a computer.

The device may not start after installing the software. Do not say goodbye to the unit. It can be reanimated. First of all, try restarting your device again. If the gadget does not start again, then you can try to return it to its original state using the previously downloaded backup data or try to reinstall the software. Then the procedure will have to be repeated from the beginning.

We examined different services and methods of flashing mobile devices... Now you know how to reflash Android yourself through a PC and without it.

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Android is an open source source codeso developers can freely modify it, add new features, and create their own operating system images for phones and tablets. Some of these firmwares are gaining immense popularity and even become the basis for successful commercial projects. We introduced you to some of them in this as well as. And now we want to discuss with you the reasons that can convince you to take a chance and install third-party firmware in your Android.

Getting the latest version of Android

It's no secret that many manufacturers of even expensive devices don't bother to support their products too much. As soon as they sell you their product, they immediately forget about the need to release new versions of firmware for them. As a result, it turns out that you do not have the opportunity to upgrade to a new version of Android, even if the hardware of the smartphone freely allows it.

In this case, the best and sometimes the only solution would be to use the well-known CyanogenMod, which, although it has many of its own "chips", is in many ways similar to stock Android. Thanks to this development, owners of even fairly old devices can use the latest versions of the system.

Rejection of "branded" shells

Many popular manufacturers (let's not point the finger) are very fond of equipping phones with their own branded shells, which, however, is not liked by all users. Not only are many of them downright ugly and uncomfortable - this is, as you know, a matter of taste, but they also manage to noticeably slow down the system. Naked Android against this background shows speed records and impresses with its responsiveness.

Yes, of course, you can put your own launcher and remove all these widgets, but there is no way to refuse all the dubious settings that the manufacturer made in the operating system. So in order to get a truly pure Android, you will need to install a custom ROM.

Removing preinstalled software

Having received your brand new phone and having played enough with the programs installed on it, the understanding gradually comes that it would be better if they did not exist at all. Most often, manufacturers complete the software set of the device, focusing not on expediency and quality, but purely for commercial reasons. In addition, these programs are considered system programs and you cannot easily remove them. As a result, we get an apparatus filled with outright rubbish that prevents us from living.

A radical solution to this problem is precisely the flashing of the device to a custom assembly that does not contain pre-installed software.

Getting additional features and system settings

Many firmwares are so different from the original Android appearance and a set of functions, which can be safely said about independent operating systems. First of all, we are talking about such popular Chinese projects as MIUI, Lewa, Oppo, which are developing at a gigantic pace. It is likely that having tried this oriental cocktail at least once, you will look at the bland Android dish with undisguised regret.

Other firmware, for example AOKP, although based on stock Android, gives such scope in settings, such customization capabilities that owners of ordinary smartphones never dreamed of.

Safety

It may sound strange, but firmware created by the free community can sometimes be safer than a Google product. In them, if you wish, you can completely get rid of the all-seeing eye of this company, completely replacing all their services and applications with third-party developments. It turns out, therefore, "Android without Google", no matter how strange it may sound.

In addition, many custom ROMs contain a built-in antivirus and such detailed permission settings for each application that you can thoroughly specify who, what for what purpose can move on your device.

Reasons not to use third-party firmware

But, as you can imagine, everything is far from being so rosy and there are some pretty serious problems that you may encounter in your experiments with firmware.

1. Bricks... The process of flashing, although thoroughly developed and quite easy, nevertheless, with some degree of bad luck and curvature of the arms, can turn your device into just a dead block of plastic and microcircuits.
2. Battery problems... The custom ROM may not be optimized enough for a specific device and drain the battery faster than the official ROM.
3. Hardware problems... Your new firmware may not fully support all hardware in the phone, so you may encounter errors, separate non-working modules, and other issues. For example, your device's camera may not shoot as well as it used to, or your GPS may suddenly become slow to search for satellites.
4. Errors... The manufacturers of your device test software well before releasing it for sale, which, of course, cannot be said about independent firmware developers. Therefore, you may encounter annoying mistakes, which, although they will be corrected in the future, can spoil you a lot of blood.
5. Warranty... If you use third-party firmware, you void your warranty. If this is important to you, then think about it.

And now I would like to know your opinion on the need to flash Android. We ask you to take part in the survey and express your point of view in the comments.

It is not easy to create a custom firmware for android, this requires special software and certain skills, as well as an algorithm of actions, which we will describe in this article.

Let us analyze a particular case and start in order. To create custom firmware android you will need:

1. A personal or laptop computer with the Ubuntu operating system and Java installed.
2. "Kitchen" is an application for processing images of system partitions.
3. The actual Android firmware to be processed.

Step 1 - installing Ubuntu

Ubuntu is based on the Linux kernel and is based on Debian, developed by Canonical. This system does not have to be installed instead of the current one, run it through the emulator, and so on.

To use all its advantages comfortably, it is enough to use the Wubi application, which can install Ubuntu under Windows. Wubi - short for Windows Ubuntu Installer.

After downloading the installer and installing a new operating system through it, when you boot the computer, you can go into one or another system of your choice, and manage it through the Windows control panel.

Step 2 - installing Java

Java is a programming language developed in 1995, its name, apparently, is taken from the movies (funny people Java from Star Wars).

This technology is based on most of the modern software of various types. Some sites only work with Java on board.

To install it you need:

1. Log in to Ubuntu, and open the Terminal using the Ctrl + Alt + T keys.
2. In the opened window for input / output of information in the Ubuntu OS use the command sudo add-apt-repository “deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner” - allows you to connect a new repository from which you can download Java. To do this, you will need to enter the password for obtaining Super Administrator rights, which is set during the installation of Ubuntu. Next, you need to use the following commands:
3. sudo apt-get update to update the source list.
4. sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun java6-plugin sun-java6-fonts to install Java.

Step 3 - working with the "kitchen" to create the firmware

The "kitchen" program is the main tool for working with android firmware. There are several types of them, we will consider working with the kitchen from Dsixda.

• By downloading required files, you need to unpack them to your home folder in the kitchen directory.
• Start the Terminal, use the Is command to display the list of documents in the home folder on its screen. Directories will be highlighted in blue, archive files in red, and so on.
• Open the Kitchen folder, transfer the processed firmware file in any format to the original_update directory.
• Return to the Terminal with the Kitchen folder open, enter the Is command. Menu will appear among the files, it should be launched with the command. / Menu. This will open a list of numbered commands that you can execute by typing their number on the line and pressing Enter.
• To disassemble the firmware, enter command 1. The kitchen will then display a lot of questions that need to be answered with the Enter key (the required values \u200b\u200bare entered by default).

These actions will lead to the initial menu of the program. Back in the Kitchen folder, you can find the WORKING_x_y folder, where x and y are the date and time it was created.

It will contain the parsed firmware files. In the System folder you can find all system files... parts of these files will change the firmware.

After changing the set of basic applications, functions, settings, and making all the desired amendments to the firmware files, you need to build it.

To do this, you need to return to the Terminal, enter command 99, and again answer all the questions that arise with the Enter key. After that, the program will drop the user into the initial menu, and the OUTPUT_ZIP folder will contain a new firmware file, which can then be installed on a mobile device.

Here are a few more programs designed for this:

• The Android SDK is a development environment created specifically for working with Android applications, it allows you to check the program code.
• Android Kitchen - Needed to handle images of system partitions in firmware.
• JD-GUI is a decompiler capable of working with the Java programming language. Its counterpart is DJ Java Decompiler.
• smali - for working with dalvik code. Designed for disassembling code, backsmali allows you to assemble dalvik code.
• dex2jar is a utility that allows you to convert executable files based on dalvik code.

Many modern users are intimidated by the concept of "flashing" if it is mentioned in the context of mobile phones, so it would be useful to understand how to flash an Android phone. Most often this is necessary in case the phone does not turn on or starts to glitch very badly. Although some are simply not satisfied with their firmware because of the design or other similar issues.

In any case, we will consider the easiest way that even the most inexperienced users can perform. This method is suitable for all models of smartphones from Samsung, HTC, FLY and other modern manufacturers.

In this case, the whole process will be described so that everyone can perform all its stages at home, without involving specialists.

What do we need

Except for the mobile phone, this method requires a program called ROM Manager. It's best to download it on Google Play.

Developer of this application is a team called ClockworkMod. This team has long enjoyed immense popularity and authority among users in various countries.

Their creation allows you to easily change firmware, as well as perform a huge amount of system manipulations.

The main ones are:

• Backup;
• System Restore;
• Installing new firmware (what we need) and much more.

The main advantage of using ROM Manager to flash any phone, be it Samsung, HTC, FLY or any other, is the ability to roll back all the changes.

This means that if any problems arise during or after installation (for example, if the phone does not turn on), the new firmware is simply not to be liked for some reason, everything can be returned back.

Among other benefits of using ROM Manager, the following are especially important:

• It is not difficult and everything can be done at home;
• All operations are performed fairly quickly;
• You don't need to do anything through the computer, everything happens through the phone (unless through the computer you will need to transfer the firmware to the phone, although there are other methods for this, such as Bluetooth or file sharing);
• Reliability - thousands of users have already done this procedure.

We also need the new firmware itself. Many users today do not know where to find it. And the easiest way to do this is through the phone.

In Google, you need to enter a query like "firmware for [phone model]", that is, for example, "firmware for Samsung Galaxy J7 ". All this is done very simply.

The problem is that there is a huge number of firmwares on the Internet, but a lot of them, in the language of advanced users, are "broken".

This means that after installation the computer will not turn on, the user will not be able to install some programs or other problems of all sorts will arise. Therefore, before downloading this or that firmware, use the following advice.

Advice: Read on the Internet what other users write about the firmware version you are going to download.

Today, the positive opinion of people who have already installed something is the best guarantee of quality. And the manufacturer can write what he wants and all of this, of course, will only be good. Another tip will help you choose a good firmware.

Advice: Use the ROM Manager Premium program, which will make it difficult to find firmware for your phone model, and also show which ones are the most popular among other users. Also, in the program window, you can see the discussions of other users regarding a particular firmware version.

In any case, before performing all the actions described below on your phone, or rather, on the memory card (this is important!), There must be a zip archive with the new firmware.

So, let's move on to the firmware process itself.

Android phone firmware stages

ROM Manager is already downloaded and installed on your phone.

Now you need to do the following:

1. Get root rights. If you do not know how to do this, the whole process will be described especially for you further.
2. Open ROM Manager and install ClockWorkMod. It is a program that downloads any files.

Yes, Android has its own such program, but we need ClockWorkMod to work.

To do this, you need to do the following:

• In the upper part of the program window, in the section titled "Recovery Mode", press the "Install ClockWorkMod" button (highlighted in Figure 1.a);
• After that, you should click on your device in the drop-down list, the appearance of which is shown in Figure 1.b;

# 1. ROM Manager main menu and phone model selection window

Attention: Before installing ClockWorkMod, the phone must not be connected to the computer. And in general, it is better to turn off all his communications, except for Wi-Fi, which will enable you to download the necessary files.

• We are waiting for the end of downloading and installing ClockWorkMod.

Now you need to back up your system. You will need it in case of incorrect installation of the new firmware or other problems with it.

To do this, you need to do the following:

1. In the main menu, select the command "Save current ROM" (highlighted in Figure 2);
2. Specify the name of the archive in which the current firmware will be stored, that is, a system backup in the window;
3. Press the "OK" button in the same window;
4. We are waiting for the program to create a backup copy of the system and save it in the archive with the name specified by the user.

# 2. Creating a backup in ROM Manager

To go directly to the installation of a new firmware, in the ROM Manager program window, select the item "Install ROM from SD card", which is highlighted in Figure 3. After that, you will need to choose where the firmware you downloaded earlier is located, that is, the zip archive with it.

No. 3. Install ROM from SD card button

After that, you will be prompted to perform some actions along with installing the new firmware. So you can delete all data, erase the cache, and also make a backup the existing system... We have already done the latter earlier, so here you can only select the item concerning the cache.

Advice (mandatory!): After all the above steps, connect your phone to the charger. This is very important, because if the phone runs out of power while installing a new firmware, it can lead to irreversible consequences.

After that, you have to wait. Depending on the model, this process can take up to two hours, although in most cases it takes no more than 45 minutes. This completes the flashing process.

Rooting process

This process is performed differently on different versions of Android. But in most cases it all comes down to installing one of the special programs that allow you to literally get these root rights by pressing one button.

The list of these programs is as follows:

• Framaroot;
• Universal AndRoot;
• VISIONary +;
• GingerBreak;
• z4root;
• Baidu Root;
• Romaster SU;
• Towelroot;
• Root Dashi;
• 360 Root.

Now you just need to find one of them on the Internet, most likely on Google Play, install and use. It's safe to say that you can figure out how to use them.

For example, the Framaroot program window is shown in Figure 4. All you need to do is click on the "Install SuperSU" button.

No. 4. Framaroot program window

System Restore

Above we talked about the fact that if any problems arise with the new firmware, you can roll back all the changes and return to the old version. This procedure is also done in the ROM Manager.

In the main menu of the program, press the button " Backups"(Highlighted in Figure 5).

After that, the usual dialog for choosing the location of the system image will appear. After selecting the previously created image, you can choose one of three options.

Accordingly, we will need to select an item called "Restore".

No. 5. ROM Manager main menu

After a few more minutes have passed, the system may return to the state in which it was before installing the new firmware. As you can see, there is absolutely nothing complicated in this procedure.

However, there is nothing complicated about the entire firmware using the ROM Manager program either - almost everything is done in one or two clicks.

In the video below, you can clearly see how the process of installing another firmware using the ROM Manager program is going on. True, this video is in English, but the meaning of what is happening is easy to understand.

Video