22/May [GUIDE] How to Install a Custom ROM on the ZTE Blade [GEN1]

[Guest ronc2000]

Here you go. Looks like most people totally missed it. Maybe looks complicated, but it's easy as pie. One click flashes the phone.

But the beauty of TPT is that you do not have to connect to a PC.

So you can do it anywhere away on location.

Is that not much simpler and easier? (not saying any is better)

[Guest 90180360]

But the beauty of TPT is that you do not have to connect to a PC.

So you can do it anywhere away on location.

Is that not much simpler and easier? (not saying any is better)

The beauty of phone flasher is you don't touch the SD card.

The downside is you need a Windows PC.

[Guest aequalszero]

Nice - your already out of date :D 3.0.0.6 is out now.

Thanks for the feedback - I have moved the instructions up into the flow and removed the Problems where necessary.

I have also added some stuff about sorting out Recovery Manager (when its force closes)

and No - updating the database should be ok when installing with clockwork 2.5.x

Tell me about it - 3.0.0.6 came out, like, a couple of days after I installed 3.0.0.5! (and FLB r9 came out the day after I put on r8a!) It's moving so fast, I just can't catch that damn road runner!

Solid additions to the guide though - I think the RM database update move helps clean it up a bit (like I say, I almost missed it the first time). And the Recovery Manager 'force close' issues are a welcome addition as I went through that too - it seems to happen most if you choose to do a backup before you install a ROM. Simply re-rooting in Androot has been the key to fixing that for many others, I went a little more drastic and uninstalled RM & Androot, then reinstalled again.

[Guest Vvorth]

I have ZTE V880 China 2.2 stock

How can i install custom firmware on it?

- I tried to install Clockwork using Recovery Manager(tried many versions) - without result.

- Fastboot method isnt works for me, because pressing "vol+" and "on/off" only boots phone as usual.

- TPT method is risky, i only tried to install Hungarian firmware to unlock RAM, but phone freezing on

"Update from T-Flash card!

load /mmc1/image/qcsblhd_cfgdata.mbn"

May be someone knows.

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

I have ZTE V880 China 2.2 stock

How can i install custom firmware on it?

- I tried to install Clockwork using Recovery Manager(tried many versions) - without result.

- Fastboot method isnt works for me, because pressing "vol+" and "on/off" only boots phone as usual.

- TPT method is risky, i only tried to install Hungarian firmware to unlock RAM, but phone freezing on

May be someone knows.

All the Guides state that using the files on any device THAT IS NOT A BLADE will/may brick your device.

Flashing a TPT made for a BLADE onto a NON-BLADE device will probably be the end of that device.

[Guest GPulse]

Ok Everyone?

I know its a big change, but its time to move with the times.

Any veterans who would like to follow my guide word for word and see if I made any mistakes please do so,

likewise if anyone gets stuck - or thinks it could be clearer please please please post.

I applied your instructions for Modaco R12 and on both occasions I had to do manual wipe of cache and data for the phone to manage to boot.

According to your instructions, this should happen automatically?

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

I applied your instructions for Modaco R12 and on both occasions I had to do manual wipe of cache and data for the phone to manage to boot.

According to your instructions, this should happen automatically?

Which version of Recovery Manager did you use please?

[Guest Vvorth]

All the Guides state that using the files on any device THAT IS NOT A BLADE will/may brick your device.

Flashing a TPT made for a BLADE onto a NON-BLADE device will probably be the end of that device.

Is this mean that ZTE V880 isnt identical to ZTE Blade?

[Guest GPulse]

Which version of Recovery Manager did you use please?

2.5.1.8

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

Is this mean that ZTE V880 isnt identical to ZTE Blade?

The ZTE V880 is NOT the same as the ZTE BLADE - the memory layout and partition layout is different.

Trying to use ANY of the files not made for the V880 will KILL YOUR PHONE.

Please please please go to a forum that is dedicated to the V880.

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

2.5.1.8

That is the version of Clockwork - Recovery Manager is the APP that runs in android and launches clockwork.

If you are Using Clockwork directly then you will need to manually wipe.

[Guest nrev]

I just want to point out the importance of taking out and replacing the battery before installing a new ROM. I'm not a hardcore user, but I've installed/updated several ROMs over the couple of months I have owned this phone. I foolishly ignored the advice of removing the battery before installation as I had found that wiping cache, doing factory reset and wiping dalvic cache was enough. *But* despite success >90% of the time, recent experience has proved I should be more careful: one installation repeatedly failed until I removed the battery.

Anyway, I have learned my lesson, and thought I should share it - *always* remove/replace battery before installing a new ROM.

[Guest Frinnic]

I've just tried loading Androot 1.6.1 and I received a fairly vigorous warning from my anti-virus checker (Microsoft Security Essentials running under Windows 7):

“This program is dangerous and executes commands from an attacker. Recommended action: Remove this software immediately.”

Of course, since the very purpose of the program is to do just that(!), the warning came as no great surprise. So I persisted, and gave Security Essentials permission to download the file. But, no sooner had it done this, than the MS User Account Control kicked in and asked if I wanted to allow this file to modify the Security Essentials program itself! At this stage I backed off and instead used a Linus machine to download the file and copy it to my OSF.

But, later, when I ran a malware detection program on the Windows machine, it reported that it had detected “OpenCandy --- an adware program that may be bundled with certain third-party software installation programs” to be present. When I checked I found that the timestamps on the file showed it had been installed within the last hour...

I don't know if other users have had similar problems with Androot? It would be reassuring if someone could publish an md5 hash of a known-to-be-uncorrupted version of the file.

Finally, just to note that the Androot site (xda-developers) now states: “Since Google patched the loop hole in 2.2.1, this app is no longer working for newer builds. For this reason the developer has stopped supporting the app.“

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

Finally, just to note that the Androot site (xda-developers) now states: “Since Google patched the loop hole in 2.2.1, this app is no longer working for newer builds. For this reason the developer has stopped supporting the app.“

When new phones arrive with STOCK ROMS that have > 2.2.1 then we wills witch back to using fastboot to install clockwork. (until a new root method is found)

This is not such a big deal on the BLADE, however for devices where the manufacturers go to all lengths to prevent root (HTC) it will be a big deal.

[Guest Grain]

When new phones arrive with STOCK ROMS that have > 2.2.1 then we wills witch back to using fastboot to install clockwork.

I thought fastboot (power + up) is disabled with newer Blades? Adding a notice about that to "5. How to Install Clockwork using Fastboot" in the first post would be good then, too.

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

Latest Update

26th February - Added check to see if you have a new device without fastboot.

[Guest bottletop]

Fantastic thread. As a newbie, been trying to do this on and off since I got the phone in December, unlocked and rooted quite easily but hit brick walls with one thing or another several times since then, however went back to it this weekend, spotted the new video of Stevens watched that through several times, looked good, deleted everything I'd downloaded before (regarding modding) off the phone, and started from scratch. Downloaded 'recovery manager v0.23b' 'recovery-clockwork-blade2.5.1.8.img' and the 'modaco r12' to the computer, transfinite it to a new folder on the phone i'd named ROM followed the text word for word and the only hiccup was, that I needed to empty the cache in recovery manager and 're-root' to get it going again after 'backing up phone to sdcard' but after that, just sat and watched it do its thing, took six minutes.

So, many thanks to Steven and Paul and everyone else on here who contributes so much, yes a big thanks........

[Guest sc52]

As a Newbie I find this all a bit confusing.

I'm one of those with a new blade that doesn't show the green android when vol+ and power on are pushed. It's taken a huge amount of time and posting in various places to discover that there is a new type of phone (software that is) and that I therefore can't flash as per previous instructions.

I'm now at the stage where I've got a google account, done the root bit and following advice have downloaded Rom Manager v3.0.1.0.

But now I've looked at the instructions here and there is no mention of Rom Manager. Can I proceed using this or should I delete and download your version (named - recovery)?

Please advise.

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

But now I've looked at the instructions here and there is no mention of Rom Manager. Can I proceed using this or should I delete and download your version (named - recovery)?

Please advise.

Rom Manager is different from Recovery Manager

Recovery Manager is a recent APP developed by Sebastian404 specifically to manage recovery (clockwork) and ROM installs onto ZTE devices

Rom Manager is a long existing APP that is part of the Cyanogenmod distribution (it also maintains recovery (clockwork) and ROM installs ) on many devices.

Only last week did Rom Manager start supporting the ZTE-BLADE, now (you should) be able to use it to install clockwork and ROMS.

I have not tried it yet.

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Ok one question since I either have a gap in understanding of I'm being rather dim!

All those steps are fine.

BUT ... if I'm moving from an old rom to a newer one and I then copy the zip file to my SDcard to do the install. Once the install is complete, and I wipe cache and wipe/factory reset etc. Does that wipe the SD card and prepare it as fresh?

If not, where in the stage should I wipe the SD card to be clean and ready for use with the fresh install??

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

Ok one question since I either have a gap in understanding of I'm being rather dim!

All those steps are fine.

BUT ... if I'm moving from an old rom to a newer one and I then copy the zip file to my SDcard to do the install. Once the install is complete, and I wipe cache and wipe/factory reset etc. Does that wipe the SD card and prepare it as fresh?

If not, where in the stage should I wipe the SD card to be clean and ready for use with the fresh install??

Wiping the Cache and Factory Reset only removes the files in the .android_secure folder on your SDCard (in the FAT32)

And will remove EVERYTHING in the ext2/3 partition (if you have one)

All other files on the SDCARD - will be unaffected.

Answer - you don't need to wipe the SDCard unless you find that some programs that install to SD are now working right (except the BUG in Cyanogenmod 7 where Games that use extra LIBS have to be on the Phones Space.

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Ah cool thank you.

I just wondered if it was worth wiping, so that I didn't have legacy tat from a previous ROM.

Since it's my work phone, the calendar and contacts are synced from GMail, I don't have a huge amount of texts, so don't need to keep them. The rest is just installed fresh each time.

If I decided to wipe the SDcard, should I do it after the upgrade has completed, or before I start upgrading?

Taaa

[Guest StevenHarperUK]

If I decided to wipe the SDcard, should I do it after the upgrade has completed, or before I start upgrading?

Taaa

Before

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Cool .. thank you very much :(

New ROM this evening then! JJ R6 has been fab.

[Guest g-rasshopper]

Thanks very much for writing the guide.

Could you add a section to the beginning to explain how to completely backup a phone before installing a custom ROM so that if something goes wrong, or you need to return the phone, it can easily be restored to its factory state.

I'm sure this information is already available elsewhere on the forum. But it would be helpful to have it all in one place.

Thanks