[Guide] How to install a custom ROM & Partition your SD & Root

[Guest k0zmic]

Great tutorial, thanks. Couple of things that could be improved though:

On step 12) I couldn't boot into that mode either, but thanks to the posted who recommend "adb reboot recovery" which worked fine.

The first part, I presume you mean "wipe data/factory reset" which I done. Then the option is "install zip from sdcard", then select the ZIP file (do not extract the zip to SD like I done first time round)

Cheers

Darn, the key combo must've been wrong. I've re-updated it.

Yeah 'Wipe Data/Factory Reset' is the one.

I don't get this section at all?? Where do we get AmonRa Recovery from? (have tried google but they seem to relate to HTC devices).

The gingerounay refers to the "A2SDGUI provided app to manage it" ~ how do I do this? I've tried clicking on "Apps are on internal storage" but it just loops back. Also tried clicking "swap is deactivated" and its the same.

Edit; I've just tried to play something on iPlayer and it crashes in full screen ~ any ideas? [updating flash has fixed it]

Thanks

I've added a link to AmonRa Recovery for the Metal. You can probably use ClockworkMod as well if you already have it installed.

You need to create a partition first if you haven't already done so. Don't worry about swap.

[Guest matt`]

Darn, the key combo must've been wrong. I've re-updated it.

Yeah 'Wipe Data/Factory Reset' is the one.

I've added a link to AmonRa Recovery for the Metal. You can probably use ClockworkMod as well if you already have it installed.

You need to create a partition first if you haven't already done so. Don't worry about swap.

Thanks k0zmic, but i'm still lost! I have RecoveryMT-3.0 on my desktop (is this also called AmonRa?)

Now USB debugging is enabled and its connected via USB. How do I then go to 4.) Select Partition SD. ? Not by running install_recovery.cmd again? Or by running adb?

How would I create a partition on the SD, through Disk Management on windows or does this have to be unix? Would attempt to use gparted but would need to start up a VM.

BTW; I've now switched to T&L

Thanks

Edited December 1, 2011 by matt`

[Guest k0zmic]

Thanks k0zmic, but i'm still lost! I have RecoveryMT-3.0 on my desktop (is this also called AmonRa?)

Now USB debugging is enabled and its connected via USB. How do I then go to 4.) Select Partition SD. ? Not by running install_recovery.cmd again? Or by running adb?

How would I create a partition on the SD, through Disk Management on windows or does this have to be unix? Would attempt to use gparted but would need to start up a VM.

BTW; I've now switched to T&L

Thanks

No, that's ClockworkMod.

You need to reboot into recovery so do 'adb reboot recovery'.

Then you should see Partition SD in ClockworkMod or AmonRA recovery (depending on which you installed). The instructions for ClockworkMod are slightly different but they're available here. Follow from Step 6.

Edited December 1, 2011 by k0zmic

[Guest matt`]

No, that's ClockworkMod.

You need to reboot into recovery so do 'adb reboot recovery'.

Then you should see Partition SD in ClockworkMod or AmonRA recovery (depending on which you installed). The instructions for ClockworkMod are slightly different but they're available here. Follow from Step 6.

Did not realise it was under the Advanced menu! I tried this a couple of times and now when android starts it says the SD card is damaged. Then when running Link2SD it doesn't identify a card?

I selected a swap of 0 and ext of 2048.

Edit; may of realised why, the card is only 2GB!..dumb

Edit 2; I selected 1gb this time and all is good..

When running Link2SD though I got ext2/3/4 didn't know which one to select so went for 2. Think that was right as now I have 185mb internal, sd 0.89gb + sd "2nd part" 0.89gb.

So this Link2SD will app's automatically get stored to SD yeah, although appearing as though they are on phone as there is a link created?

Owe you a beer man! Cheers

Edited December 1, 2011 by matt`

[Guest shuaib10]

if i root my device, will i lose my apps, files, contacts etc?

[Guest mikelete]

if i root my device, will i lose my apps, files, contacts etc?

Rooting it's like getting Admin privileges, so no, you don't lose anything ;)

[Guest shuaib10]

How to install a Custom ROM

1.) Download Gingerbread: http://vache-android....php?fileID=124

2.) Extract the "acer_ug" folder from the zip file on your SDCard

(optional) : Reboot in recovery and wipe all/factory reset

3.) Power off your phone

4.) Boot to SD Download Mode with Camera / Vol- / Power (the phone will vibrate 3 times)

5.) Wait until it has finished, the phone will reboot

6.) Activate USB debugging on your phone.(How to)

7.) Plug your phone to your computer with your USB cable

8.) Download Recovery 3.0: http://vache-android....php?fileID=125

9.) Unzip the "RecoveryMT-3.0" folder from the zip file

10.) Launch "install_recovery.cmd"

''9.) Unzip the "RecoveryMT-3.0" folder from the zip file''

Where do i unzip this to? the sd card or the desktop?

Edited December 4, 2011 by shuaib10

[Guest k0zmic]

Where do i unzip this to? the sd card or the desktop?

Desktop.

[Guest shuaib10]

Desktop.

thanks

however I have a problem

i boot into recovery mode and i then clik on ''install zip from sdcard', i then click on ''choose zip from sdcard'', i get an error near the middle of the screen saying ''E:can't mount /sdcard''

any ideas as to why this is happening?

Edited December 4, 2011 by shuaib10

[Guest shuaib10]

i just installed the amonra recovery and it seemed to have worked

[Guest bstock]

12.) Boot into recovery mode using Volume Up + Focus + Power

OK up to this point the phone rebooted as it should but I just can't seem to get these buttons to work, keeps going to the shut down screen

Any other way to reboot into recovery or am I doing something wrong?

[Guest mikelete]

OK up to this point the phone rebooted as it should but I just can't seem to get these buttons to work, keeps going to the shut down screen

Any other way to reboot into recovery or am I doing something wrong?

Yep, that button combo was supposed to do with the phone switched off ;)

Edited December 14, 2011 by mikelete

[Guest bstock]

Yep, that button combo was supposed to do with the phone switched off ;)

DoH!

Thanks

Just one more silly question as I'm a bit cautious as the instructions say don't wipe the SD card, as there isn't an option for that anyway do I just proceed regardless with confirming wipe all user data.

[Guest k0zmic]

DoH!

Thanks

Just one more silly question as I'm a bit cautious as the instructions say don't wipe the SD card, as there isn't an option for that anyway do I just proceed regardless with confirming wipe all user data.

Yeah Wipe all User data. I think I put that instruction there because the older recoveries had the option there.

[Guest bstock]

Yeah Wipe all User data. I think I put that instruction there because the older recoveries had the option there.

Thanks I was puzzzling over that.

Have just installed Link2SD and it's asking Select the file system of your SD card's second partition. Being a bit dim not even sure which is the 2nd partition. Anyway would appreciate iif you could advise whether its ext2 ext3 ext4 or FAT32/FAT16

Appreciate all this help - Cheers!

[Guest k0zmic]

Thanks I was puzzzling over that.

Have just installed Link2SD and it's asking Select the file system of your SD card's second partition. Being a bit dim not even sure which is the 2nd partition. Anyway would appreciate iif you could advise whether its ext2 ext3 ext4 or FAT32/FAT16

Appreciate all this help - Cheers!

It's EXT2.

Edited December 14, 2011 by k0zmic

[Guest bstock]

It's EXT2.

Many Thanks!

[Guest k0zmic]

Many Thanks!

NP. By default it's pretty much always EXT2 unless you upgrade it to EXT3 or EXT4 in recovery (which I see no real benefit in doing so but I guess people have their reasons and the option is there).

[Guest bstock]

Hi again,

Right, I suceesfully partitioned the SD card, then I downloaded link2sd and installed, tried to open it and it could not mount the drive so I thought, yeah I need to do a wipe the data again and reinstall the custom ROM.

Had installed avg mobilation so not sure whether that was the problem but I thought, just start again as per instructions

Went to reboot into recovery mode and now the very same buttons, power vol up and focus take me to USB download - very strange

Could you tell me how I get to recovery mode please

Thanks

EDIT: Solved this one from another post on forum

To reboot in recovery mode now its : power + vol up + focus BUT after phone vibrates release the power button

Now lets see if I can get link2sd working - will let you know

Edited December 15, 2011 by bstock

[Guest bstock]

Wiped data and reinstalled ROM.

Downloaded Link2sd opened it, granted superuser permissions selected ext2 andwas met by the very same message "Mount script cannot be created. mount:mounting/dev/block/vold/179.2 on /data/sdext2 failed: Device or resourse busy

Any ideas? - notice a2sdgui is already installed. If it should be removed how do I do this, can't do it through managing applications

[Guest bstock]

Gave up and uninstalled Link2sd

Tried with a2sdgui, very difficult to know its working. Pretty sure it worked when pressed the button to transter as the internal memory rose and the sd ext memory shrank. After loading a couple of programs and rebooting some seemed to have returned to internal. Ended up going into the manage applications and moved them from there.

If I ever find out how to do it properly I may give it another try.

:(

[Guest Rawbinator]

Delete this...going to start a new thread.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Rawbinator

[Guest mr-brunes]

Hi

I've just got my new SDcard but I'm struggling to make sense of these (and many other) instructions as they seem to assume lots of prior knowledge. (I'm a new Android user, but I do have lots of Unix/Windows experience. Maybe I'm just getting too old ...)

Anyway I'm using the factory supplied ROM, have installed RecoveryMT3.0 and am now trying to partition my new SD card.

I'm at this stage:

3.) Unmount/Disable USB MS and either reboot or go back to recovery.

4.) Select Partition SD.

I rebooted but couldn't find anything about "Partition SD" anywhere so figured I should try Recovery. So I am trying to boot into Recovery mode via

"12.) Boot into recovery mode using Volume Up + Focus + Power "

but variously all I get displayed is "Fastboot mode" or "USB Download mode" and the phone does not respond to any keys. I have to pull the battery to reboot it. How do I know when it's in recovery?

I've done some searching on this but none of the results make sense to me. What should I do now?

[Guest Smeelious]

Hi

I've just got my new SDcard but I'm struggling to make sense of these (and many other) instructions as they seem to assume lots of prior knowledge. (I'm a new Android user, but I do have lots of Unix/Windows experience. Maybe I'm just getting too old ...)

Anyway I'm using the factory supplied ROM, have installed RecoveryMT3.0 and am now trying to partition my new SD card.

I'm at this stage:

3.) Unmount/Disable USB MS and either reboot or go back to recovery.

4.) Select Partition SD.

I rebooted but couldn't find anything about "Partition SD" anywhere so figured I should try Recovery. So I am trying to boot into Recovery mode via

"12.) Boot into recovery mode using Volume Up + Focus + Power "

but variously all I get displayed is "Fastboot mode" or "USB Download mode" and the phone does not respond to any keys. I have to pull the battery to reboot it. How do I know when it's in recovery?

I've done some searching on this but none of the results make sense to me. What should I do now?

Try disconnecting your usb cable.

The key combos are ..sometimes not ideal. Make sure you aren't pressing the camera button all the way down. Hold the volume up and focus until the recovery shows up, you only have to hold the power button until the phone vibrates once.

[Guest bstock]

You need to press the buttons with the phone switched off.