Huawei U8860 Honor / Honour / Glory - Index

Welcome to the Huawei U8860 Honor / Honour / Glory - Index!
(please treat this thread as dev-thread, it is part of a dev-forum, not Q&A)

Please don't PM me for support, I will ignore those requests - they are just too many and I'm not getting paid for that, I'm not huawei support. Just ask your questions somewhere in the forum, but in my opinion this thread is really not the place for it, since this is a developer forum and not the Q&A section. That's why xda-developers adds restrictions to post here for new users - to prevent this to be a Q&A-Forum. Please Try to ask your questions in the appropriate Q&A-Section of the xda-developer Forum.

Different versions of the Huawei Honor
There are two feature differences that I am aware of:

1. Number of Touch-Points: 2 or 5; I have 2 touch-points and with B977 my ProjectMenu just printed "synaptic" as touchscreen version, with B919 it states "synaptics-TPK.6"
2. Position of Huawei Logo on the back: in the top-left corner (china / russia?) or in the middle like this: http://kaefert.is-a-geek.org/huawei_honor/IMG_7491_small.JPG
3. It seem's there are versions without a camera? at least user limzm states in his signature his U8860 doesn't have one.

Backup & Recovery

In my opinion the first and most important thing when playing around with different ROMs, is the ability to backup and restore the phones ROM & state.
For this you need a custom recovery (which you will also need to flash custom ROMs, so you might only skip this if you want to only flash stock ROMs)

1. If you're on an 2.3.6 ROM, then possibly for this to work, you first need to flash a different stock ROM. There have been reports that with 2.3.6 the method below may not work. Also some newer ROMs like B923 and above have locked boot loaders, the latest ICS ROM that you can use for this is B919
2. NEW: CWM 6.0.1.0 with touch-support: MOD EDIT: Link removed.
3. OLD: download recovery-u8860-en.img from here MOD EDIT: Link removed.
4. make sure there is no directory named "dload" on your micro-sd-card - if there is, rename or remove it.
5. Turn off Fast-Boot, and shutdown your phone. If you don't know how to turn off Fast-Boot, pull the battery (it can be found in different places in different ROMs)
6. Press and hold volume-up, volume-down and power-button at the same time.
7. You should now see your phones screen pink (="pink screen mode")
8. Now connect your phone with an USB cable to a computer
9. A few disks should be mounted, search for the one that has an "image" folder with an recovery.img and a boot.img inside it. rename the recovery.img to recovery-bak.img (or simular) and copy recovery-u8860-en.img there and rename it to recovery.img

WARNING: Don't use the file recovery_v8.img which is referenced in a few other guides. It crashes and leaves you with non bootable phone-states and/or with unfished backups which cannot be restored.


ROMs

Stock ROMs (& leaked stock ROMs)

Stock ROMs (or leaked stock ROMs) can be flashed like this:

1. Download and unpack onto your micro-SD Card like that: /mnt/sdcard/dload/UPDATE.APP (some ROMs also have UPDATE_CUST.APP, copy it to the same place. If you're update has a second dload_cust (or the like) folder, you need to flash it in a second round just as the first one, by renaming it to "dload")
2. Turn off Fast-Boot, and shutdown your phone. If you don't know how to turn off Fast-Boot, pull the battery (it can be found in different places in different ROMs)
3. Press and hold volume-up, volume-down and power-button at the same time.
4. If everything above was done correctly, you should be able to watch your phone upgrading now.

Alternative: Some ROMs have an option in the settings that lets you start the upgrade-procedure without step 2.) and 3.) from above. If you can find it, you can use that one.

You can find stock ROMs here:

• International ROMs: http://www.huaweidevice.com/worldwide/technicaIndex.do?method=gotoProductSupport&productId=3834&tb=1
• Chinese ROMs (can be changed to english): http://www.huaweidevice.com/cn/technicaIndex.do?method=gotoProductSupport&productId=3884&tb=1
• Huawei Germany ROM: http://huaweidevices.de/honour?show=downloads
• Huawei Russia ROM: http://huaweidevice.ru/updates.html

a comprehensive german list of stock ROMs can be found here:
MOD EDIT: Link removed.
(thanks to user det-happy for pointing it out to me)

The most important Stock-ROM in my eyes (as base for most custom ROMs there are) is B919, find it here:
http://www.huaweidevice.com/cn/downloadCenter.do?method=toDownloadFile&flay=software&softid=NDE2OTU=
or here: http://kaefert.is-a-geek.org/huawei_honor/B919_official.7z

Root and Google-Apps for Stock ROMs
NEW: Rooting method for stock ICS B919/B923/B924 (and perhaps others older ICS)
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=28403132&postcount=799
For people running linux on their computers, I've created an adapted version of this root tool:
kaefert.is-a-geek.org/huawei_honor/HuaweiHonorRootTool_LinuxVersion.7z

OLD: Theres a nice guide explaining how to root and flash+enable google-apps here: (but don't take the recovery from there but from above. explanation also above) - only use this if the new method above doesn't work for you.
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=22688341&postcount=53

Custom ROMs

To flash custom ROMs:

1. download their .zip file and put it somewhere on your sd-card
2. boot into your custom recovery: turn off phone completly, then Long press volume up + power button (for installation of custom recovery see top of this post)
3. factory reset / wipe everything (not always necessary, but to be on the save side. Some ROMs will not work in some cases if you don't wipe first, however the other way round is also possible, there are custom ROMs that will NOT work if you wipe, best look at the instructions from where you downloaded the custom ROM..)
4. flash update zip -> choose zip from sd card.

Cyanogenmod
dolmatov94 CM 10 Version 0.9.5 (2013-01-13)
MOD EDIT: Link removed.
newer versions, look at: http://dolmatov94.ru/

Da_Nya v2.4 [with sound mod] (2012-12-30)
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Da_Nya v2.4.1 (2013-01-09)
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

CM 10.1 (Android 4.2) from 4PDA (posted here by user tuanshungf 8th February 2013)
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Another list of Cyanogenmod ROMs can be found here (German):
MOD EDIT: Link removed.


ShenduOS
This ROM seems to be quite popular, but before deciding to use this, think about if you really wan't to support guys that treat the open-source community like **** by violating the GPL (by not publishing their kernel sources)
Stable Versions: MOD EDIT: Link removed.
Dev Versions: MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Mixture of ShenduOS and CM, with Android 4.2
MOD EDIT: Link removed.
MOD EDIT: Link removed.
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

FrozenPika (CM10.1, Android 4.2.2, based on ShenDu) GAPPS Integrated
Posted here by user "vTIMv" on 5th March 2013, 08:58 AM - found it on 4PDA.ru, uploaded 3rd March 2013
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Android 4.x MIUI ROMs
WARNING: most MIUI-ROMs have SMS-confirmations turned on by default, which costs extra with many providers (like mine..) so check it before sending your first SMS and turn it off
Sadly, these ROMs have serious RAM-problems, multi-tasking was quite impossible the last time I tried one of those (any app I tried to put into background was imediatly terminated)
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Android 2.3 MIUI ROM
Creator doc3000 posted it here, have not tried it out
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1596442
WARNING: user paul89rulez informed me that you can loose your IMEI by flashing this ROM, you can find a IMEI backup app here: MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Lists of other Custom ROMs

• MOD EDIT: Link removed. --> chinese u8860 forum, contains ROMs, but also other stuff concerning the u8860
• MOD EDIT: Link removed. --> chinese u8860 forum, contains ROMs, but also other stuff concerning the u8860
• MOD EDIT: Link removed. --> an incomplete english index of the chinese list below
• MOD EDIT: Link removed.
• MOD EDIT: Link removed.

Custom Kernels

I found a custom kernel that adds the option to overclock up to 2GHz. I'm used it running at 1.8GHz and it didn't seem to be any more unstable than before (I'm using the MIUI ROM which is a little bit instable all by itself already)
MOD EDIT: Link removed since you need to register to download the kernel, I also attached it MOD EDIT: Link removed to make it easier for you.

I also managed to build (and deploy) the 3.0.8 kernel sources provided by huawei myself, see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=23505650
With the help of the writer of rvoix I managed to adept our kernel in a way that rvoix works, but for the moment only mono so both parties mixed together in one channel (but recorded from the line, not only from the mic like most apps do). I attach the kernel that works with rvoix: View attachment boot_voc2.img.

Or for people wanting to build their kernels themselfs, here's the patch: http://code.google.com/p/rvoix/sour...pdragon/kernel/huawei_honor_u8860_rvoix.patch

UPDATE: Since our kernel sources don't work with B919 and later (non functional camera and wifi) I decided to go the other way round and modify the rvoix app to work with our kernel instead of adapting the kernel to work with the app. Here are the results: http://code.google.com/p/rvoix/downloads/detail?name=rvoix_mod_kaefert_v2.apk --> call recording that should work with all huawei honor 4.0.3 ROMs!

Various pointers

Adapting Chinese ROMs

• Adding Google Apps (like the Market) --> Download zip from here http://goo-inside.me/gapps and flash it with recovery
• Remove unwanted chinese system apps --> I do it with QtADB --> http://qtadb.wordpress.com/ But I guess you can also do it with some root app management apps
• Change to languages that are not choosable in the standard language setting --> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.c_lis.ccl.morelocale

Reading chinese sites
People who don't use google chrome or the chromium project (yet) probably don't know, that it has a really nice built-in translating feature, thats very useful for finding your way arround all these chinese (or russian) websites, and much better then using translate.google.com (or other such services) manually with other browsers.


Miscellaneous

Silent Huawei camera (ICS)
I was annoyed one day by all the noises the huawei camera simulates. Therefore I investigated and found out how to make it silent.
If you're interested, see http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=29079425&postcount=1028

Enabling logcat output on huawei phones
If your on stock ROM its quite easy, just dial *#*#2846579#*#* and enable logging in the project menu
For custom ROMs, I got a link from paul, but I didn't try it:
MOD EDIT: Link removed.
another site about enabling logcat on huawei devices:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...device-dev-log-main-no-such-file-or-directory

UPDATE
Sorry guys, but there won't be any updates by me anymore. I've moved on to Sony Xperia Z. The notoriosly low memory problem finally did it. (And Ingress)

There's a newer list of custom ROMs here:
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=45164331&postcount=3056

limestar said:

Hey thanks so much for helping with this. I followed your guides and managed to get my Honor rooted and on an ICS version. Thanks so much.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You're welcome. However, for the future, if theres nothing you want to say but to give thanks to someone for a post above yours, don't answer with a post of your own, but just use the "thanks" button. Thats what it was made for.

However if there are some questions or some obscurities in my post, feel free to ask.

wahyuwidi said:

Sir, does the miui rom is stable for daily use,

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Well, I've been using it for 2 days now. I wouldn't call it stable, it has some rough edges, sometimes some system app crashes (like in the beginning I had a problem with the SMS-app), and I've had 2 complete system crashes (forced reboot) while running oruxmaps for navigation & gps-logging with my byclicle.

cymagnus said:

Check with you, if i installed the custom recovery, and root, can i revert back to stock by flashing via the settings menu or the vol/power button combination and stock rom in load directory?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Well the settings menue doesn't contain the huawei upgrade option in every ROM (for example not in the MUIU ROM), but the volumn up+down while booting will probably work, I haven't tried though. The upgrade directory however has to be call "dload", not "load".

To revert back to a previous ROM I find it much better to use the nandroid backup and recover options that every recovery image I saw yet contains. However be careful, the recovery-v8.img posted on some other places is instable and crashes before the backup is finished. you won't be able to recover such an incomplete backup. Always check if you have some backup complete message, it should NOT reboot automatically after making a backup.

daleylay said:

Sir, is it ICS version that you are using? thanks.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

As stated in my first post, I'm currently using the unofficial MIUI android 4.0.3 version from here:
MOD EDIT: Link removed.

I have one or two unexpected reboots every day.

cbr900 said:

What is in MIUI rom better than the official rom that you like?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Well the MIUI ROM has much more configuration options, for example you have a statusbar settings page where you can choose between default battery icon, percentage number or the top pixel row in green. Or also the MIUI theme chooser is really nice.
Another useful thing is the permission manager thats included that (if you config it that way) asks you whenever an app tries to use a permission that its defined to require. for example if you have an app that has the permission to send sms then the permission manager will ask you the first time that the app really sends an sms if you want to allow or deny it, and also if you want to save your choice or if it should ask next time again.

Rafasdfgh said:

Hi, Sorry for my bad english, i have a awesome huawei honor, and i do all things that u describe in your post and run perfect but, i'm from mexico and y dont have 3G conection just Edge, do you know a way to resolve that? Thanks

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Hmm. Well the only ideas I have:

1.) Theres a 2G+3G / 2G only switch, in the MIUI ROM I linked in my first post you can reach it like this:
Home Screen --> Settings --> More... (4th point under the heading Wireless & Networks) --> Mobile Networks --> Only 2G-Networks
If that switch is on, than obviously your phone won't connect to a 3G network

2.) Your not in range of a 3G network?

cymagnus said:

Apparently there is bootloop issue for the newly released MIUI ROM 2.3.23 over at MOD EDIT: Link removed.
My experience is that I got stuck at the splashscreen as well.

I have download another at MIUI main site : MOD EDIT: Link removed.
and it works OK. Some portions of the UI are with Chinese texts and a few Chinese apps but overall still OK.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

yep. I also flashed the version from there MOD EDIT: Link removed and am currently running it. Will update the first post again as soon as theres a working english version for the huawei over there: MOD EDIT: Link removed.

EnDSK said:

Hey could you recommend some other rom that will speed up my phone? Im currently overclocked to 1.8 Ghz using a kernel from the links you gave.

Sent from my U8860 using xda premium

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

The ROMs that I know of and that I've tried you find in the first post. I found the loader (=desktop) of the non-MIUI ROMs to be faster and snappier. (However, the MIUI is more feature-rich)

EnDSK said:

Okay thanks alot I think I'm gonna give MIUI a try. Downloaded the latest version from the MIUI website. Have you tried any CM Release?

Sent from my U8860 using xda premium

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

As far as I know there is no CM (cyanogenmod) ROM for the Huawei U8860