[HOW TO] Beginner's Guide to Flashing & Fun on the A700 (Root, ROMs, Etc.)

Installing ROMS & Such on the A700/701
For Extreme A700/Android Neophytes
Read It All BEFORE Beginning!​

Important Links:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1710755 ← Unlock Bootloader
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1791165 ← CWM
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1806980 ← CM10 Official Thread
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2056964 ← CM10.1 Official Thread
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2489708 ← CM10.2 Official Thread
-----http://get.cm/?device=a700 ← CM10 Download
-----http://goo.im/gapps ← Google Apps 4.1.2
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1995981 ← AOSP 4.2
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1952124 ← iconiaN
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1953917 ← Vorbeth’s EasyRoot ← Do This to Root!
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2004441 ← Vorbeth’s OC GPU Kernel
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1994294 ← CoolOne700
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2196266 ← IcOdiv for A701 & A700 based on CyanogenMod 10.1
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2219575 ← Evil Alex Purgatory A701
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2232411 ← 7comp based on RootBox
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2510004 ← Official PAC-man 4.3

Software You Will Use/Need (depending on your root method):
http://support.acer.com/us/en/product/default.aspx?tab=1&modelId=4318 ← Acer USB Drivers
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html ← Android SDK

General Information:
First off, this was never made adequately clear for new users (without going through a hundred different posts with hundreds of replies): You will be using the Android SDK and the Windows Command Prompt. When installing the Android SDK, change the directory to something easy like C:\SDK because you will be typing it a lot. The directory in that folder you will be using exclusively for this process is the “platform-tools” directory. This is where adb and fastboot are found.

In addition, you will need to activate ADB Debugging on your tablet. This is found by going to Settings -> Developer Options -> USB Debugging. If this isn’t done, you will get nothing accomplished. Yes, you will need to have your tablet connected through USB to your PC for this to work. I know there are other ways, but I’m writing this with brand new users in mind.

After you’ve got that set, you should go ahead and install the Acer USB Drivers. None of my computers could properly identify the tablet without the drivers. Speaking of quirks, 64GB microsd cards are not generally very friendly with CM10 or CWM even when formatted as Fat32. There are lots of issues I can’t find a workaround to. Consider using a 32GB until the kinks are worked out.

I’m also assuming you are currently running the JB OTA that was pushed worldwide in October 2012. If you are not, then there are a few extra steps when installing IconiaN. Although I compiled the instructions you’re reading, I had nothing to do with anything else. In fact, I didn’t write the codes used to install things through the command prompt….I just compiled all the information into one easy-ish to follow paper.

As usual, if anything in this causes a brick to your tablet, it was your decision. I’m just providing the information that has worked for me (repeatedly). Also, as I’m not a developer, nor am I very handy with editing files or trouble shooting things without actually handling them…….Ask your specific questions directly to those people in charge of the files (pawitp, Vorbeth, Moscow Desire, meier2009, odiv81 and alx5962). They’re the gurus at this..I am a plebe in their shadow.

TL;DR:

1. Install Android SDK to an easy directory.
2. Install Acer USB Drivers.

Unlock Your Bootloader: (codes from alx5962)
1. Open a command prompt in windows and navigate to the directory where adb is stored. For the sake of conversation, I’m going to call it “C:\SDK\platform-tools”
2. Plug your tablet into your computer through USB. It should automatically mount because you’ve installed the Acer USB Drivers and didn’t skip that step above. J
3. At the command prompt, enter the following:

-- Allow the device to reboot.

4. Type Code:
5. Press the + Volume button to select Unlock then - Volume button to confirm.
6. Restart :
7. Confirmation of your unlocked status will be seen in the upper left hand corner of the screen.

Install Clockwork Mod Recovery: (all work & codes from pawitp)
Somehow I wasn’t able to install this properly (permanently) until last night (11/09/12). I’m still not entirely sure what I did differently, but I’ll try to document it here. The safest version of CWM is 6.0.1.5. Don’t attempt anything without that version or better. I’ve heard that at this time the touch version isn’t working properly, so be sure to download the original style CWM.

To navigate CWM, the following bit of information will come in handy (especially if you’ve never used it before.) Use the ‘Vol-‘ and ‘Vol+’ buttons to navigate up and down and the ‘Power’ button to select your choice. When you have made a choice it will sometimes give a screen with a ton of “NO” options with only one “YES” option (usually near the bottom). Like any good video game, if you scroll upwards, you can get to the bottom of the screen faster.

1. Place the CWM file you downloaded into your “platform-tools” directory. For the sake of being easy to install, I changed the file name to ‘recovery.img.’
2. Open a command prompt in windows and navigate to the directory where adb is stored. For the sake of conversation, I’m going to call it “C:\SDK\platform-tools”
3. Plug your tablet into your computer through USB.
4. At the command prompt, enter the following:
5. At this point, you have flashed CWM to the system, BUT you will now need to boot into CWM using :

The caveat here is that you will need to install either a custom ROM or unencumbered boot.img (kernel) NOW. If you do not install one, flashing CWM was pointless because stock recovery will overwrite it at next reboot. When prompted at reboot (leaving CWM after flashing a ROM) you should choose to keep CWM. This was sort of a miscommunication between the devs and myself, but meier2009 and Moscow Desire cleared it up.


For Future Reference: Enter recovery…(JB):
a. With system powered off, press and hold ‘Power’ and ‘Vol -‘
b. When the system vibrates, release the ‘Power’ button.
c. When the system vibrates a second time, slide your finger from ‘Vol-‘ to ‘Vol+.”
d. When the system vibrates a third time, release that button.

Install pawitp’s CM10.1 OR IcOdiv (A701): (all work & codes from pawitp)
Download the CM10 nightly from the official Cyanogen page and grab the Google Apps file (optional, but you won’t have market without it) listed in the links section. Despite what people say, I have always been unable to install from my external SD card. Instead, I save the zip files to the root/main directory of the internal SD. Save BOTH FILES to internal SD at this time. This has always worked for me, but your mileage may vary. You do this at your own risk, blah, blah, blah.

1. Boot your A700 into CWM using the steps outlined in Step 5. (or 6) from “Install Clockwork Recovery Mod.”
2. Backup your system by navigating to “backup and restore” by using the ‘Vol-‘ and ‘Vol+’ buttons to navigate up and down and the ‘Power’ button to select your choice.
3. At this point, there are two options for you. “backup” and “backup to external_sdcard”…. I have never been able to mount my 64GB Fat32 external_sd in CWM. Try a smaller card if you have one available (I don’t). If you can backup to external, that is probably necessary when coming from stock. I would only backup to internal if you are just updating from an older nightly or previous rom.
4. On the main screen, assuming you’re coming from stock JB or ICS, you will need to do a couple of wipes. I’m positive the first is necessary, and have read in other parts of threads and other forums that the other two wipes are needed, but as they’re both called “cache,” I went ahead and did both (with no ill effects).

• Select “wipe data/factory reset”
• Select “wipe cache partition”
• Select “advanced” and navigate to “wipe dalvik cache”
• Go back to the main menu.

5. From the main menu, select “install zip from sdcard”.
6. Select “choose zip from sdcard” and scroll down to the CM10 zip file. Press the ‘Power’ button to select and confirm.

After this has successfully installed, you can choose to install Google Apps or not. I’m assuming you will want to install them because…well…who doesn’t?

7. To install Google Apps, follow Steps 3 and 4 from above, but this time you will choose the gapps zip file instead of the CM10 zip.
8. Reboot Device & Enjoy well sorted Jelly Beans.


Install iconiaN: (all work & codes from Vorbeth)
At the moment this is my favorite. It is one version number (4.1.1) behind CM10 (4.1.2), BUT it is compatible with my SD card, and is similar to the stock experience …. only faster and without the bloatware. The only reason it is second in this guide is because of the alphabet (C before I & P before V).
The latest updates to the ROM bring the latest GAPPS and firmware. meier2009’s 4Way Reboot Mod is also included (and rocks).

1. Boot your A700 into CWM.
2. Follow Steps 2-6 from above if coming from stock JB (or CM10, or CoolOne700) with the exception that you’re installing the iconiaN zip (not CM10, duh). Also, iconiaN comes with v4.2 Google Apps pre-installed, so no need for Step 7.
-----2.a. If coming from stock ICS, you will need to install the Jelly Bean Firmware (Found in the Aroma Setup of the ROM)
3. If coming from an older version of iconiaN, you shouldn’t need to do the wipes, but go ahead and do the backup just to be safe.
4. Reboot Device & Enjoy well sorted Jelly Beans.

Install Vorbeth's OC GPU Kernel: (all work & codes from Vorbeth)
This is a custom kernel (as of this writing available only for the A700) that overclocks the Tegra 3 from 1.3Ghz to 1.5Ghz. There has been a noted improvement in gaming performance using this kernel.

1. Boot your A700 into CWM.
2. From the main menu, select “install zip from sdcard”.
3. Select “choose zip from sdcard” and scroll down to the iconiaN Kernel zip file. Press the ‘Power’ button to select and confirm.
4. Reboot Device PLAY SOME GAMES! WEE!

Install Vorbeth’s EasyRoot: (all work & codes from Vorbeth)
If for some reason you’re happy with stock and just want a very simple way to ROOT, then this is for you. Using this kernel will cause OTA to stop working (or you will have to edit the updater-script) and remove all the file checks. The latest update has made all previous instructions null, and it is now exceedingly easy to install ROOT on your A700. Awesome! Still, this does require an unlocked bootloader.
1. Download and extract the EasyRoot ZIP on your computer.
2. Locate and double click the file 'easyroot.bat'.
3. Follow all onscreen instructions.
4. Profit.


CoolOne700: (all work & codes from meier2009)
This is the new kid on the block. meier2009 has included three different install options in this ROM including Full (rooted stock), Small (all the Acer bloatware removed), and Custom (Choose what you want.) It’s definitely one to keep an eye on. Custom install is very handy. He’s also got his 4Way Reboot Mod which adds all our favorite reboot/recovery features. Sweet! Also, BusyBox and SuperSU are included on install, so you don’t need to worry about that.

1. Boot your A700 into CWM.
2. Follow Steps 2-6 from CM10 Install if coming from stock JB (or CM10, or iconiaN) with the exception that you’re installing the CoolOne700 zip (not CM10, duh). Also, CoolOne700 comes with Google Apps pre-installed, so no need for Step 7.
-----2. a. If coming from stock ICS, you will need to install the Jelly Bean Firmware (Found in the Aroma Setup of the ROM)
3. If updating from an older version of CoolOne700, you won’t need to do any of the wipes, but it is always a great idea to do the backup.
4. Reboot Device & Enjoy well sorted Jelly Beans.

Makes sense then how I finally ended up with CWM actually installed on my tablet. Were the original instructions from pawitp mistaken, or just incomplete?

Added more info last night and have now included the AOSP 4.2 to the links. Keepin' this bumped & updated.

Bumping thread back near the top. Lots of people got an A700 for the holiday and it seems many of them are bricking or at least screwing things up using outdated methods or strange new forms of CWM from other forums.

Also, thanks for the info, SanjuroE. Appreciated, and I can honestly say I never knew how to do the sideloading thing. I didn't actually realize that was what it was as on my old tablet (three years ago) sideloading was always in reference to installing from the external SD.