[Q] How do you install google apps on a custom rom?

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I've been downloading some custom roms off of the chinese forums, but many of them don't have google apps. If I can't sync my contacts and calender to gmail, I won't use the rom.

I downloaded GAPPS, which is meant to go with Cyanogenmod. I flashed it through recovery, but it didn't work.

I'd really like to use some of these Chinese roms, like V7, but I have to have GAPPS.

When installing any ROM I'm fairly sure you do it in this order:
1. Backup
2. Wipe Data/Factory reset
3. Flash ROM
4. Manually mount /system
5. Flash GAPPS
6. Wipe Dalvik and Batterystats (optional)
7. Reboot

I have done it this way with the CM6 and CM7 ROMS and GAPPS works fine for me.

Yes need to mount /system manually before flashing, probably need to install GAPPS before first boot.

Some devs put the GAPPS for their ROM on the forum also. Like Genokolar. You can look at the ROM post for instructions.

Ok. How do you manually mount the system?

@simplistian: where he posts the gaps? i can only find something called gms! or thats it?

http://bbs.goapk.com/thread-2280290-1-1.html

Originally Posted by iakoboss7

@simplistian: where he posts the gaps? i can only find something called gms! or thats it?

http://bbs.goapk.com/thread-2280290-1-1.html

Yes it is GMS. Flash it after you flash the ROM before the first boot. No need to mount /system.

Originally Posted by typci

Ok. How do you manually mount the system?

With a custom recovery. There is an option of mounting different partitions.

Simplistian, thanks. You've been a great help. I'm going to stick with the B136 for now, and it runs great, and handles high end games without any problems. Next time I flash, I'll probably go with genokolar's V7 like you recommended.