[GUIDE] How to port ROMS

[saywhatt]

I know that there are actually LOTS of "How to port ROMS" in this forum now.. but I would like to share a certain source I found that is actually fool proof

Here it goes!

find a ROM that is designed for the same CPU type and the same phone manufacturer. Any stock Gingerbread, ICS, or CyanogenMod 7/9 ROM should work, but you’ll have to make sure your phone can handle the ROM – no ICS for an HTC Hero, for example. Also, your Port ROM's original Phone should have the same RESOLUTION with that of your phone's.

You will need:
**Notepad++
**a compression program (WinZip or 7zip and etc)
**the ROM you want to port to your phone (let’s call it the "Port ROM")
**a ROM designed for your phone (let’s call it"Base ROM")

This guide may mention some files or directories that aren’t present in your particular ROM; don’t worry, just carry on.

On your PC, extract the .ZIP files containing the two ROMs, and navigate to /system/app in your extracted Port ROM and copy stk.apk, vpnservices.apk, camera.apk, and bluetooth.apk into a temporary directory somewhere else on your PC.

Now, delete the following folders from your Port ROM and replace them with the ones from your Base ROM: /data, /system/app, /system/framework, /system/fonts and /system/media.

From your Base ROM, copy /system/lib/libandroid_runtime.so to the system/lib/ directory of your Port ROM, overwriting the file.

Next up, move the .APKs you copied earlier back into the /system/app directory of your Port ROM.

Open up /system/lib in your Port ROM and copy all the files and folders. Paste them into the Base’s /system/lib directory, replacing all. Then go back to the Port ROM and delete the /system/lib folder, and replace it with the /system/lib folder from the Base ROM.

Next, navigate to the /system/etc/init.d folder in the Port ROM and do the same copy-from-Port, paste-to-Base, delete-from-Port, copy-from-Base, paste-to-Port shuffle as before.

Navigate to /system/etc/permissions and do that same copy-paste dance one more time.

open system/build.prop from both the port and the base ROM in Notepad++. Update the Base build.prop to match the values for “ro.build.description=” and “ro.build.fingerprint=” from your Port. Now save the Base build.prop, exit Notepad++, and copy the Base build.prop into the Port ROM, overwriting the Port build.prop.

In Notepad++, open \META-INF\com\google\android\updater-script from both your base and port ROMs. Edit the Port’s script to be like the Base’s updater-script: specifically, change, edit, or add the sections for permissions, ui_prints, asserts, run_programs, and installing the kernel. Don’t change any of the symlinks. In the Port script, make sure that the ‘format’ values are appropriate for your device (compare them to the Base script).

Finally, make sure that your kernel is specifically for your device.

Now, if you desire, you can update any apps you require, or add any tools like BusyBox or SuperSU.

And that’s it! Your base ROM is now ready to be zipped and installed on your device via Clockwork Mod!


SOURCE: http://apcmag.com/port-roms-to-your-android-device.htm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

CUSTOM ROM FOLDERS EXPLAINED
List of Resolution for Smartphones
How to change Kernel of ROM Before installation in its zip file.
[GUIDE][How to Make CWM Recovery Flashable Zip file without Computer]

 

[30adi]

copy - paste, easy made. nice guide, thanks

 

[saywhatt]

copy - paste, easy made. nice guide, thanks

Yes but i found the source highly confusing i just "cleaned it up"

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[Warren87]

Very good job, thank you.

 

[saywhatt]

ADDED:

[GUIDE][How to Make CWM Recovery Flashable Zip file without Computer]

 

[khan_frd2002]

I port a ROM but I am getting unknown baseband no imei please tell me how to fix

 

[itzdarockz]

I port a ROM but I am getting unknown baseband no imei please tell me how to fix

go to build.prop in /system and edit rild.libpath=
rild.libargs=

to match your device and that should fix it

 

[1ceb0x]

your guide was just copied by a person from One V forums without giving proper credits.

see here: here

 

[saywhatt]

your guide was just copied by a person from One V forums without giving proper credits.

see here: here

I see.. he should've given proper credits to the website

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[khan_frd2002]

changing lib path in buildprob
not work

 

[kemaro30]

erm hello, can you put the other guides in your OP? some are in your other posts and it would not be easy for others to see..
nice guide and gonna try this when i got time

:good:

 

[saywhatt]

erm hello, can you put the other guides in your OP? some are in your other posts and it would not be easy for others to see..
nice guide and gonna try this when i got time

:good:

What "other" guides do you mean?

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[mandeep1]

Hello I Wanted to port Cm7 On a New cpu named as - MediaTek 6573 ! it is an armv6 one ... any suggestions from where to start ....etc ?

 

[Cyclosporine]

I will definitely give this a try.

 

[Cyb0rgz]

Great guide. Subscribed!!

 

[saywhatt]

Okay, question: what is the point of porting a ROM made for a device with the same CPU and same manufacturer?? there is VERY few phones that are made by the same company and the same cpu!

Well that is to ensure "safety" when porting a ROM.. the guide i posted was a beginner's guide on how to port.. as you can see, almost 80% of the procedure is just basically copy&paste..

however, if you have a good background now in codes and porting things, i believe you may not follow step-by-step the procedures i stated above.

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[saywhatt]

Hello I Wanted to port Cm7 On a New cpu named as - MediaTek 6573 ! it is an armv6 one ... any suggestions from where to start ....etc ?

Search for other phones with similar cpu

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[Dhiraj]

What about dual Sim ph?

 

[uoY_redruM]

Does anyone have any idea what would cause a "Modem Crashed Forced Upload Mode" on a port for SGS3?

I can't seem to pinpoint what causes that (I think it's a kernel panic but I could be wrong)

 

[teshxx]

Looks like this would work on International Note 2 and Tmobile Note 2. They have the exact same hardware and everything. I was wondering about the last statement about kernel. Can't I just copy the boot.img from tmobile note 2 to international note 2 ? would that work ? I am not familiar with kernels and stuff. Need advice.

Thanks