[Q] Noob wanting to load a custom rom

[ohmegosh]

I've been browsing the forums for a couple of months. Read lots of how-to guides but they all give different ways of doing the same thing.
Thought I knew a lot about computers, but feeling like a noob

GT-N7100 (international) running 4.1.1. Rooted using N7100. Backed up all my apks and data using Carbon, the backup app. I assume that if I wipe the device I can restore... so I'm good to go.
Wanted to put on a custom 4.2 rom so I picked Carbon (1.4-2FEB2003). Reviews looked favourable.

Downloaded Rom Manager v5.5.2.3. Clicked "Recovery Setup", rebooted, my Current Recovery is now Clockworkod 6.0.1.9.
Downloaded the rom using goomanager. Rom is sitting in a zip in a directory on my sd card.
Installed Mobile ODIN Lite v3.65 since I wanted to keep the flash count at 0.

Mobile ODIN doesn't see any of the files (they're zip). If I unzip them using an external zipper then I can manual select "Kernel" boot.img, but no idea what files to select for the rest of the options. Ok, so abandoned ODIN.

Back to ROM Manager. Install ROM from SD Card, however that app appears to be bugged since it's not able to show the external sd card, (extSdCard) and just shows internal memory.

Installed ROM Toolbox Lite. Install ROM from SD card. Browsed onto the SD card. Hurrah... picked the rom. ROM Pre-Installation appears, picked Backup Existing ROM, Wipe Data and Cache (shudder), Wipe Dalvik Cache. Ok. Reboot and install. OK. Phone reboots.
Into ClockworkMod.

Screen appears with a falled down droid. Options are: reboot system now, apply update from ADB, apply update from external storage, wipe data/factory reset/ wipe cache partition, apply update from cache.
No idea what to pick. I'd have expected to get a "install rom from sd card" or some other such option, since "update" sounds like just changing clockworkmod.

Choosing "reboot system now" and the system comes back up as if I hadn't told it to install rom. Apply from external allows me to browse the rom but then I get ann E:signature veritifcation failed.

Hard-reboot. Back into 4.1.1.

I can plug into my computer (mac - so no Odin). While I'd like to keep my trianges away etc for warranty, it's not 100% critical.
How to progress further? Which of the several flashing tools should I use? What noob mistakes am I making?

 

[Dark.Soul085]

1st Of all Every time You Flash a Custom Rom or boot into recovery mode ur binary will be increased so its pointless to use Triangle away while you are rooted , But when you decide to make ur device completely stock then use Triangle away and flash a Stock Rom which will unroot ur device and get ota updates back.

Now for flashing custom Roms its simple By Using any custom recovery Clockworkod or TWR.. etc:

1- Turn Off ur device then boot into recovery ( Vol up + Home + Power)
2- Make sure you have downloaded the Rom to your external SD Card
3- Wipe data Factory Reset ( Your External will remain untouched)
4- Wipe Cach
5- Wipe Dalvik cach
6- Finally Install Zip From SD Card an choose install Zip from External Card , Aroma Installer will popup then you can take it from here

 

[ohmegosh]

1- Turn Off ur device then boot into recovery ( Vol up + Home + Power)
6- Finally Install Zip From SD Card an choose install Zip from External Card , Aroma Installer will popup then you can take it from here

Would you expect the Install Zip from SD Card option to appear if I'd skipped steps 2-5. I.e. if I haven't factory wiped yet, would the option not appear? Or should it always be there and there is something else wrong?

Thanks for your help BTW.

 

[souravtarafdar]

Would you expect the Install Zip from SD Card option to appear if I'd skipped steps 2-5. I.e. if I haven't factory wiped yet, would the option not appear? Or should it always be there and there is something else wrong?

Thanks for your help BTW.

if u skip steps 2-5 you will face problems in the new rom. even worse the new rom may not boot normally due to leftover system data files n settings of the previous rom.
best way to flash is to reboot to recovery rather than using some softwares.
always make a nandroid in clockwork "backup n restore" option prior to flashing new rom.

 

[ohmegosh]

always make a nandroid in clockwork "backup n restore" option prior to flashing new rom.

Maybe this is where my confusion is coming from. I'm not seeing a backup option in the clockwork menu. Nor am I seeing a flash rom option, or anything other than the few options.

Those options are: reboot system now, apply update from ADB, apply update from external storage, wipe data/factory reset/ wipe cache partition, apply update from cache.

 

[UtkarshGupta]

That means you haven't flashed cwm recovery.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[ohmegosh]

That means you haven't flashed cwm recovery.

According to ROM Manager on the phone I'm getting told
"Current Recovery: ClockworkMod 6.0.1.9
Latest Recovery: ClockworkMod 6.0.1.9"

I've tried reflashing the recovery a couple of times but it makes no difference.
I've checked clockworkmod.com/rommanager and indeed 6.0.1.9 appears correct.

Is there a different tool I should be using to put the cwm recovery into place?

Again, thanks to everyone so far for your help. This noob wants to not be a noob

 

[UtkarshGupta]

In recovery does it say stock recovery ?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[ohmegosh]

In recovery does it say stock recovery ?

When you say "in recovery" did you mean in the ROM Manager app, or somewhere else? I'll assume you meant when booting in recovery mode.

If I boot into recovery mode (from ROM Manager, click the reboot into recovery, or by power off/on with keys) I get the fallen down droid, and the following:
"Android system recovery <3e>

Volume up/down to move highlight:
power button to select.

reboot system now
apply update from ADB
apply update from external storage
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
apply update from cache
-------
# MANUAL MODE #
-- Applying Multi-CSC...
Applied the CSC-code : BTU
Successfully applied multi-CSC."

 

[Dark.Soul085]

I guess you still have the stock recovery , You should have the option to install a zip from SD Card check the Screenshot

 

[ohmegosh]

I guess you still have the stock recovery , You should have the option to install a zip from SD Card check the Screenshot

Hmm... screenshot definitely doesn't look like that. So what do I need to do to get that recovery installed? ROM Manager doesn't seem to want to do it. I wonder if the way I got root is the problem?

 

[UtkarshGupta]

Download the recovery from clockworkmod site and flash it via mobile odin.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[ohmegosh]

Download the recovery from clockworkmod site and flash it via mobile odin.

I've downloaded the file (6.0.1.9) and it comes as a .img file. However, by default, mobile odin wouldn't handle it. Searched and found another post that said to rename it to "recovery.img" and... MO found it. Hurrah. Flashed. Hurrah.

It rebooted into it once. All looked good. But on reboot it's gone. I'm a lot further along than this morning so thank you. I'll go play some more!

 

[UtkarshGupta]

Rename the following file

/system/recovery-from-boot.p

to

/system/recovery-from-boot.p-bak
With root explorer or something.

Then flash custom recovery again.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[Dark.Soul085]

Flash it via odin

 

[ohmegosh]

Rename the following file

That did it, thanks!

 

[souravtarafdar]

if u skip steps 2-5 you will face problems in the new rom. even worse the new rom may not boot normally due to leftover system data files n settings of the previous rom.
best way to flash is to reboot to recovery rather than using some softwares.
always make a nandroid in clockwork "backup n restore" option prior to flashing new rom.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2028103

go to second post for installation instruction of philz cwm recovery.......I guess u even dont have root access, so try the odin instructions.

or try the original cwm touch version:::::::::

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34315245

-Reboot device to download mode(vol down+home+power at once keep pressed until restarts)
-Open odin and select downloaded file for PDA tab
-Connect device to PC, and wait till device successfully added to com port
-Flash
-Use Triangle away reset flash counter(thanks chainfire).

hope it helped u.:good:

 

[UtkarshGupta]

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2028103

go to second post for installation instruction of philz cwm recovery.......I guess u even dont have root access, so try the odin instructions.

or try the original cwm touch version:::::::::

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34315245

-Reboot device to download mode(vol down+home+power at once keep pressed until restarts)
-Open odin and select downloaded file for PDA tab
-Connect device to PC, and wait till device successfully added to com port
-Flash
-Use Triangle away reset flash counter(thanks chainfire).

hope it helped u.:good:

How can he triangle away if he has a custom recovery?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[souravtarafdar]

How can he triangle away if he has a custom recovery?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

Triangle away ----used to reset flash counter....thAT IS it resets the times u flash something....when u flash recovery ur counter increases...simply open triangle away & reset counter to 00000000000000000000.........so ur doubt cleared
didn't thought u would ask this after seeing ur previous posts