[GUIDE] How to Flash in Custom Recovery

**Skunkape60** · 09-23-2012, 12:37 PM

There are several ways to flash your android device. You can use Odin, ADB / fast boot and custom recovery to flash different types of files to your android.
Odin - Odin is used for flashing .tar files on the Samsung devices. tar files are usually complete roms, kernels or recovery's. Odin is installed on a desktop or laptop computer and flashes the tars from the computer to the device through the usb cable.
ADB / Fastboot - Fastbooot is what you will use to flash .img files. Like the .tar files, they are normally complete rom images, recovery's and kernels but there are a lot of other things that are flashed with fastboot. Fastboot is installed on a desktop or laptop computer and flashes the .img files from the computer to the device through the usb cable.
Custom Recovery's - Custom recovery's are used to flash zip files on your device. zip files can be used to flash full roms, kernels, recovery's just like the tar and image files but can additionally flash mods, fixes, custom tweaks and themes. The advantages are that everything is done from the device and not from a separate computer.

There are many different custom recovery's but I will concentrate mostly on Clock Work Mod Recovery version 6.0.1.2 as it is the newest and currently seems to be the most common. However the basic things are pretty much the same.

Always make a Nandroid Backup of your configuration prior to flashing an unknown mod, kernel or rom.

Recovery mode is achieved either by pressing and holding "volume UP, power button and the (physical) home button simultaneously while your phone is off. Watching the screen closely, release all 3 buttons as soon as you see the word Samsung. If timed correctly it will boot into recovery in about 10-20 seconds (after releasing). Remember if you are too early or late the phone will boot normally and skip recovery. If you have a rom with a custom boot menu, you can go directly into recovery by choosing it from the restart menu.

How to perform an Nandriod Backup

The first screen you see when starting cwm I will call the home menu and is the starting point for everything in this guide.
1. Select "backup and restore" from the home menu.
2. Select "backup to external sdcard".
3. Wait for the backup to complete and then use you phones back button or the "go back" onscreen button to return to the home menu.

How to flash mods, fixes, recovery's, themes and kernels in custom recovery

1. From the home menu, select "wipe cache partition" and confirm by selecting yes.
2. Select advanced menu.
3. Select wipe dalvik cache and then confirm by selecting yes.
4. Return to the home menu
5. Select "install zip from sdcard"
6. Select "choose zip from sd card" or "choose zip from external sdcard".
7. Select the file you want to flash and select yes to confirm. (if you don't see it, swipe the screen to scroll up and down)
8. After it completes, go back to the home menu and select "reboot system now".

How to flash ROMs in custom recovery

If you are going from a rom to the same rom that has been updated you often don't need to wipe data / factory reset and can skip that step. Additionally you can go even further by formatting system, data, and cache from the mounts and storage menu.

1. From the home menu, select "wipe cache partition" and confirm by selecting yes.
2. Select advanced menu.
3. Select "wipe dalvik cache" and then confirm by selecting yes.
4. Return to the home menu
5. Select wipe data / factory reset and select yes to confirm (This will delete all of your apps, passwords, settings and accounts.
6. Select "install zip from sdcard"
7. Select "choose zip from sd card" or "choose zip from external sdcard".
8. Select the file you want to flash and select yes to confirm. (if you don't see it, swipe the screen or use your volume up and down to scroll up and down )
9. After it completes, go back to the home menu and select reboot system now.

**dad2noah** · 09-23-2012, 07:11 PM

Best
Guide
Ever
Nuff said

**bigbruise** · 10-16-2012, 08:41 AM

5. Select wipe data / factory reset and select yes to confirm (This will delete all of your apps, passwords, settings and accounts.

Is there a way to resotre/apply nandroid back up so that all of our apps and setting are applied to the new ROM?
?

**dmmarck** · 10-16-2012, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by bigbruise

Is there a way to resotre/apply nandroid back up so that all of our apps and setting are applied to the new ROM?
?

No. You need an app like Titanium for that.

**Skunkape60** · 10-16-2012, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by bigbruise

Is there a way to resotre/apply nandroid back up so that all of our apps and setting are applied to the new ROM?
?

Well yes and no. You can do a custom restore and restore your data. People always suggest it. But the point is you shouldn't do it. It's the same thing as not doing the wipe data in the first place. The only difference is by not wiping you don't erase it. And restoring it, your putting the same data back. In the end, it's the same exact thing.

**dmmarck** · 10-16-2012, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Skunkape60

Well yes and no. You can do a custom restore and restore your data. People always suggest it. But the point is you shouldn't do it. It's the same thing as not doing the wipe data in the first place. The only difference is by not wiping you don't erase it. And restoring it, your putting the same data back. In the end, it's the same exact thing.

Yup. It presents way too many problems down the road. You never want to restore app data that's (1) absolutely crucial, and/or (2) was "created" on a completely different ROM, rom-type, etc. E.g., restoring stuff from a TW-based ROM to an AOSP-based rom and vice versa.

**bigbruise** · 10-16-2012, 01:44 PM

I do have titanium backup ill look into how to use that to accomplish what I'm trying to do. But the general idea that I'm getting from you guys is to not do this, different rom versions and stuff come into effect. So basically with each new rom you must re download and set up all apps,contacts,accounts again? That's a pain.

**dmmarck** · 10-17-2012, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by bigbruise

I do have titanium backup ill look into how to use that to accomplish what I'm trying to do. But the general idea that I'm getting from you guys is to not do this, different rom versions and stuff come into effect. So basically with each new rom you must re download and set up all apps,contacts,accounts again? That's a pain.

It really depends. It depends on how much unique data has accrued, the type of rom, if it's just an update of the same rom, etc.

For Titanium, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus root forum has a very nice guide. It's a must read for this stuff.

Dropped by Felix from 24 Miles above the Earth

**bigbruise** · 10-17-2012, 10:17 AM

Alright, I'll read up on it. I'm just really surprised this is the route that has to be taken, I thought a quick restore of data would put my screens back the way I had them set up, I mean at least the contacts and apps. That Cm10 nightly ROM would suck so bad if you kept up to date on it.

**dmmarck** · 10-17-2012, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by bigbruise

Alright, I'll read up on it. I'm just really surprised this is the route that has to be taken, I thought a quick restore of data would put my screens back the way I had them set up, I mean at least the contacts and apps. That Cm10 nightly ROM would suck so bad if you kept up to date on it.

For screens and that stuff, use a custom launcher and back up your settings within the launcher.

Dropped by Felix from 24 Miles above the Earth

**bigbruise** · 10-17-2012, 08:55 PM

I guess I need to do more research. Today I flashed the codename rom today after creating a batch backup in titanium backup. I figured I would just download TB and restore the batch but while in the play store it states its already installed on my device so I couldn't download again. I guess I need to find a rom with gapps included in the flash and I'm sure the xda forums will help me with that

**dmmarck** · 10-18-2012, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by bigbruise

I guess I need to do more research. Today I flashed the codename rom today after creating a batch backup in titanium backup. I figured I would just download TB and restore the batch but while in the play store it states its already installed on my device so I couldn't download again. I guess I need to find a rom with gapps included in the flash and I'm sure the xda forums will help me with that

Did you follow the TiBu guide from the Verizon GN forums?

Dropped by Felix from 24 Miles above the Earth

**Skunkape60** · 10-18-2012, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by bigbruise 
I guess I need to do more research. Today I flashed the codename rom today after creating a batch backup in titanium backup. I figured I would just download TB and restore the batch but while in the play store it states its already installed on my device so I couldn't download again. I guess I need to find a rom with gapps included in the flash and I'm sure the xda forums will help me with that

Did you follow the TiBu guide from the Verizon GN forums? 
 
Dropped by Felix from 24 Miles above the Earth

There's a link to it here in this forum somewhere.

**bigbruise** · 10-18-2012, 08:14 PM

After much reading and learning I have successfully flashed the Cynagen ROM and had my contacts and gapps carried over. I used ROM manager but hey, it worked. This forum specifically you two, have been very helpful and I appreciate it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

**Skunkape60** · 10-18-2012, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by bigbruise

After much reading and learning I have successfully flashed the Cynagen ROM and had my contacts and gapps carried over. I used ROM manager but hey, it worked. This forum specifically you two, have been very helpful and I appreciate it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

Congratulations... I don't know what your issues were. I've never had problems flashing a ROM.

All AOSP and CM ROMs for the most part have separate gapps package. Download the gapps package suggested in the op.

Do all the steps below in a single recovery session without booting between any of the steps.

1. For CM and AOSP, download ROM and gapps to your external sd or internal storage.
2. Wipe Cache, dalvik and factory reset.
3. Format system (in cwm it's in mounts and storage menu)
4. Flash ROM
5. Flash gapps.
6. Reboot.

**Elaldeano** · 11-11-2012, 07:26 AM

What are gapps? I downloaded a rom in a zip file but didn't see anything about gapps.

Also, I don't have a sd card so I didn't do a factory reset before flashing because I was afraid of losing all my data plus the rom downloaded to my internal storage. Now tho, I can't see my pictures and the titanium backup i did before flashing won't restore.

What can I do to resolve this issue?

Thanks

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

**dcharleyultra** · 11-11-2012, 08:29 AM

Need more details, e.g.which ROM.

Swyped from my SPH-L710

**Skunkape60** · 11-11-2012, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Elaldeano

What are gapps? I downloaded a rom in a zip file but didn't see anything about gapps.

Also, I don't have a sd card so I didn't do a factory reset before flashing because I was afraid of losing all my data plus the rom downloaded to my internal storage. Now tho, I can't see my pictures and the titanium backup i did before flashing won't restore.

What can I do to resolve this issue?

Thanks

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

I've already answered this. The gapps were included in the rom he flashed but gallery was in the removed apps list. I directed him to the playstore to download QuickPics as a replacement. It is in many peoples opinion, better than the stock gallery.

Also suggested he get over his aversion to factory resetting his phone if he wants to continue loading roms. In case you don't know... A factory reset does NOT erase either internal or external sd cards. (Internal or external storage).

**TigerDave99** · 12-03-2012, 02:00 PM

So I just noticed that the first ClockworkMod Recovery backup I did right after rooting three days ago is dated with 1970-01-01, and the one I did moments ago is 1970-01-04 whether I had selected "backup" or the "backup to ext sd card" option.

I'm guessing this is normal?

**Skunkape60** · 12-03-2012, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by TigerDave

So I just noticed that the first ClockworkMod Recovery backup I did right after rooting three days ago is dated with 1970-01-01, and the one I did moments ago is 1970-01-04 whether I had selected "backup" or the "backup to ext sd card" option.

I'm guessing this is normal?

Yes... This is an issue with all recoveries. I will let you know how to rename the backups when I get off work. There are certain requirements in the name you must follow.

**jay28w** · 12-07-2012, 04:48 AM

Originally Posted by Skunkape60

Yes... This is an issue with all recoveries. I will let you know how to rename the backups when I get off work. There are certain requirements in the name you must follow.

Hey Skunkape...have u been able to address this? As always, greatly appreciate you help !!

**Skunkape60** · 12-07-2012, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by jay28w

Hey Skunkape...have u been able to address this? As always, greatly appreciate you help !!

Lol... I have. Just not in this thread..

Originally Posted by Skunkape60

To rename the backups go to the cwm folder / Backups hold press and hold the file you want to rename choose rename from the menu. Name it what you want but you can't have any spaces in the name.

Example: 12Dec2012_Wicked_Sensations

**jay28w** · 12-07-2012, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Skunkape60

Lol... I have. Just not in this thread..

Excellent, thanks for the info. This makes my ROM management exponentially easier.

**aznwond3r** · 01-03-2013, 10:50 PM

Hi I recently flashed the LiquidSmooth Jellybean 4.2 ROM on my s3 and after i flashed it i hit reboot but it only loads to the samsung screen and then just powers off and repeats this over and over. It vibrates when it turns on then it never gets past the samsung screen.

**DroidXcon** · 01-03-2013, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by aznwond3r

Hi I recently flashed the LiquidSmooth Jellybean 4.2 ROM on my s3 and after i flashed it i hit reboot but it only loads to the samsung screen and then just powers off and repeats this over and over. It vibrates when it turns on then it never gets past the samsung screen.

Did you factory reset, wipe cache, and wipe dalvik cache?