[DroidXcon]

Android Central,Team Win, Koush ,nor myself take any responsibility for any modification you make to your own phone. Even if your phone sprouts legs, steals your car ,uses your credit cards or sleeps with your girl. NOT OUR FAULT!

DO NOT USE ROM MANAGER TO FLASH CUSTOM RECOVERY. DO NOT USE GOO MANAGER TO FLASH CUSTOM RECOVERY. YOU MUST HAVE AN UNLOCKED BOOTLOADER TO FLASH A CUSTOM RECOVERY. FAILING TO HEED THIS WARNING WILL CAUSE DAMAGE THAT WILL FORCE YOU TO HAVE TO FLASH STOCK IMAGE WITH ODIN TO RECOVER.

Please Read Directions carefully!

This does have the potential of BRICKING YOUR PHONE.Follow Directions carefully, ask if you need help. and above all else never panic.
That being said, HAVE FUN!!

Pictures and videos will be added at a later date

Guide: How To Install and Use Custom Recoveries

Questions below:

What is a Recovery?
What is a Custom Recovery?
Do i need a Custom Recovery?
How Do I get to my stock or custom recovery on my phone?
I am rooted, can i simply flash a custom recovery from Rom manager or Goo manager?
How do i get a custom recovery?
Which custom recovery is best?
Will installing a custom recovery void my warranty?
What is a Nandroid Backup/Restore
What is Dalvik cache
What are Permissions and what does fixing them do?

Q: What is a Recovery?

A: In Android, recovery refers to the dedicated, bootable partition that has the recovery console installed. A combination of key presses,will boot your phone to recovery, where you can find tools to help repair/recover your installation as well as install official OS updates.Its main purpose is to delete all user data and files, or to perform system updates. When you tell your phone to do a factory reset, recovery is what boots up and erases the files and data. Besides the said functions the stock recovery does not offer much of any other usefullness to someone looking to modify their android device.

Q: What is a Custom Recovery?

A: A Custom Recovery is a recovery developed to give much more functionality than the stock recovery. Functions of a custom recovery include:
•Wiping your phone’s data,cache, and Dalvik cache.
•Make, restore and manage backups of your phone’s operating system and software.
•Install a custom ROM(operating system) or application from a zip file to make specific modifications to your device.

Q: Do i need a Custom Recovery?

A: No if you are happy with the way the device is running and all of the functionality that your device with then you do not need it. Also low level modifications can be done by simply rooting your device.
If you plan on doing higher level modifications such as installing custom kernels and custom roms then yes this is necessary.

Q:How Do I get to my stock or custom recovery on my phone?

A:You must first Power down your device. Then press and hold Volume up and home buttons,while continuing to hold, press and hold Power. Keep holding until your recovery screen appears.

Q:How do i get a custom recovery?

A:When/if you unlock your bootloader, Team Win Recovery Project more commonly known as TWRP will come preinstalled. If you would like to you use Clockwork Mod Recovery also known as CWM this must be flashed using TWRP after rebooting the recovery system will have changed over. Detailed instructions will be found within this guide.

Q:I am rooted, can't i simply flash a custom recovery from Rom manager or Goo manager?

A: NO, in order to have a custom recovery on your device it must have an unlocked bootloader. Flashing a custom recovery onto your device without unlocking the bootloader will result in a soft brick and you will have to flash a stock rom via Odin. If you find yourself in this position please ask for help.

Q:Which custom recovery is best?

A:Both TWRP and CWM are great choices but in the end it is up to you. It is up to you to try them out and see which one you like better.

Q:Will installing a custom recovery void my warranty?

A:If you have flashed a custom recovery you are way beyond caring if your warranty is void lol. The answer is yes, this is a high level modification. But if you need to return your device you can always return to stock and your warranty will be fine.

Q:What is Dalvik cache?

A:One of the best functions of Android has to be the Dalvik cache. Dalvik cache is a wonder from the point your Android starts up, runs, hibernates and all the way till you device shuts down. Dalvik cache collects the information about the installed applications and frameworks, and organizes them into a writeable cache. Under this writeable cache, it stores the “optimized” bytecode of the applications which is used by the applications themselves later for a smoother operation. This dalvik cache can grow immensely huge as more applications are installed on your phone. It is safe to wipe dalvik-cache. It will be rebuilt again when the phone boots. This also explains why your phone takes ages to start up for the first time.

If you ever extract an APK installer file, you will always find a file named classes.dex. This is the file Dalvik finds to build the cache. What makes the process slow? APK is an archive (which is why you can open it up with an unarchiver such as WinRAR or 7-Zip). Being an archive, it provides limited write access to the files contained within and the fact that archives are compressed. Not to forget, APKs are encrypted archives too. Therefore, DalvikVM has to extract the classes.dex files and build the Dalvik table accordingly which makes it easier to write data on it too. With this collective set of data, the Android OS no longer needs to index the applications and find their classes.dex when the phone is already running. Instead, it will just look into one place, and will know what to do next.

When flashing a New Rom it is important to wipe Dalvik cache so it can be rebuilt upon startup. Failure to do so in most cases will cause endless boot loops or many force closes upon startup.

Q:What is a Nandroid Backup/restore?

A:This is a backup that takes a snapshot of your operating system, your data and settings taken from the phones NAND memory.
This is similar to a restore point on a desktop computer.
It is an excellent tool if you like to flash roms on your device and you run into trouble.
A nandroid restore will bring you back to the state your phone was in at the time you made the backup.
It is important to note that a Nandroid backup does not backup/restore your kernel or modem,
so its important to be aware that you may have to flash a compatible modem and kernel to restore full functionality to your device.

Q:What are Permissions and what does fixing them do?

Permissions:
When your phone boots up for the first time and apps are installed they create a corresponding data folder these folders are assigned a User ID. which the app apk becomes owner of. the ID is assigned in installation order.
Now if for some reason a data folder goes missing as in deleted or corrupted these UID's are regenerated but since they are not doing it in installation order the system instead assigns the ID in alphabetical order.. When this is done the data folders no longer match the application. So when the apk goes to look for its data it finds something that has nothing to do with it. BOOM force close city. We usually fix this by wiping data and letting the apk's reinstall thereby recreating its data folders and reassigning UID's .
when you fix permissions the system goes and corrects this alphabetical mismatch. And you are back to normal. Here is a visual representation of this



How a Malicious app with root access could theoretically use permissions:
A malicious app could in theory create a Group ID and be a Co-owner of a particular UID, therefore retrieving whatever is created in the original data folder. Here is a visual of what this would look like

FAQ

Topics Covered Below:

Team Win Recovery Project
Known Issues
Installing TWRP
How to Boot into TWRP
How to Perform a Nandroid Backup
How to Perform a Nandroid Restore
How to flash mods, fixes, recovery's, themes and kernels in custom recovery
How to flash ROMs in custom recovery

Team Win Recovery Project:

a custom recovery built with ease of use and customization in mind. They started from the ground up by taking AOSP recovery and loading it with the standard recovery options, then added a lot of their own features. It’s a fully touch driven user interface – no more volume rocker or power buttons to mash. The GUI is also fully XML driven and completely theme-able. You can change just about every aspect of the look and feel.

Known Issues

CWM backups are not compatible - please make a fresh backup in TWRP as soon as you have flashed it

Installing TWRP

TWRP is installed by default when you unlock your VZW Note 2 Bootloader, to learn more about Unlocking your bootloader here is a wonderful guide [GUIDE] Unlock Your Note 2 Bootloader! Let Thy Phone Be FREE!

How to Boot into TWRP

With the Phone off , Press and Hold Volume up+Home buttons, while continuing to hold press and hold Power button until you see the TeamWin boot screen

How to Perform a Nandroid Backup

From TWRP Home menu
1.)Select Backup
2.)Select Backup Name
3.)Name your backup (whatever you want, make it specific enough to know what it is when you want to restore)
4.)After naming press Go from the onscreen keyboard
5.)Tick the partitions to backup by selecting the boxes next to respective name (For the first backup It is recommended to check off system, data, boot, efs and modem. Subsequent backups for rom testing are system, data and boot.)
6.)Select the storage location for backup by selecting the circle next to its respective name (Use External SD is recommended)
7.)Swipe from left to right to confirm backup
8.)When Backup is completed either press the on Screen home button in the lower left hand corner or select Reboot System

How to Perform a Nandroid Restore

From TWRP Home menu
1.)Select Restore
2.)Select the package you would like to Restore
3.)Tick boxs next to respective partitions you would like to restore (Recommended system, data, and boot)
4.)After naming press Go from the onscreen keyboard
5.)Tick the partitions to backup by selecting the boxes next to respective name (For the first backup It is recommended to check off system, data, boot, efs and modem. Subsequent backups for rom testing are system, data and boot.)
6.)Select the storage location for backup by selecting the circle next to its respective name (Use External SD is recommended)
7.)Swipe from left to right to confirm backup
8.)When Backup is completed either press the on Screen home button in the lower left hand corner or select Reboot System

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

Before entering recovery to flash your zip files, You must download the zip file you would like to flash DO NOT UNZIP!!!! Connect your phone to your PC and place the zip file in either your Internal or External SDcard. Make it easily accessible so you do not forget where you put the zip file. I like to make a folder on my External SDcard called "To Flash" but this is up to you whatever will be most simple for you to remember.

From TWRP Home menu
1.)Select Wipe
2.)Select Cache
3.)Swipe from left to right to confirm Cache Wipe
4.)Select Wipe
5.)Select Dalvik Cache
6.)Swipe from left to right to confirm Dalvik Cache Wipe
7.)Press the on Screen home button in the lower left hand corner to return to Home menu
8.)Select Install
9.)Find the zip file you would like to flash and select it
10.) Swipe from left to right to confirm Flash
11.)When Flash is completed either press the on Screen home button in the lower left hand corner or select Reboot System

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. Usually Rom developers will let you know in their instructions. Wiping Dalvik Cache is ALWAYS recommended to prevent boot loops.

Before entering recovery to flash your zip files, You must download the zip file you would like to flash DO NOT UNZIP!!!! Connect your phone to your PC and place the zip file in either your Internal or External SDcard. Make it easily accessible so you do not forget where you put the zip file. I like to make a folder on my External SDcard called "To Flash" but this is up to you whatever will be most simple for you to remember.

From TWRP Home menu
1.)Select Wipe
2.)Select Cache
3.)Swipe from left to right to confirm Cache Wipe
4.)Select Wipe
5.)Select Factory Reset(This will delete all of your apps, passwords, settings and accounts.)
6.)Swipe from left to right to confirm Factory Reset Wipe
7.)Press the on Screen home button in the lower left hand corner to return to Home menu
8.)Select Install
9.)Find the Rom zip file you would like to flash and select it
10.) Swipe from left to right to confirm Flash( Some Roms may have additional on screen selections , Simply follow directions)
11.)When Flash is completed Select Wipe Dalvik cache
12.) Swipe from left to right to confirm Wipe Dalvik cache
13.)Reboot System
14.)Enjoy

TWRP

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

CWM

I take no credit for creating or developing anything in this guide. I simply take the time to make it as easy as possible to understand.

TWRP credits

• BigBeef for his recovery thread at XDA original Content found
• Dees_Troy for being TWRP extraordinaire.
• agrabren for writing the initial TWRP GUI code.
• AssassinsLament and Dees_Troy for initial TWRP code
• Full TeamWin credits are on the TWRP page on the TeamWin website:

Android Central credits

• Skunkape60 , i inspired to write this based on his Recovery thread for the Sprint GS3 found HERE
• creccaj1, for his hard work,support, and contributions in our VZW roms and hacks such as Unlocking guide

Credits

Guide: How To Install and Use Custom Recoveries

[DroidXcon]

Reserved

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[Paul627g]

Reserved

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

and I'll see your Reserved with my

RESERVED

[DroidXcon]

and I'll see your Reserved with my

RESERVED

Ill raise you a STICKY! and call :screwy:

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[creccaj1]

Ill see your STICKY and raise you a bump

[imaposer]

Easy as can be! Not a hitch at all going to beans 4 using this how to. Already moved on to uploading apps and crap I had on my old phone. Thanks a bunch.

[crl95]

Hey everyone. It looks like jelly beans build 6 is out a day after i put on beans 5 and get settled lol... I was just wondering wat exactly i will loose on my phone as far as my homescreen set up and app data when upgrading from 5 to 6. Also what is the diff between the JellyBeans Kernel and Perseus 31.2 kernel and which one would you guys recommend using. As always thanks for the help! Slowly but surly getting the hang of things

[DroidXcon]

Hey everyone. It looks like jelly beans build 6 is out a day after i put on beans 5 and get settled lol... I was just wondering wat exactly i will loose on my phone as far as my homescreen set up and app data when upgrading from 5 to 6. Also what is the diff between the JellyBeans Kernel and Perseus 31.2 kernel and which one would you guys recommend using. As always thanks for the help! Slowly but surly getting the hang of things

I would just do a nandroid backup. Then flash beans 6 but don't factory reset just do a dalvik cache wipe. Its probably ok to just dirty flash.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[crl95]

I would just do a nandroid backup. Then flash beans 6 but don't factory reset just do a dalvik cache wipe. Its probably ok to just dirty flash.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

okay thanks do you know anything about the kernels?

[crl95]

Its probably ok to just dirty flash.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

Just an update I tried a dirty flash and SMS stopped working along with phone, email, and some other stuff. I rebooted into recover and did it again, but this time with a factory reset and everything went well. If anyone is trying to update from one version of a rom to the next and things go badly like me, dont freak out like I did at first lol, just retry it but also do a factory reset.

[DroidXcon]

Just an update I tried a dirty flash and SMS stopped working along with phone, email, and some other stuff. I rebooted into recover and did it again, but this time with a factory reset and everything went well. If anyone is trying to update from one version of a rom to the next and things go badly like me, dont freak out like I did at first lol, just retry it but also do a factory reset.

Yup , right in my warning, never panic. Good job crl. But question did you wipe dalvik cache before you booted into the new rom?

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[crl95]

Yup , right in my warning, never panic. Good job crl. But question did you wipe dalvik cache before you booted into the new rom?

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

I wiped the cache than dalvik cache than installed the rom and then booted. If you are asking if I wiped the dalvik cache after I installed the rom the answer is no

[DroidXcon]

I wiped the cache than dalvik cache than installed the rom and then booted. If you are asking if I wiped the dalvik cache after I installed the rom the answer is no

Before or after the installation makes no difference. As long as it's done before reboot.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[crl95]

How do I update TWRP. Do I use goo manager?

[DroidXcon]

How do I update TWRP. Do I use goo manager?

Yes download goo manager. Open the app and press the menu button > install openrecoveryscript. This will lead you to a download page. Then just wait it will install itself.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[crl95]

Nandroid backups failed me! When im in twrp i go to the folder with the back ups click on the name of the back up that i assigned and then there is no back up there. When im go to a file manager i can see them though so i dont know what is going on. Anyone have any ideas?

[DroidXcon]

Nandroid backups failed me! When im in twrp i go to the folder with the back ups click on the name of the back up that i assigned and then there is no back up there. When im go to a file manager i can see them though so i dont know what is going on. Anyone have any ideas?

When you go into recovery and hit restore button at the top there are two circles one says internal the other external. try pressing the circle and switching between them.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

[crl95]

When you go into recovery and hit restore button at the top there are two circles one says internal the other external. try pressing the circle and switching between them.

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk

Well i feel stupid now haha. I was clicking install i didnt even think to click restore. Thanks for the help.