Many people think that rooting Android is the first step to be able to install a cooked ROM, or what is the same, a modified version of our operating system. The truth is that in order to install a ROM on Android, the only thing strictly necessary is unlock boot menu or "bootloader ", and then install a "custom recovery”Or custom recovery menu.
That is precisely what today's article is about. You sign up?
What is an Android ROM?
Abbreviations R.O.M. belong to Read Only Memory and in this case they are used to refer to an image or modified version of Android.
One of the advantages of using Android on your mobile device is that if you don't like the version of the operating system that your smartphone comes standard, you can change it to any other. As simple as that?
The truth is that it is not so easy.
We're not talking about the Marvel superhero from the 70s. Okay, it's an android and it's called ROM, but this is something totally different ...If you search the internet you will see that there are millions of ROMs for Android (TWRP Recovery, Android Open Kang Project, Paranoid Android and many more), all of them very good and that considerably improve the performance and aesthetics of your device.
But beware, not all ROMs are compatible with any phone or tablet. If you have a Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo, for example, you will have to find a ROM that is compatible with said smartphone. From here, you will discover that there are a multitude of ROMs for almost any phone, some quite simple and others much more powerful that will allow you to do things that you never dreamed possible.
This is what your smartphone would look like with CyanogenMod 12.0 installedWhy do I need to install a custom recovery?
The standard recovery menu of any Android phone only allows us to restore our phone to the Android version previously preset on the device. That is, so we can only install the ROM that comes standard established by the manufacturer. Instead, the custom recovery or custom recovery menu It is the one that will allow us to install the ROM that we want on our phone.
Following the same practical example of the Galaxy S3 Neo: The latest version of Android for this phone is Android 4.4.1. If we install a ROM we can have Android 5.0 or 6.0.
Therefore, it is essential to install a custom recovery if we want to change to a modified version of Android. It is the key that will open the door for us from the phone or tablet.
Of course, keep in mind that if you do this you will lose the warranty of the device.
Steps to install a custom recovery for Android
The most popular custom recovery applications are ClockworkMod Recovery and TWRP Recovery, but there is no standard app for all devices. Each one has his own.
Therefore, if you want to install a CR, the first thing you have to do is find the recovery that is compatible with your phone or tablet.
The truth is that both ClockworkMod Recovery and TWRP Recovery support a very high number of devices and it is likely that with one of these 2 you can carry out the process on your mobile. Without going further, HERE You have a list with the devices that TWRP supports (from ClockworkMod I have not managed to get the list).
The general guidelines for installing a custom recovery are always the same:
- Get root permissions on your Android device.
- Locate a custom recovery for your exact make and model of device. The installation package is usually a compressed file.
- Install the custom recovery on your mobile device. Normally this installation is done through the PC and using another program as an intermediary.
- Once you have the custom recovery flashed or installed on your Android, you can do all this from a single centralized menu:
- Install stock ROMs (original manufacturer ROMs), custom ROMs, new packages and system updates, clear cache and system data with one click, backups, restores and more.
TWRP Recovery and ClockworkMod Recovery Main MenusHow do I know what custom recovery I need?
The best way to find the custom recovery and its installation method is to always search for it on the internet, since as we mentioned, there is a unique program and process for each smartphone. Typing something like this into Google can be a good start:
"Smartphone brand / model" + custom recovery
Google searches will be mandatory to find your custom recoveryYou can also search directly on the website of XDA Developers, a whole source of wisdom where you will find express guidelines for a lot of device types.
With the next article of the week we will finish with the magic trilogy to install a ROM or modified version of Android on our phone:
- Get root permissions on Android
- Install a custom recovery on Android
- Install a custom ROM on Android
