How to install custom recovery. Installing firmware, updates, kernels and more on an Android device using ClockworkMod

By default, all Android devices have a recovery mode called Recovery. With its help, you can roll back the operating system to standard settings, install official add-ons and fixes. If this is not enough for you and you want to install third-party firmware, kernels and utilities on your device, then the factory recovery needs to be replaced with a custom one.

Custom recovery: what to choose

The most popular custom recoveries for Android are Clockworkmod Recovery (CMD) and TeamWin Recovery (TWRP). The main difference between one program and another is the presence of touch controls in the latter. As for functionality, the software offers approximately the same list of options:

1. Installation of unofficial patches and firmware;
2. Connecting the device to a PC in ADB mode and instead of a removable drive;
3. Formatting, creating, merging partitions in the internal memory of the device;
4. Clearing software cache and battery life summary;
5. Creating backup copies of the system.

After studying the methods below, you can easily install custom recovery on Android. You need to obtain Root rights before carrying out work.

TWRP Installation Methods

• using the ROM Manager program, selecting the “Load Recovery mode” section on its initial page;
• by pressing the keys simultaneously after turning off the device. Combinations may vary depending on the model and manufacturer of the device. In most cases, these are the volume down and power buttons;
• using the ADB program using the adb reboot recovery button.

Possible difficulties

During the installation of an alternative Recovery Mode, in particular CWM, various difficulties and errors may arise. Which of them are the most common and how to solve them?

CWM Recovery does not recognize the memory card

CWM makes it possible to update your phone using an archive. When opening Recovery, the user sees a message that the flash card cannot be mounted. After installing another card, even with less memory, the problem disappears. The reason lies in the Windows system itself. The fact is that it diverges from card formatting standards. To ensure formatting is performed in accordance with the specification of SD/SDHC/SDXC flash cards, and not just in standard form, it is recommended to use specialized software, for example, SD Formatter.

The SD Formatter program allows you to correctly format the SD card

CWM does not see the internal memory of the device: problem solution

When the files to be recovered are located on the internal memory, and therefore can only be recovered from there, a problem may arise. When you connect the USB cable to the PC and enable USB Debugging, the program reports that the Android device is not detected and you need to enable USB Debugging.

To solve this problem:

1. Connect the device as a camera, not a storage device. If there are other options available, choose them.
2. Install universal drivers.
3. Find a more suitable Recovery program for your device.

Recovery menu doesn't work

If when you launch the alternative recovery mode (volume + Home button or power) a picture appears with a lying robot, then the recovery was flashed, but when you restarted the device it was overwritten by the stock Recovery.

The problem is solved as follows.

1. Before flashing the Odin3 program, you need to uncheck the Auto restart checkbox and disconnect the cable after flashing. From Download mode on the device, go to recovery mode by pressing the volume up + home screen + power keys in sequence until the recovery menu appears. So you should get into the custom recovery menu anyway.
2. In it, select Reboot system now and then check Yes. This action will overwrite the stock recovery with a custom one and the “No command” error will be corrected.

Flashing a new Recovery mode means acquiring new functionality. Firmware methods vary in complexity, but ironically, the simplest of them require access to Root, that is, device administrator rights. When choosing a firmware method, you need to be guided by the phone model first. Rom Manager is not suitable for all devices. For HTC, the FastBoot method is more suitable, while for Samsung it would be more correct to choose Odin.

Users who are dissatisfied with the operating system on their mobile device are often interested in how to flash Android through Recovery. The installation procedure for most known firmware (ROM) looks identical. The guide below will help you download any ROM or app from a ZIP archive to your Android device using the recovery feature.

Preparing for firmware

The firmware procedure consists of several stages, which include preliminary steps such as rooting the smartphone and creating backup copies. You need to keep in mind that the terms “installation”, “installation” and “firmware” are interchangeable (they can mean the same thing). Some of the steps listed below may not be necessary for experienced users who have a good understanding of smartphone software.

Official ROM updates from device manufacturers are released in the form of convenient installation files that you can run on your computer after connecting your Android device. But firmware from third-party developers usually looks like compressed ZIP archives, rather than EXE installers or APK files.

Before you start flashing the firmware, you need to make sure that the device's battery is fully charged. Under no circumstances should you proceed with the operation if the charge level is less than 50%. Failure to take this warning seriously may result in irreversible consequences.

There are known cases when a smartphone's battery ran out of charge during the firmware process, resulting in the device being locked and unusable.

The next step only applies to devices equipped with the stock Android operating system. We are talking about devices such as Nexus One and Nexus S. If you are using other smartphone models, you can skip this step. The owner of a stock system must unlock his bootloader before starting the firmware process. This process will be the same for all Nexus models. After activating the bootloader, you can proceed to the next step.

Now you need to access the Root of your mobile device. If your smartphone has already been rooted, you can skip this step. Before installing the firmware, you must make sure that you have access rights to Root. Rooting is a mode of access to the gadget's system settings, necessary to perform complex tasks such as installing ROM. The process of gaining access to Root usually does not vary much between different device models. After successful routing, you can proceed to the next stage.

Installing the recovery function

To flash the firmware, the phone must have a recovery function installed (for example, Android System Recovery 3e). Rooting provides the user with the necessary level of access to perform administrative tasks on their device. Recovery offers the tools needed to actually perform these tasks. Every Android smartphone comes with a built-in recovery feature, but its functionality is usually very limited, so you will need a third-party Recovery to perform additional operations.

The installation process for this feature is usually not very different on different device models. After installing the recovery, you can proceed to the next step.

Now that the recovery feature is installed, you can perform additional operations, including flashing the firmware or installing an application from a ZIP file. The procedure is not much different for most ROMs, although some firmware require a special approach. Since the process may vary for some ROMs, it is recommended to search through a search engine specifically for your firmware.

Installing new firmware

There are 2 ways to install ROM. You can use ROM Manager to determine the steps you need to perform through Recovery, or manually reboot your phone into Recovery mode to complete these steps yourself. The first method seems preferable. If you previously used the rom manager to restore ClockworkMod synchronization, then it is already installed. If you don't have this app on your device, you can download it for free from the Android Market.

You need to follow these steps:

• Find and download from the Internet the ROM you want to install. This must be an archive with a ZIP extension.
• Connect the gadget to the computer via USB and install a memory card on it

• Copy the downloaded ROM to the memory card. It is recommended to place the firmware in the root directory of the removable drive.
• Launch ROM Manager on your phone.
• Click “Install ROM from memory card”.
• Scroll down the screen and click on the ZIP archive containing the ROM. The Installation Queue dialog box appears.
• If you want to install another ZIP file immediately after the ROM, you need to click “Add ZIP”. Then select the next archive that needs to be flashed. You can skip this step if you plan to install only the ROM.
• Click "OK". A Pre-Install ROM dialog box will appear with options to backup existing firmware, clear data, and clear cache.
• Be sure to select the “Backup installed ROM” option if you do not want to lose all the files stored on your smartphone.
• You must use the "Erase data and cache" option if the ROM that is being flashed is an updated version of the software environment currently in use. Usually the program will tell you whether it is possible to install a new version over the previous one without deleting data.
• Answer “OK” several times to different questions. Now the device will reboot and the selected ROM will install automatically. The new firmware will be downloaded after the process is completed. You may be prompted to confirm the reboot.

If everything was done correctly, then the device should work in normal mode, but with new firmware.

The Android operating system is very stable, but in some cases problems may arise with it. They are usually associated with the operation of the current firmware. There are many ways to flash the firmware; In this article we will look at how to flash Android via Recovery.

There are several main ways to enter this mode:

How to get ROOT rights: Video

Firmware with ROOT access

Let's look at how to install firmware through it. First of all, you need to find and download the new firmware version as an archive.

The gadget will reboot and 8 items will appear in front of the user. Each of them is responsible for a specific operation. For example, if you go to “Wipe / Factory reset”, the system will be reset to factory settings (in some cases, simply by activating this item, you can avoid the need to change the firmware when the device begins to work incorrectly). “Install” makes it possible to install files when this cannot be done from the shell itself.

To install the firmware, you need to go to the “Install” section (it is located in the extreme left corner), select the place where the firmware was downloaded, and start the process.

After some time, the system will report a successful completion, then you will need to exit the “Install” mode and select the “Reboot” mode. There, click on the “System” item: if the entire operation was carried out correctly, the device will boot successfully.

Flashing Recovery mode

Now let's look at the question of how to flash Recovery on Android. To do this you will need to install the so-called CWM Recovery. The easiest way to do this is using a special utility, which can be found in the same Google Play store at this link. In this case, you will also need superuser rights. Having launched the program, you just need to follow its instructions by clicking “Next”. If CWM Recovery is already installed on the system, then the utility will simply ask you to select the appropriate item that performs an action related to flashing or resetting to factory settings.

Every novice user of an Android tablet or phone, traveling through thematic sites and forums, sooner or later comes across a mention of the mysterious, which is especially often mentioned in instructions for firmware, replacing the system kernel and other “hacker” things.

So what is it, what is it intended for, and how to handle it correctly? I will try to answer these questions in this article, which contains complete instructions for working with ClockworkMod Recovery.

In a nutshell, or ClockworkMod or simply CWM is an alternative recovery for Android devices. Instructions for working with ClockworkMod Recovery contain the following sections:

What is recovery?

Every Android tablet or phone has a factory recovery that can be loaded when you turn on the device by pressing a specific key combination. Factory recovery usually knows how to install system updates from the update.zip file and clean the system.

Introduction to alternative recovery ClockworkMod

- this is a much more powerful system recovery utility (menu) compared to the factory one, which allows you to make full backups of the entire system of the device, install software, firmware, kernels and much more on it, which is usually not possible with factory recovery. ClockworkMod is installed in a special system partition of the internal memory of a tablet or phone, in place of the factory recovery menu.

ClockworkMod Recovery can help you out in some seemingly hopeless situations. Even if your tablet or phone cannot boot, in many cases, using CWM you can restore the system with all its settings and applications.

Here is a rough list of what you can do with ClockworkMod Recovery:

Install custom firmware and unofficial kernels

Install factory system updates, add-ons, and patches

Connect to a computer via USB in removable storage mode

Connect to a computer via USB to work with the ADB program

Create a complete backup copy of the current firmware and its individual parts (system, settings, applications)

Restore a device from a previously created backup

Reset to factory settings (Wipe – data/factory reset), clear cache (wipe cache), clear Dalvik-cache (wipe Dalvik-cache), clear battery statistics (wipe battery stats)

Create partitions on a memory card and format them

Created by developer Koushik Dutta (also known as Koush), there are versions of CWM for most Android phones and tablets.

Installing ClockworkMod Recovery

For many smartphones and some tablets, installing ClockworkMod Recovery is a very simple procedure, you just need to install the program from the Market ROM Manager and the first item in its menu will be the ClockworkMod installation item. For other devices there may be separate utilities similar to the application Acer Recovery Installer for the Acer Iconia Tab tablet, or ClockworkMod Recovery is installed on them using the program adb .

Launching ClockworkMod Recovery

There are several ways to boot your tablet or phone into ClockworkMod Recovery.

1. Using the ROM Manager program, selecting “Load Recovery Mode” from its menu.

2. By pressing a specific key combination when turning on the device. This combination depends on the device model. On many devices, you can get into recovery by pressing the volume down and power buttons at the same time when turning them on.

Installing firmware, updates, kernels and more on an Android device using ClockworkMod

All alternative firmware, custom kernels, cracks, add-ons, decorations, application packages that can be installed on a tablet or phone using ClockWorkMod recovery are packaged as a zip file.

Before installing anything on your device, do not forget to make a complete backup copy of the current firmware, so that later you can painlessly return your tablet or phone to its original state.

Make sure your device's battery is fully charged and disconnect it from your computer and charger.

Copy the file you want to flash to the memory card, preferably to its root, WITHOUT UNPACKING IT. Make sure that the file name consists only of Latin letters and numbers and does not contain spaces or special characters.

If you are installing new firmware, be sure to do a full clean using the " wipe data/factory reset"

Let's get started with the firmware :

Insert the memory card into the device

Reboot the device into ClockWorkMod recovery

Select the item " install zip from sdcard".

Open the item " choose zip from sdcard".

In the window that opens, we find our file, it will be located at the bottom, after the list of folders (if they are on the memory card)

Confirm your choice by going to " Yes".

In general, the buyer of any Android device receives out of the box a device designed for the “average user.” Manufacturers understand that it will still not be possible to satisfy the needs of absolutely everyone. Of course, not every consumer is ready to put up with this state of affairs. This reality has led to the emergence of modified, custom firmware and simply various improved system components. To install such firmware and add-ons, as well as manipulate them, a special Android recovery environment is required - a modified recovery. One of the first solutions of this kind that became available to a wide range of users is ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM).

CWM Recovery is an Android recovery environment modified by third-party developers, designed to perform many non-standard operations from the point of view of device manufacturers. The CWM recovery is being developed by the ClockworkMod team, but their brainchild is a fairly adaptable solution, so many users bring their own changes and, in turn, adapt the recovery to their devices and their own tasks.

The CWM interface is nothing special - these are ordinary menu items, the name of each of which corresponds to the title of the list of commands. Very similar to the standard factory recovery of most Android devices, only there are more items and the expandable lists of applicable commands are wider.

Control is carried out using the physical buttons of the device - "Volume+", "Volume-", "Nutrition". Depending on the device model, there may be variations; in particular, a physical button may also be used "Home" or touch buttons below the screen. In general, the volume keys are used to move through items. Pressing "Volume+" results in moving up one point, "Volume-", respectively, one point down. Confirmation of entering a menu or executing a command is a key press "Nutrition", or a physical button "Home" on the device.

Installation *.zip

The main, and therefore most frequently used, function in CWM Recovery is the installation of firmware and various system patches. Most of these files are distributed in the format *.zip, so the corresponding CWM recovery item for installation is called quite logically - "install zip". When you select this item, a list of possible file location paths opens. *.zip. It is possible to install files from an SD card in various variations (1), as well as download firmware using adb sideload (2).

An important positive point that allows you to avoid writing incorrect files to the device is the ability to check the firmware signature before starting the file transfer procedure - point "toogle signature verification".

Cleaning partitions

To eliminate errors when installing firmware, many romodels recommend cleaning partitions Data And Cache before the procedure. In addition, such an operation is often simply necessary - without it, in most cases, stable operation of the device is impossible when switching from one firmware to a solution of another type. In the main menu of CWM Recovery, the cleaning procedure has two items - "wipe data/factory reset" And "wipe cache partition". In the drop-down list after selecting one or the second section, there are only two items: "No"- to cancel, or "Yes, wipe..." to start the procedure.

Creating a backup

In order to save user data in case of problems during the firmware process, or to be on the safe side in case of an unsuccessful procedure, it is necessary to create a backup copy of the system. The developers of CWM Recovery have provided this feature in their recovery environment. The function in question is called when selecting the item "backup and storage". This is not to say that the possibilities are varied, but they are quite sufficient for most users. You can copy information from device partitions to a memory card – "backup to storage/sdcard0". Moreover, the procedure begins immediately after selecting this item; no additional settings are provided. But you can determine the file format of the future backup in advance by selecting "choose default backup format". Other menu items "backup and storage" designed for recovery operations from backup.

Mounting and formatting partitions

The developers of CWM Recovery have combined the operations of mounting and formatting various partitions into one menu, called "mount and storage". The list of revealed capabilities is minimally sufficient for basic procedures with device memory sections. All functions are performed in accordance with the names of the list items that call them.

Additional features

The last item in the CWM Recovery main menu is "advanced". This, according to the developer, is access to functions for advanced users. It is not clear what the “advancement” of the functions available in the menu is, but nevertheless they are present in the recovery and may be needed in many situations. Via the menu "advanced" the recovery itself is rebooted, rebooted into bootloader mode, and the partition is cleared "Dalvik Cache", viewing the log file and turning off the device when all manipulations in recovery are completed.

Advantages

• A small number of menu items that provide access to basic operations when working with device memory sections;
• There is a function for checking firmware signatures;
• For many outdated device models, this is the only way to easily make a backup and restore the device from a backup copy.

Flaws

• Lack of Russian interface language;
• Some non-obviousness of the actions proposed in the menu;
• Lack of control over procedures;
• No additional settings;
• Incorrect user actions in recovery can damage the device.

Despite the fact that the recovery from ClockworkMod is one of the first solutions that ensured widespread Android customization, today its relevance is gradually decreasing, especially on new devices. This is caused by the emergence of more advanced tools with more functionality. At the same time, CWM Recovery should not be completely written off as an environment that provides firmware flashing, backup creation and restoration of Android devices. For owners of somewhat outdated, but fully functional devices, CWM Recovery is sometimes the only way to maintain a smartphone or tablet in a state that complies with modern trends in the Android world.

Description of the functions and capabilities of ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM), as well as an example of creating and restoring a firmware backup and installing a zip archive.

What is CWM?

CWM is a custom recovery that allows you to backup firmware and user data. In addition, the utility can install third-party software, custom OS builds and other modifications on the device. ClockworkMod can be installed in place of the factory recovery menu, or next door, giving you the opportunity to work with both recoveries.

An approximate list of ClockworkMod Recovery features:

• firmware of various software (from OS builds to simple application updates);
• installation of official updates, as well as third-party modifications and system fixes;
• connection to a PC in mass storage mode;
• connection to a PC for debugging in the ADB terminal;
• backup and restoration of firmware and individual areas of device memory (system, settings, applications and data);
• reset the system to factory settings, clear cache and dalwick cache, clear battery statistics;
• working with a memory card.

Where to download and how to install CWM Recovery?

You can download CWM Recovery on the official website clockworkmod.com, or by using the recovery builder for your model at - http://builder.clockworkmod.com/

In addition, to download and install CWM recovery, you can use the proprietary CWM ROM Manager application.

Description of CWM menu items

Depending on the recovery version, menu items may differ. However, below are all the main sections and functions of CWM that are present in most assemblies:

• apply update.zip from sdcard– installation of the “update.zip” archive (must be placed in the root of the memory card);
• wipe data/factory reset— complete reset of settings, data and cache and return to factory state;
• wipe cache partition— cleaning the storage area for temporary files;
• install zip from sdcard— installation.zip archive from a memory card (you can select an archive with any name in any directory on the memory card). Items in this menu:
  • apply update.zip- completely similar to “apply update.zip from sdcard”;
  • chooze zip from sdcard— select .zip on a removable storage device;
  • toggle signature verification— enable or disable archive signature verification;
  • toggle script— enable or disable the approval script, which allows you to select priority actions (not intended for everyday tasks).
• backup and restore— creating and restoring backup data from various areas of the device’s memory. Items in this menu:
  • Backup— creating a backup of firmware and user data.
  • Restore— backup restoration.
  • Advanced Restore— restoring files from a specific memory area in a backup.
• mounts and storage— opening write access, working with the device’s storage and system partitions. Items in this menu:
  • mount/system— mounting the main firmware section;
  • unmount/data— unmounting the data partition;
  • unmount/cache unmounting the temporary files storage partition;
  • mount/sdcard— mounting the drive;
  • mount/sd-ext— mounting the Linux partition of the drive;
  • format boot— cleaning the boot partition;
  • format system— cleaning the system partition;
  • format data— clearing the data section;
  • format cache— cleaning the temporary files section;
  • format sdcard— cleaning the drive;
  • format sd-ext— cleaning the Linux partition of the drive;
  • mount USB storage— connecting the device to the computer in mass storage mode.
• advanced- additional functions. Items in this menu:
  • Reboot Recovery— restarting the recovery (if CWM is installed next to the stock one, the stock recovery will be loaded);
  • Wipe Dalvik Cache- clearing the Dalvik cache (in the ART runtime environment - useless);
  • Wipe Battery Stat— resetting battery statistics (recommended after updating or installing new firmware to create a new calibration file);
  • Report Error— creating a report on a memory card;
  • Key Test— display of key coding;
  • Restart adb— reboot the ADB terminal (useful if errors occur while working with the debugger).
• +++++Go Back+++++— executes the “back” command in all menus.

* Partition mount items indicate commands that will be executed after selecting the appropriate item. Thus, if it says “mount /system”, then the system partition is not currently mounted and you need to run the mount command.

Backup system and user data via CWM

Making a backup is quite simple:

1. reboot into CWM;
2. select " backup & restore«;
3. click " backup«;
4. Confirm your choice in the “ Yes"and wait;
5. exit CWM using the item “ reboot system now«.

Along the way memory card root/clockworkmod/backup, your backup will be placed. Depending on the version of CWM, this may be a folder or archive with .img or .tar files. The name of the backup, by default, consists of the date and time the operation was performed. You can add notes to the name, but only in Latin letters and numbers (otherwise, the recovery will throw an error).

Restoring firmware from backup via CWM

The recovery procedure is just as simple:

1. launch CWM;
2. select " Backup & restore«;
3. click " restore"and look for the required backup copy;
4. Confirm your choice in the “ Yes«.

If you need to recover data from a specific memory area, do the following:

1. launch CWM recovery;
2. select " Backup & restore«;
3. click " Advanced Restore«;
4. We look for the required backup in the list;
5. mark the required section ( boot, system, data, cache, sd-ext);
6. Confirm your choice in the “ Yes«.

Installing firmware, kernels and updates via CWM

Before installing anything, be sure to make a backup of the current firmware. Make sure your device's battery is more than half charged. Disconnect your smartphone or tablet from your PC or charger. Place the file that needs to be installed on the memory card (preferably in the root to make it easier to search). If you are installing new firmware, be sure to wipe the user data partition using " wipe data/factory reset". Instructions:

1. install the drive into the device;
2. launch CWM;
3. select " install zip from sdcard«;
4. then click " choose zip from sdcard» and select the required archive;
5. confirm your intentions with the “ Yes"and wait for the installation to complete;
6. then we do Wipe cash And advanced/Wipe dalvik-cash;
7. go to the main menu and click reboot system now.

That's all. For more detailed instructions on working with CWM, look for the description of the necessary operations in the topics of your devices on the forum.

Anyone who takes the first steps in learning the procedure for flashing Android devices initially pays attention to the most common way to carry out the process - flashing firmware through recovery. Android Recovery is a recovery environment that almost all users of Android devices have access to, regardless of the type and model of the latter. Therefore, the method of flashing firmware through recovery can be considered as the easiest way to update, change, restore or completely replace the device’s software.

Almost every device running the Android OS is equipped by the manufacturer with a special recovery environment, which provides, to some extent, including ordinary users, the ability to manipulate the internal memory of the device, or more precisely, its partitions.

It should be noted that the list of operations that are available through the “native” recovery installed in devices by the manufacturer is very limited. As for the firmware, only official firmware and/or updates are available for installation.

In some cases, through factory recovery, you can install a modified recovery environment (custom recovery), which in turn will expand the ability to work with firmware.

At the same time, it is quite possible to carry out the main actions for restoring functionality and updating the software through factory recovery. To install official firmware or updates distributed in the format *.zip, perform the following steps.

How to flash a device through a modified recovery

Modified (custom) recovery environments have a much wider range of capabilities for working with Android devices. One of the first to appear, and today a very common solution, is the recovery from the ClockworkMod team - .

Installing CWM Recovery

Since CWM recovery is an unofficial solution, you will need to install a custom recovery environment on your device before use.

• For Samsung devices, in most cases the application is used.
• For devices built on the MTK hardware platform, the application is used.
• The most universal method, but at the same time the most dangerous and difficult, is flashing the recovery via . The steps taken to install recovery using this method are described in detail at the link:

Firmware via CWM

Using a modified recovery environment, you can flash not only official updates, but also custom firmware, as well as various system components represented by cracks, add-ons, improvements, kernels, radios, etc.

It is worth noting that there are a large number of versions of CWM Recovery, so after logging in on different devices you can see a slightly different interface - background, design, touch controls may be present, etc. In addition, some menu items may or may not be present.

The examples below use the most standard version of the modified CWM recovery.
At the same time, in other modifications of the environment, when flashing the firmware, items are selected that have the same names as in the instructions below, i.e. A slightly different design should not cause concern to the user.

In addition to design, the management of CWM actions differs in different devices. Most devices use the following scheme:

• Hard key "Volume+"— move one point up;
• Hard key "Volume-"— move one point down;
• Hard key "Nutrition" and/or "Home"— confirmation of choice.

So, firmware.

Firmware via TWRP Recovery

In addition to the solution from the ClockworkMod developers, there are other modified recovery environments. One of the most functional solutions of this kind is. How to flash devices using TWRP is described in the article:

This is how Android devices are flashed through recovery environments. It is necessary to take a balanced approach to the choice of recovery and the method of installing them, and also flash only the appropriate packages obtained from reliable sources into the device. In this case, the process proceeds very quickly and does not cause any problems later.