Give your phone a new lease of life with these custom ROM tips...

one of the best things about Android compared to other ‘lesser’ operating systems is ability to flash custom ROMs. If there’s mething that you aren’t happy with about your device, or perhaps the manufacturer has decided not to release further updates for your beloved phone, the wonderful Android community probably has something to suit. Such is the popularity of Android nowadays that choosing the right custom ROM for your needs can be tricky… and often many interesting custom ROMs can slip under the radar. We are here to help! We’ve looked at some of the lesser known custom ROM options available for a number of different devices to help you discover new and interesting alternatives. There are a huge number of custom ROMs available out there made by individual developers, but the number available for a device is generally proportional to the popularity of that device. If you own a super-popular phone such as a Samsung Galaxy or a Nexus, you’ll be set, but if your device isn’t as well supported your choices may be more limited. Most devices have some degree of support however. There’s even the option of making your own custom ROM if you’re using an Honor 5X.

Bootloader unlock basics Unlocking your bootloader is easy… when you know how 

Enable OEM unlocking

 In the latest Android releases, permission to OEM unlock the device has to be granted from the booted device – a nice security addition. In the Developer menu, where you also find USB debugging, turn on the OEM Unlock option. 

Request your unlock code

The first place to check to obtain your unlock code is the website of the manufacturer of your device. Note that an unlock code is not required for Nexus
devices. Some third party alternatives are also available, such as the DC-Unlocker app, though these are not free.


Unlock Your Device...

Once you have your unlock code, you need to apply it to the device – you do this using Fastboot, which is part of the Android SDK. From a command line, do ‘fastboot oem unlock [code]’. Remember, this will wipe your device!

Make your own Honor5X custom ROM

Making your own custom ROM is very easy if you are using Honor’s new 5X.Here’s how to get started...

Historically, custom ROMs are created by developers as a way to customise their device to suit their own requirements. The process isn’t generally for beginners, but how difficult is it to actually create a basic custom ROM? For the Honor5X, not too tricky. A script available at MoDaCo.com allows you to make the customisations you want, then run some simple commands to package the ROM for distribution.
If you want to create a simple custom ROM, with updated apps or with added root access, this is a great place to start. It will also allow you to remove some of Honor’s EMUI customisations should you choose, such as custom icons and themes.

1. Install TWRP

In order to create your custom
ROM, you’ll need to install
TWRP (after unlocking the
bootloader of course). This will
let you revert back to stock, as well as giving you the ADB access
you need to save your ROM
changes ready for distributions.

2. Back up the stock ROM

After installing and launching TWRP,
use the Backup option in the menu to
back up all of the available partitions. We
recommend that you back up to microSD and copy the files to somewhere safe,
so you always have a way to
undo any changes!

3. Customisation time

Now you need to make your
customisations. If this is your
first custom ROM, start simple.
You can use root access to remove
any files you don’t want. You
can also adjust the build.prop
to show your ROM version and
name. Only /system changes
will be saved.

4. Run the scripts

When you’re happy with your
ROM, you need to run the scripts
to save your changes. The
details can be found at
mdc.gd/5xcustom. These launch
from recovery mode to create
two files that you’ll then need
to add to the template custom ROM zip.

5. Prepare the zip

When you have the two new
files, you simply need to copy
them from your device (using
adb pull or perhaps using an
external SD card) and add them
to the main template ROM zip.
Test flash your own ROM to
check it all works as it should!

6. Distribute your work

That’s it, you are now ready
to share your own first custom
ROM with others! Specialist
Android forums such as xda-developers.com or MoDaCo.com
are good places to post your work:
be ready for lots of feedback
or requests from forum members.

Enjoy New ROM

How to test out an Android fork on your phone

One of things we love most about Android is the ease in which you can test out any version of the OS at any time. Three of the forks in this guide are available as ROMs that you can flash onto many devices. Even when they aren’t available officially, lots of devices have unofficial builds of these ROMs, created by individual developers. To test out CyanogenMod on your phone you’ll need to have an unlocked bootloader and for your device to be rooted. This process is different for every phone, so check xda-developers.com for a guide for your device. Also, download the CyanogenMod build for
your device and save it to internal storage. Rooting should also involve installing a custom recovery, called TWRP, which is where we’ll begin. Follow along to get CyanogenMod on your phone.

Install a fork

1. Launch recovery

To begin you need to boot into Recovery 

mode. How you do this depends on what device you are using, but it normally requires you to hold down one of the volume buttons and the power button at the same time. Follow any onscreen instructions to complete the boot.

2. Create a backup

The most important step in flashing a ROM 

is creating an android backup first. You use this to restore your device to its previous state, along with all your data, apps and operating system version. Navigate to Backup and select at least Data and System.

3. Wipe the data

Once the backup is done — and it will take 

a few minutes — you’re ready to start flashing the ROM. First, you will need to wipe your data. Navigate to Wipe and select System, data and Cache. Do not wipe Internal Storage, as you will lose all your saved files and photos.

4. Flash the ROM

In TWRP go to Install, then locate the 

CyanogenMod ROM that you downloaded and saved to your internal storage. Select it, then swipe the screen when prompted to initiate the download. It’s a good idea to keep your phone plugged in while doing this.

5. Reboot

The flashing process takes a few minutes, 

as does the first boot while the OS and its apps initialise. Don’t touch the phone while it’s happening. When done you will need to go through the Android setup screen again, adding your Wi-Fi network and Google account details to get started.

6. Restore

To revert back to your previous ROM and 

data, boot into TWRP and tap the Restore button. Now select your Nandroid backup from the screen that opens. Again, the process takes a good few minutes to complete, so keep your phone charged and wait until before your restart your phone.

Enjoy New android OS