How To Backup / Restore Stock ROM with SP Flash Tool

Looking for a Flash-able Stock ROM for your Android Phone?

After reading the comments and suggestions from this blog's previous articles, there are a lot of android users who are looking for a flash-able Stock ROM for their device, however, I don't have their kind of device in hand and it's impossible for me to create you one. But hey, I have an idea how will you able to get a Stock ROM for your MTK devices and you, yourself can make it on your own.

There's a lot of MTK smartphone users out there most especially on local-branded smart phone users who have lots of worries on damaging their devices from tweaking it. Why? Lack of developers corresponds the number of development available for the device and we know for the fact that without backup such as ROM or a stock ROM, fixing most android problems such as soft bricks, boot loops, or even hard bricks are too difficult to handle.

Create your own Stock ROM for your MediaTek (MTK) Android Smartphone

Thanks to XDA members who contributed to MTK development, Mediatek smartphone users can now be able to create their own Stock ROM and use it as a backup whenever serious matters occur to their loved devices. With the use of prepacked tools, MTK android users no longer needs much developer for their device because they can be one.

How To Make, Backup and Restore Stock ROM Flashable with SP Flash Tool

On this article, AndroidHow will be guiding you how to make your own Stock ROM, use it as your own backup and restore it through flashing from SP Flash Tool. Why from SP Flash Tool? With SP Flash Tool, even a corrupted, hard-bricked android device can still be revived and fixed which was considered the best method of repairing any android software problem. 

On this tutorial, we will be using SP Flash Tool and MTK Droid Tools to successfully make a flashable Stock ROM for our MediaTek devices.

Requirements:

• Any MTK android device running a Stock ROM. (Note: if your device was rooted, then you'll get a rooted Stock ROM, otherwise if your device does not have root access, you'll get unrooted Stock ROM):

MT6595, MT6592, MT6589, MT6582, MT6577, MT6575, MT6572, or any MT65xx

• Computer with Windows operating system
• USB Cable
• At least 500 Mb free phone storage
• MTK USB Drivers - Download it here (credits to the developer of this tool)
• MTK Droid Root and Tools - Get it here
• SP Flash Tool - Get it here (download the recommended or latest version)
• ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery
• For rooted device (follow how to flash CWM Recovery for rooted device)
• For unrooted device (follow how to flash CWM Recovery without root)

Preparations (Please Read):

Make sure to prepare all the necessary requirements before proceeding or else, proceeding below is just a waste.

You must have the device in hand with CWM recovery. Download and install the MTK USB Drivers in your computer, it contains 6 other USB drivers needed to detect your device. Also, you must download MTK Droid Tools and SP Flash Tool, extract them to any location or folder you are comfortable of accessing. If all are ready, let's proceed to the instructions.


Instructions:

Creating Stock ROM Backup

First, reboot your MTK android device into CWM Recovery and connect your device to your computer using USB Cable.

From your computer, Open MTK Droid Tools.exe, run it as administrator. Wait for your device to be detected since you have installed the USB drivers. You will notice that color on the lower-left corner of the tool will turn cyan-blue.

On MTK Droid Tools, click on root, backup, recovery tab and click the Backup button to start full stock ROM backup.

Wait for the tool to backup your whole Stock ROM. You can see that the ROM backup will be saved on \MtkDroidTools\backups.

Wait until a prompt will appear asking you "Pack-up the backup" or something like that, press NO, it will just compress the backup you have made and what we need is the uncompressed ROM backup.

Check the status message and check is the task is completed. "Task ended".

It is not done yet, we have to prepare this backup to make it flashable through SP Flash Tool. To do it, click on To prepare blocks for Flash Tool.

A new windows will appear asking fol a .md5 file of the backup. So navigate to the MTK Droid Tools folder where your backup is found. Open the backup that your have created earlier and select the files.md5 click OPEN.

Wait for MTK Droid Tools to copy the files for SP Flash Tool, check the status messages until the copying is complete.

When the tool is done, you have now created the Stock ROM backup of your device!

How To Restore the Stock ROM of your MTK device?

Open SP Flash Tool.exe, run as administrator. Load the scatter file (click scatter-loading) which you have prepared from MTK Droid Tools to be flashable through SP Flash Tool. It can be found in the !Files_to_FlashTool folder of your Stock ROM backup (only if you have just made a backup) or from where you have saved or placed the Stock ROM. But in my case, I saved it on !Files to FlashTool folder.

After you loaded the scatter file, it will look like the image below. All must checked except for Cache and User Data, and most importantly, do not check Preloader and DSP_BL or else you'll brick it. Those checked partitions will be restored, make sure not to touch or move the backup files so that your phone will be restored in your previous stock ROM, also to avoid boot loops and bricking.

As you can see, the Stock ROM partition backups are found on its specific locations under location column. If the locations do not appear (except for CACHE and USRDATA), the backup stock ROM is not in the proper place. To fix that, you must move the files of the stock ROM to the same location where the Scatter file is stored.

To restore or flash the Stock ROM backup, first, turn OFF your MTK android device and remove the USB cable. If your phone was already turned OFF, click Download from SP Flash Tool, a prompt will appear, just click YES. Immediately connect your turned OFF device to your computer via USB Cable.

Wait for the tool to detect your device and restore the Stock ROM that you have made. An alert with a green circle appears after successfully downloading the ROM.

Done! You have successfully restored the stock ROM.

Cherry Mobile Omega ICON Officially Launched

Cherry Mobile Omega ICON is now officially available

Few hours earlier, Cherry Mobile officially announced on her Facebook Page the launching of her newest and the latest smartphone to join the Omega lineup called Icon. If you have noticed, Cherry Mobile has been starting its way on creating premium-built android devices with good specs most especially on their Omega series smartphones.

Cherry Mobile Omega Icon's Iconic Looks with Power!

Icon, from the word it was named, Cherry Mobile Omega Icon boasts its iconic physical looks. Having a smooth, slender, and professional-looking design, anyone could notice Omega Icon's elegant aura. Omega Icon does not only features its looks but it also possesses a specs owning an enhanced durability with a Pleather back cover, highlighted with chrome-finished sides, and a 5-inch HD display fortified with Dragon Trail glass protection.

As you can see, Icon was not just built purely for good looks but also equipped with powerful specs on-board. Cherry Mobile Omega Icon owns a power of Quad-Core CPU paired with 1 Gigabytes of RAM which makes it smoother and better multitasking or even gaming experience. Not only that, Omega Icon enjoys a clear and crisp camera shots with its 13-megapixel main camera with LED flash along with 5-megapixel front-facing camera with LED flash as well, you will definitely have good shots even on low-lights.

Cherry Mobile Omega Icon Announced Specs

Android 4.3 Jellybean
5.0 HD (1280 x 720 Pixels, 294 ppi), IPS display with Dragon Trail Glass protection
MSM8212 Snapdragon 200 series
1.2 GHz Quad-Core CPU
Adreno 302 GPU
1 GB RAM
4 GB internal storage expandable up to 32 GB via microSD
13 MP Main Camera with Flash
5 MP Front Camera with Flash
HSPA+
WiFi b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS

Cherry Mobile Omega Icon was officially launched with a price at Php 6,499. As far as I have known, Omega Icon is one of the cheapest local smartphones in the Philippines under the Quad-Core category having a Dragon Trail Glass protection. With Icon's surprising specs, Cherry Mobile has offered a good deal to everyone!


Source: Cherry Mobile FB

How To Make / Flash CWM Recovery Without Rooting

Can't get ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery for your MediaTek device?

Getting a locally branded smartphone neither a tablet relatively gets a low number of developer for our device, that's why most android users can't really enjoy much of there devices. But thanks to XDA developers who contributed a lot to MediaTek device development,  we at least solve some of our problems like getting root and porting a custom recovery like ClockworkMod for our own devices.

Going back to your problem, if you can't find a good resolution to your problem of getting a CWM recovery ported for your device, now, I have a way to fix your problem. Even though I have created an article previously regarding how to flash CWM recovery to any device with root-required, this article that I will show you does not require you root access anymore which is great!

You can create / make your own CWM recovery to any of your MediaTek device!

Well, with this guide that I will provide you, you will learn how to make your own and flash ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery to any of your MediaTek devices. All you have to do is to carefully follow the steps so you can successfully do it well without problems.

How To make your own CWM Recovery and flash it without rooting your MTK android device using MTK Droid Tools and SP Flash Tool.

Requirements:

• Any MediaTek android device with ext4 type of block (rooted or not rooted, it doesn't matter):

MT6595, MT6592, MT6589, MT6582, MT6577, MT6575, MT6572, MT65xx

• computer running Windows operating system
• USB Cable 
• MTK USB Drivers - Download here recommended
• MTK Droid Root and Tools - Get it here
• SP Flash Tool - Get it here (download the recommended or latest version)
• Scatter File for your MediaTek android device - Get it here
• Stock Boot image - if you don't have one, follow my separate guide how to get stock boot image

Instructions:

First, you have to prepare all necessary requirements and place it to the location where you are comfortable with. Download and install the MTK USB Drivers, wait for it to close itself because it includes 6 kinds of MTK USB drivers. Also, extract MTK Droid Tools to where you want it. You also need the scatter file for your device, you can easily make it yourself by just following the guide from the link and most importantly, make sure that you have your stock boot image for your device which we will use for creating the CWM recovery. If you don't have it, you have to follow the link above.

Make sure that USB Cable is disconnected or unplugged. Open MTK Droid Tools.exe (run as administrator) and go to root, backup, recovery tab. (if UBIFS warning appeared in the status message, this process will not work for you. Only ext4 supported.)

From the root, backup, recovery tab, the radio button To choose the boot.img file was selected by default. All you have to do is click on Recovery and Boot button.

After clicking Recovery and Boot button, a new windows will appear asking where is your existing boot.img. In my case, I placed it on my Tools folder. Now, select and open the boot.img of your android device.

Wait a few seconds and a prompt asking To make CWM recovery automatically will appear. Click YES.

Wait for the task to get completed, read the status messages on the right pane. If the task was successful, go to MTK Droid Tools -- recovery folder to check if the patching was done well. There will be two files, first is the patched boot image and the second is the recovery image which is the ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery.

Now that you have the CWM recovery already, we will proceed to flashing it through SP Flash Tool. Why? if you don't have root access, then use SP Flash Tool, otherwise if you are already rooted, use mobile uncle to update your recovery image.

To flash CWM recovery without rooting your android device, open SP Flash Tool.exe (run as administrator). Click on Scatter-loading, then find and open the Scatter file of your android device.

Now, the regions of your device will be loaded. You are only to flash the CWM recovery that you made earlier so click on Recovery. Navigate to MTK Droid Tools -- recovery folder and select the recovery image which is the CWM recovery that we have made earlier.

Make sure that RECOVERY is the only one that checked. Now we will start flashing the recovery.

Also, make sure that the USB Cable is unplugged from your device. Now you nee to turn off your android device (shutdown or remove the battery). When your device was already powered off, from SP Flash Tool click Download , select YES then immediately connect your device to your computer via USB Cable.

Your device must be detected even it is turned off since you have installed the MTK USB Drivers from the requirements. You'll notice that your android device was detected after you'll see the blue and red color loading on SP Flash Tool's status.

Wait for the download to be done. If done, it will look like the image below:

To verify if you have successfully flashed CWM Recovery on your unrooted android device, unplug or disconnect the USB Cable from your device and try to reboot to recovery (use the combo keys or rebooter app).

Congratulations!! You have successfully flashed ClockworkMod recovery on your unrooted android device.

How To Make / Backup Stock Boot and Recovery Image

Can't get stock Boot and Recovery image for your MediaTek android device?

Optimizing your android device takes a risk which either may improve your device a lot more or either make it perform worst. Now, most of the android users who encounter problems with their android device have difficulty to fix it. Why? Most beginners on android tweaking has the lack of knowledge on the proper way to backup their android devices' software, so whenever they encounter such issues to their device, they have the hard time looking of for a resolution especially if their device doesn't have much developers.

Good news for MediaTek android users because this article will provide you the way how to solve your problems with your android devices' Stock Boot.img and Recovery image which you could use if something bad might happen, and you can use it to create a CWM recovery to do flashing stuffs and do full ROM backup.

You can create / make your own stock boot.img and recovery.img for your MTK android device and use it as backup!

Yes, you don't have to depend for others or ask for them how to make one 'cause you can create your own stock boot.img and recovery.img for your MediaTek (MTK) devices by just following this long but simple steps that I will provide you.

Usually, you can't access the root system without Superuser rights that is why I made this article to help you with that.

How to get Stock Boot and Recovery image for any MediaTek device without root using SP Flash Tool and MTK Droid Tool

Will work any MediaTek device such as:

MT6595, MT6592, MT6589, MT6582, MT6577, MT6575, MT6572, MT65xx

Requirements:

• Any Not Rooted or Rooted MediaTek-based device
• Windows computer
• USB Cable for your android device
• MTK USB Drivers - Download here recommended | mirror link 
• MTK Droid Root and Tools - Get it here
• Smart Phone Flash Tool - Get it here (download the recommended or latest version)
• Scatter File for your MediaTek device - Get it here
• Notepad ++ - Get it here

Instructions:

Let us prepare for our tools first (that you have downloaded above). Install MTK USB Driver, you have to install all drivers included there, also, extract MTK Droid Root and Tools, SP Flash Tool to any location you are comfortable. 

Make sure that you have made the Scatter File for your device (create your own using the link from the requirements above)

Connect your android device to your Windows computer, make sure you have installed properly all the drivers from MTK USB Drivers to avoid interruptions during this process. From your device, you must also enable USB Debugging on your device Settings -- Developer options, now your device must be auto-detected by your computer, if not, please properly install the USB drivers. It is also better if you set your android device to Airplane Mode.

Run SP Flash Tool.exe as administrator (right-click on it). After opening, click Scatter-loading.

Locate the scatter file of your android device. In my case, I have MT6577 from MyPhone a848i. Open and load the scatter file of your android device to the SP Flash Tool.

It will look like the image below. Now, click Read Back tab.

From Read Back tab, click ADD twice so that we can add two tasks. Why? One is for getting the boot.img and the second one is for recovery.img. We can use them as stock backups and we can also use it as a basis for flashing CWM custom recovery and making a full ROM backup or dump.

Now, we will start the process. Let's start with the boot.img, double-click the first N/A.

A new window will appear asking to save the file. Name it as boot.img then click Save it to where you want to put the stock boot.img.

This is the most crucial part. You must enter the proper hex valuse for the Start Address and the Length for the boot image or else all you have done will not work. 

To find out what to enter on the Start Address, first, find the scatter file that you have created before and edit/open it using Notepad ++ editor. Enter the hex code of BOOTIMG, in my case, my hex code is 0xf88000.

To find out what to enter on Length, connect your device to your computer via USB cable, make sure to enable USB Debugging from your device, then open MTK Droid Tools.exe on your computer and wait until your device was detected. From MTK Droid Tools, click Block Map.

Find the row for bootimg and you'll notice that it has the same start address "0000F88000" from what we have from the scatter file above "0xf8800" (you'll see that the first 4 zeroes are replaced by "0x"). 

Now to get the Length, length is equal to the Size but what we will enter is the significant digits only. In my case, since the size is 0000600000, the significant digit is 600000 and we have to replace the first 4 zeroes with "0x", so what we will enter in the Length from the SP Flash Tool is 0x600000

Now, in my case, it will look like this:

Make sure that the Start Address and Length has the same count or number of characters, otherwise, add a zero. For example you have a start address of 0x1234567 and you have a length of 0x123456, since they are not the same in count, you have to add zero on the length, so the length now will be 0x0123456. We have to add zero just in order to have the same character count.

If you are done getting the hex values, press OK.

Setting for boot.img is done, next will be for the recovery.img.

Double click on the second N/A, name it as recovery.img and save it to where you want to store the stock recovery.

Again, we have to enter the proper hex values for Start Address and Length.

You have to open again the Scatter file of your device and load your device from MTK Droid Tools to check the block map just like what we did on the boot.img.

In my case, my recovery has a Start Address 0x1588000 as you can see from the notepad, and I have the size of 000060000 from the block info, we will replace the first four zeroes with "0x" to get the Length, so my Length will be 0x600000.

Since you have got the values, you have to enter it on the SP Flash Tool then press OK. Refer to the image below:

Now it is all set upped, you can see the locations where your boot and recovery image will be stored after we do the process. 

Unplug the USB cable from your device and turn off your android device (you can do proper shutdown or remove the battery). When your phone is already turned off, press the Read back button from SP Flash Tool and immediately plug-in your phone with USB Cable.

Wait for 3-5 seconds and SP Flash Tool will detect your android device and it will load and create the stock boot and recovery image for your device. An OK alert message with a green circle will popup when the process is successful.

Navigate to the location where you have set the files to be store. In my case, you can see below that I have done it well. The boot image and the recovery image has the same file size.

Why they have the same file size? Let's check the block info from the MTK Droid Tools.

As you can see, both boot and recovery image has the same file size around 6mb therefore our file is correct.

We are now done from creating Stock images and we can use it to create a ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery and do full Stock ROM backup.

Easy Steps To Make Android Scatter File

What is Scatter File?

Scatter file, in android terms, is a file used to describe the loads of regions in a specific android device running MediaTek's ARM architecture. Usually, SP Flash Tool needs scatter files to read its loads to revive an android from bricking or for other flashing stuffs. Read Microsoft Glossary for more info.

If you have worries and confusions on how to create or make your own scatter file for your android devices, this article might at least help you to solve it.

Easy steps how to make a scatter file for any MTK android device

The steps are applicable for android devices with:

Mediatek MT6595, MT6592, MT6589, MT6582, MT6577, MT6572 chipsets

To create a scatter file, we have to prepare all the requirements to ensure we can successfully make one without any trouble. In this case, we need:

• Any MTK android device with USB cable
• Windows computer
• Download and extract MTK Droid Tools
• ADB Drivers - you don't have it? Just Download and install PdaNet

Procedure:

1. From your android device, enable USB debugging. Check if it is enabled on your device Settings - Developer options
2. Connect your android device to you computer via USB cable. Drivers must be loaded automatically since you have drivers installed from PdaNet.
3. From your computer, run MTK Droid Tools application as administrator (except for Windows XP).



4. Wait for MTK Droid Tools to load your android device's info. Just wait few seconds.
5. If the tool is done loading your device, click Blocks Map.



6. A new window will appear, click Create scatter file.



7. Now, navigate to where do you want to save the scatter file of your device. Save it to somewhere safe because it can be used for future flashing.






Done. 

MyPhone Agua RIO: ROOT, Custom Recovery, ROM

Hi, after having so much queries regarding the most affordable 5-inch quad core smartphone, MyPhone Agua Rio, I have decided to make an it all in one article. Welcome to MyPhone RIO Index.

This will serve as the official article for MyPhone Agua Rio where it covers guides including how to root, flash custom recovery such as CWM and TWRP, and ROM available for this smartphone.

Before anything else, here is the complete specifications and price of our featured smartphone.

Dual SIM, Dual Standby
Android 4.2
5″ IPS HD 1280*720, 294 ppi
1.3GHz MT6582M Quad Core Processor ARM Cortex-A7 Architecture
Mali-400MP2 GPU
4GB ROM, 1GB RAM
~16000 Antutu Benchmark Score
GPRS, EDGE, HSPA+ 21Mbps, GPS/A-GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, WIFI, 3.5 Audio Jack, USB OTG
Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Gravity Sensor, Magnetic Sensor
2 MP Front Camera 8 MP Back Camera w/ Auto Focus
2000mAh Battery
Php 4,999

Below are the tutorials which are available for MyPhone Rio

Rooting

If you want to start tweaking your phone, you are always required to root it first, rooting is the first step of making unofficial changes for your RIO. To get started with rooting, first, you need to fully understand what rooting is and what are its advantage and disadvantage.

If you have fully decided to root your RIO, then, proceed to the link below:
Step by step rooting guide for RIO

Flashing custom recovery

Flashing a custom recovery is somehow important cause it allows you to fully backup your phone. If you are satisfied to just only using root-required android applications, you don't need to do this. Otherwise, if you are into modifying and applying more tweaks for your RIO, those mods stuffs are mostly requiring you to install it via flashing from a custom recovery.

If you don't know what is a Custom Recovery, then, read this article about Custom Recoveries (don't follow the guide there cause it won't work for you).

Now if you are prepared to install a custom recovery for your RIO, follow this guide:
How to install TWRP / CWM Recovery to MyPhone RIO

Flashing ROM

Why flash ROMs? If you are starting to get tired with the look of your device, flashing a new ROM can give you another experience with your android smartphone. To understand well what and why to flash a ROM, proceed to this article featuring the guides on flashing.

If you are already prepared and fully decided to flash a new ROM your MyPhone RIO, please proceed below.

Stock ROMs for MyPhone Agua RIO

Custom ROMs for MyPhone Agua RIO


To be continued...

How To Flash ROMs, Apps, Mods on Android

Android is indeed awesome! Android has OS has different features from which users tend to switch one version to another. However, most android devices does not have the official software that was not available for their device, there goes this article where we can learn how to do it properly.

This article will be discussing how to flash any ROMs, mods, or apps whether official or unofficial to a specific android device which can make significant changes in your device software. But before we do that, let's understand what are these ROMs, mods and apps.

What are Mods?

Modifications in short, mods, are customization of a particular software in an android. It could either be, modifying apps, creating scripts, customizing themes, tweaking for performance, and other optimization. The word stock means the default state of a software from which it is the safest and compatible state for the device. Modifying a stock apps or anything can make the device improve a lot in overall performance however it can also make the device perform bad.

What are Apps?

In android, applications or apps are developed for the use of the devices which runs Google's android platform. Apps are software that has GUI to make android devices perform such commands fast and easy. Why flash Apps? There are apps that are highly functional, it can cause big changes with your system. Usually, these apps are modified apps that can access the system files and values from which it requires root-access and are required to be installed via flashing from a custom recovery since flashing from recovery allows mass installation of apps and scripts, and setting right permissions, installing from a custom recovery will be easier.

What is ROM?

ROM is android's operating system (OS), also called firmware. Why ROM? Because like computer, it is saved on the Read Only Memory part of android device's hardware. Though android smartphones and tablets has stock ROM by default, one thing you can say android is great because just like computers, android is capable of switching or changing its operating system whenever you are already tired of it if and only if you already gained root access with your device.

Why flash a ROM? Flashing a stock ROM allows the android device to get its fresh, clean and original default version of operating system. Otherwise, flashing a custom ROM can give you more added features, style, and performance. With a custom ROM, it we can get the most updated versions of Android OS to our device, we could even enhance its performance, extend battery life, removing unused system apps known as bloatwares, and the best one is applying customized themes and modified user interfaces.

Before doing any flashing, make sure to backup your device if anything might goes wrong. Read this article how to do backups with android.

Disclaimer: Flash at your own risk! We, as well as the contributors and the developers of the mod, are not responsible for bricking your devices or any possible damage it may cause.

How To Flash Apps or Mods Via Custom Recovery

Requirements:

• Rooted device - How to root?
• Has custom recovery installed (CWMR / TWRP) - How to install custom recovery?
• Flashable Apps / Mods in Zip format

Instructions:
1. Download the Apps or Mods that are Flashable through custom recovery and place it to your device's SD card storage.
2. Reboot your device to Recovery mode, CWMR or TWRP
3. Now, Install Zip from SD card
4. Choose Zip from SD card, select the Apps and Mods (in flashable zip format) that you have downloaded.
5. Select YES to Install
6. Wait until its the flashing is successful
7. Reboot to normal. Done!

How To Flash ROM from Custom Recovery

Requirements:

• Rooted device - How to root?
• Has custom recovery installed (CWMR / TWRP) - How to install custom recovery?
• Flashable Stock ROM (download above)

Instructions:
1. Download the ROM (in flashable format) and place it to your device's SD card storage
2. Reboot your device to Recovery mode (either CWMR or TWRP)
3. Wipe all data/factory reset, then Wipe cache partition, go to Advance and Wipe dalvik cache
4. Select Install Zip from SD card
5. Choose Zip from SD card, select the Stock ROM that you have downloaded.
7. Select YES to Install
8. Wait until its the installation is done
9. Reboot and you are done.