Steps to Root Android and install CyanogenMod

Steps to Root your Android smartphone and flash CyanogenMod custom ROM

This is the first time I have attempted to root my Android mobile and successfully installed CyanogenMod 10 (Jelly Bean) along with the latest Google App Package. The LG Optimus One P500 is the one I attempted to root. Since this was the first attempt, I don’t know how to root Android mobile.

I have tried many ways to root, during this process I found this tiny tool that actually makes your job easy – the tool is UnlockRoot.com which supports from Android 2.2 to Android 4.1.2, etc and also supports many other major mobiles available in the market like Samsung Galaxy S/SII/SII, Note/Note 2, HTC One X, Amazon Kindle Fire, Google Nexus 4/7 and 10 – rooting with this UnlockRoot is pretty easy as is the safest way to root your software and also provides restore functionality.

Note: It is understood that we are not responsible for any damage caused to your device. This procedure shared here is based on our life experience in rooting and installing the latest available CyanogenMod. This means it is understood that by following our tutorial if any damage is caused to your device – we are not at all responsible for it. Unless you know how to go ahead with this, we request you to attempt at your own risk.

Ok – It is understood that you are rooting your mobile for the first time or else you can skip the root step and continue to reboot your mobile in ClockworkMod Recovery mode. Following are the step-by-step process to root your mobile and install CyanogenMod’s latest available version on any of your mobiles.

  1. Make sure you have taken a backup of all of your contacts and data – just Google for more.
  2. Then let’s do the following process to root:
    • Go to the Unlock Root Support page and install required USB drivers on your PC and download Unlock Root – Once you have downloaded the right version.
    • Now connect your device to a PC and Enable USB Debugging mode on your device. You can do that by going to Settings > Applications > Development or else go to Settings > Developer Options and then look for Debugging and then enable the USB debugging option
    • After that open the installed Unlock Root and then click the “ROOT” button and wait until the tool detects your device type and then choose your device from the list of detected devices – that’s it the Rooting is started already. Just wait for it to complete rooting until you see the following message “Your device has been successfully rooted” and will prompt you to install the Battery Saver application.
    • Once you are done – just reboot your device for the changes to get applied. Just wondering whether the device is rooted or not? Just look for the Superuser app on your device or try installing an app that requires root access.
  3. So now it’s understood that your device is rooted – let’s continue then.
  4. Then Install ROM Manager from Google Play market. ROM Manager helps you to flash your recovery to the latest ClockworkMod recovery and manages ROMs via a user-friendly UI that can even organize and perform backups and restores within Android. I have used this for backup and to do the custom recovery by Clockworkmod or TWRP.
  5. Before you go ahead with flashing the custom ROM make sure your phone has at least 80% charged so that there won’t be any problem during installation.
  6. Then download the latest version of CyanogenMod either from the official website. Since my device is LG Optimus One P500 I have downloaded the flash-able CyanogenMod 10 ROM from the following XDA developers forum.
  7. Copy the downloaded ROM into the root directory of the Phones SD card so that it will be easy while flashing in recovery mode.
  8. Once done copying the file – boot your phone into recovery mode using your existing ROM manager or by doing this: Hold Power button + VOLUME Down button + Home simultaneously so that your phone gives Phone Options and then choose Reboot or else go to ROM Manager from your applications and then choose “Reboot into Recovery”.
  9. Now I guess you should be in ClockworkMod recovery mode, here Volume keys will be used to scroll up and down
  10. Now choose “wipe data/factory reset” once successfully done with it then go back and choose “wipe cache partition” in that clear Dalvik Cache.
  11. The above point is a must – once successfully done with it – come back to home a choose “Install zip from SD card” then select “choose zip from SD card” and then select CyanogenMod zip file which was copied to the root directory of your SD card and then choose YES to start installing the custom ROM – in developers terms, it is to flash the custom ROM.
  12. Once the installation is done – just go back to home and then choose “reboot system now”
  13. Just relax reboot will take around 15 to 30 mins to configure your mobile and yeh you are now into the Jelly Bean version of Android :)
  14. Once done download the Google Apps pack at http://goo.im/gapps
  15. Once downloaded the right version – just copy the Google Apps pack zip into your root directory in SD card and reboot your mobile again in recovery mode.
  16. Once you are in recovery mode choose “Install zip from SD card” then select “choose zip from SD card” and then select Google Apps to pack zip file. That’s it go back to home and choose “reboot system now”

Hurry – you are successfully installed Jelly bean with Google default apps – so now go ahead connect your WiFi or enable your data package and enjoy configuring your device and have fun by exploring the new Jelly Bean – I have done this procedure in my LG Optimus One P500 and enjoying the newer and the latest version.

Actually, its been a long didn’t receive any updates to my LG smartphone – so decided to root and install custom ROM on my own and successfully done with it – it’s pretty easy hereafter to install the newer version and I can do that whenever I found the latest version :) – It was a great experience for me to root – since long I was trying to do it – but was not dare enough to do it :) Now I can easily do it within just an hour.

Hope the above steps were helpful – If so why not share your experience with me too.

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