Updating Android Froyo to Gingerbread on ZTE Blade/Dell XCD 35

All this time I have been contented with my Android phone running on Froyo. But suddenly I decided to update my android phone OS from Froyo (Android 2.2) to GingerBread (Android 2.3). Who don’t like to upgrade right? So I was looking up on the internet for resources on how to do it. I found so many helpful resources and videos (which I will also be sharing here), but I had trouble updating; it was not a simple click-install task, and it took some time as I had to search solutions for the problems I faced. Anyways, the good things is that I learned a lot about the Android World!

Here is my experience on how I finally upgraded to Gingerbread (Android 2.3).  And I’m loving it!!

The process is practically the same for almost all Android Phones, I learned, just some software version differences here and there based on hardware / phone models. So read but check out for appropriate software packages for your phone model.

Phone make and model used: ZTE Blade or Dell XCD35
Original Android version: Android 2.2 (Froyo)

Before you proceed, please Note that if you are gonna follow this article, Do it at your own risk. 

Watch this short video on Updating Android Froyo to Gingerbread on ZTE Blade/Dell XCD 35

 

Steps for updating Android Froyo to Gingerbread on ZTE Blade/Dell XCD 35

1.      ZTE Gen-1 or Gen-2 ?

1.1.   Before setting out, I had to confirm if my phone is Gen-1 or Gen-2. That’s because ZTE Blade comes in 2 flavours and depending on which I had to find a suitable ROM.

1.2.   I referred: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/ZTE_Blade:_Is_it_Gen1_or_Gen2%3F

1.3.   Downloaded AskMr.PigFish and after running confirmed mine was Gen-2 ZTE Blade

1.4. ZTEGen-2 Guide: I did not follow this guide practically, as there was an easier way to do it – from the phone itself by using apps.

2.     The overall upgrade process in a nutshell –

2.1.   STEP 0: BACKUP YOUR DATA using File Managers

2.2.   STEP 1: ROOT THE PHONE

2.3.   STEP 2: INSTALL ROM MANAGER

2.4.   STEP 3: FLASH CLOCKWORK RECOVERY

2.5.   STEP 4: INSTALL CUSTOM ROM

3.      STEP 1: ROOT THE PHONE

3.1. 101: Rooting voids WARRANTY. So proceed only if you are ok with it!

3.2.   How to Root?

3.2.1.      Rooting – it is the process of gaining privileged access to the Linux system on Android Phones, also known as root access.  

3.2.2.      There are several apps to help root. Check out the rooting apps listed here: How do I root my device?

3.2.3.      I used z4root- But for some reason I could not do a permanent root. So I proceeded with temporary root.

3.3. App to check if your phone is rooted well

3.3.1.      Go to Android Market and install a small app called: Root Checker Basic

3.4.   NOTE WELL:Your Phone should be properly rooted with required Superuser permissions to proceed. I had the maximum problem here as I could not do a permanent root and I was not sure if I could proceed with temp root. No online help found on this. So went ahead blindly. But it worked luckily.

4.      STEP 2: INSTALL ROM MANAGER

4.1.   ROM manager app makes your life so much easier because it does everything for you from flashing ROM’s to installing custom kernels, themes, and creating backups of your current ROM.

4.2.   Go to Android Market and Install ROM MANAGER: 

5.      STEP 3: FLASH CLOCKWORK RECOVERY

5.1.   After installing ROM manager, open ROM MANAGER; select the first option to FLASH CLOCKWORK MOD RECOVERY.

5.2.   This installs the latest CLOCKWORK MOD RECOVERY

5.3. Check if Clockwork recovery works: in ROM manager select Reboot into Recovery

OR

press volume down+Power button

Your phone should boot into CWM recovery.

6.      STEP 4: INSTALL CUSTOM ROM

6.1.   Firstly find a suitable ROM. I chose Cyanogenmod 7.1.0 for my ZTE Blade. This is a very popular ROM widely used on Android phones: Find the latest cyanogenmod here http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/Latest_Version

6.2.   There are several sources to find ROMs. Find one that suits your requirement, download the zip file and place it in the root directory of your SD card.

6.3.   There are different ways to update OS-Here is what I followed

6.3.1.      Open ROM manager – Reboot into recovery or Press Volume Down + Power to boot into recovery (i.e. Clockwork Mode Recovery (CWM))

6.3.2.      When in Recovery (i.e. Clockwork Mode Recovery), browse menu items by pressing the volume up and volume down keys, and select by pressing home key and back to main menu by back key.

6.3.3.      In CWM, wipe data/factory reset

6.3.4.      In CWM, wipe cache partition

6.3.5.      Install zip from SD card

6.3.6.      Highly recommended – Find Google Apps zip download file and install the same way from CWM Recovery: http://goo-inside.me/gapps/

Android Market Issue after upgrading to Gingerbread:

After the Cyanogenmod 7( CM7) installation, I had issues with most Google apps, particularly Market (vending.apk). For some reason, it was not linking to the Google account I already set up.

1.      I was getting a prompt asking me to add Google account but when I click add it closes and goes to main menu.

2.      I reinstalled Google Apps, and particularly Google Framework Services and it resolved. But now Android market always used to Force Close.

3.      As Android market app was nto working I could also not install a single app from the android market place.

4.      I look up on the internet to find a cause for the issue but no luck. So I decided to reinstall the ROM and Google apps again. And finally things worked out.

Other helpful links:

1.      How to root?

2.      About ROM Manager 
3.      Custom ROMs – What is cyanogenmod?

Useful Informative Android Forums  you should refer for help:

1.      www.androidforums.com
2.    www.androidwiki.com
3.      XDA Developers Forum
4.      android.stackexchange.com