yann2
Senior Member
- Jan 24, 2012
- 414
- 48
I had a request here for a CM7 for TC970 Le Pan 1 - step-by-step install guide for newer users (and it's available, see the link). Now that we have root, CWM and custom ROMs emerging for the LP II, it's time to have a nice and detailed guide for it too.
Here it is. You can always visit the Development Forum for general info on the software, but you will need a custom ROM and CWM version, made for the Le Pan TC979 - see below for instructions and all the files you need.
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To install the Custom ROM releases for the Le Pan II TC979, you need to start by learning a bit about the ClockWorkMod tool.
It's what is used to load and write the files to your tablet's internal memory.
The Le Pan II isn't like the Le Pan I. The CWM Recovery Console is not on the SD card. You need to flash it to the tablet, as JCase explained in his release/tutorial thread. For this, we need to get a working ADB install.
* Getting ADB installed in your Computer :
To install CWM and be able to use Custom ROMs, you will need a working copy of ADB (Android Debugging Bridge tool) installed in your computer or laptop.
dbaybay has a thread HERE with all the pointers and tools you need. Head there, read, download and install it.
Once it's working, you can test with a simple 'adb devices' command - if your device is connected, it should find it and show a Device ID/Serial number. Then, you are ready.
* Downloading the CWM to your Computer :
You would need to use a version of ClockWorkMod (CWM for short) made for the Le Pan II tablets, you can get it from this link (CWM port to TC979 done by JCase - thank you. this is the original download link as posted on LPL forum).
Make your life easier - Save the file to the SAME folder where you have installed your ADB files. That makes the commands simpler. (otherwise, you need to type full-path-to-the-saved-file in the adb line)
If you are using dbaybay's kit and suggestions, that would be 'c:\lepanlife\adb'
Next, we look at how to install CWM.
* Flashing CWM to your Le Pan II :
This is a lot like rooting the LPII; similar method and tool used (adb.exe)
Enter those ADB commands at your PC or laptop.
- adb reboot bootloader
(wait for fastboot screen) - fastboot -i 0x16d5 flash recovery recovery_build3.img
- fastboot -i 0x16d5 reboot
* Running CWM in your Le Pan II :
To boot to recovery (loading CWM), either use:
- 'adb reboot recovery' command (typed in a command line, from your PC or laptop);
- Or power off the device. Press the Volume Down button (with the tablet off), hold it down, then press and hold the Power button as well.
- Hold both down for maybe 10 seconds or so(keep the buttons down even after the static 'Le Pan' logo image loads); if you got it right, you will be in a special loader, a boot option to load firmware. It should load the CWM directly into memory, you will see a menu.
Here's a photo of the CWM main menu in a phone screen; the menu items might not be identical on your tablet:
From the top down, the options are :
- Reboot System Now
- Install zip from SD Card
- Wipe Data/Factory Reset
- Wipe Cache Partition
- Backup and Restore
- Mounts and Storage
- Advanced
* Quirky Buttons behaviour in ClockWorkMod :
** There's a quirky behaviour in the CWM programme at first - you need to do a little moving around to get the menus to work properly. This is a note from chinabull's CMW for the Le Pan release post :
Until you see the 'Back menu button enabled' message, things will not work as they should. Use Volume Up, until it scrolls off the top and enables that; or instead, the volume Down key, until the enabled message appears. It usually takes 3 trips around the menu to enable it.
It shows at the bottom of the screen, you can't miss it.
* Creating a System Backup with CWM in your Le Pan II :
- From here, you could create a full backup of your existing system, if you want to be able to go back to your current version. It's probably a good idea, as this is work in progress, not finished yet.
** Before we go on and do it - there's a BUG in the current version of CWM, and it requires a workaround as described by JCase :.
In plain English - to make the CWM backup work, you must have a text file called ".hidenandroidprogress" in your sdcard. The file contains the single digit '1', which means it Toggles, or enables the 'hide nandroid backup progress'.
Bear with me - you NEED a backup, and this is not that bad. You could either:
- use JCase's methond above (via adb command line);
- or create a text file with that name using a text editor, containing a single '1', save it to the proper directory in the sd card ('/sdcard/clockworkmod/'). This method is probably more work than the two adb commands JCase listed, though.
* Running a System Backup with CWM :
Use the Backup and Restore menu item, a new screen will come up, select Backup to create a NANDroid backup of your current system.
This could take 5, 10, 15 minutes depending on how much data you have on your system; all of it will be copied to the SD card. Be patient. Also, your card needs to have enough space to store all these files.
* Clearing the Three Data Caches :
- Once your backup is complete, it's important to clear some of the data in the caches in your tablet. There are 3 steps to do this properly, don't skip this or you could have problems later.
- step 1: from the main CWM menu, select the 'Wipe Data/Factory Reset' option. Do it, nothing to worry here.
- step 2: from the Main menu, select 'Wipe Cache Partition', do that as well.
- step 3: From the Main menu once again, select 'Advanced', then 'Wipe Dalvik Cache'.
* Installing your Custom ROM :
Finally, it's time to install your Custom Android ROM.
See the LePan II Development forum for the currently available alternatives (Stock, Barebones, as I write this; more to come). Get the version you want and have it saved to your SD card before we start this install process.
- From the main CWM menu, select 'Install Zip from SD card'. Then 'choose zip from sdcard', and navigate to the proper file, select the one you copied to the SD card earlier.
- After you finish writing it, use the 'Reboot' option on CWM main menu.
And your tablet will restart in the new ROM, new-user mode, you need to enter an email, time zone, etc.
It's a complicated process for someone who is new to it, but there's documentation, guides, you can learn how to do it if you want to.
Ask questions if you need, this thread is here for you. Good luck!
Enjoy this Guide? Provide feedback -- hit the Thanks! button right there.
EDIT : March 4, 2012
- Updated the ClockWorkMod link above to jcase's version 4 (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8699733/lepad/recovery_build4.img)
- LPL forums now require free registration and user login to access Development areas; this is to avoid people taking server bandwidth without even bothering joining the community. (Other forum areas are still Guest readable)
EDIT : March 7, 2012
Updated CWM link with jcase's latest compile Changelog :
...so if you use his v.6 image (linked above), CWM's quirky buttons behaviour is now fixed.
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