[Nook Color General] koopakid08:
A Noobs Guide to Getting Started with a Custom Rom on the Nook Color

So you heard about the nook color. How it's a cheap e-reader that can be pushed to the limit and you are wondering how you can enable this power for yourself. Well you came to the right place!

Table of Contents

1. Why you should NOT use Honeycomb

2. SD or Internal instal

a. SD install

b. internal install

3. Restoring to Stock

4. Other Cool Stuff

5.Issues

6. Conclusion

7. Changelog (Last update 1/10/12)

1. Why you should NOT use Honeycomb

So you've heard about how the Nook Color can run Honeycomb and you are thinking that you want to try it. I mean why not? It's a tablet OS and the Nook is supposed to be turned into a tablet right? Well here's how it is. Honeycomb unlike other versions of Android is not an open source release. That means that developers cannot see how it works and have to reverse engineer basically the entire thing. This leaves you will something that barley runt because of countless missing drivers and many bugs from the SDK simulator. Honeycomb is a very painful and unstable experience. Do not use it. Wait for the next version of Android codename Ice Cream Sandwich to come out. For now use CM7. To check on the progress of CM9 (AKA ICS) check out this thread where you can find the first alpha builds.

2. SD or Internal install

The first decision you need to make is if you want to install CM7 (Android) over your current stock firmware or to run from an SD card.

a. SD Install

The benefit of running from an SD card is that you get to keep your Nook's current stock rom along side your Android install. The downside is that Android will run terribly if you do not use the correct SD card.

When running from an SD card use ONLY a SANDISK CLASS 2 or 4!

Take a look at this thread here for why you need to use a Sandisk:

Instructions for installing to an SD card

b. Internal Install

I recommend you do an internal install just because it is more stable and a lot easier to troubleshoot and upgrade to a newer CM version. If you ever need to return to stock it is very easy (see part 3).

To install to your internal memory follow this guide

Remember if you have a newer Nook that came with stock version 1.2 or above you may want to follow the repartitioning instructions here to have more space available to save files.

3. Restoring to Stock

So something happened and you need to return to stock. You need to make a warranty claim, register you device with BN, or whatever.

Here is what you need to do

When you are done you will have a complete stock Nook to do whatever you want with.

4. Other Cool Stuff

Watch Hulu with a hacked flash app

Make your Nook more Honeycomb like with TransformerBread

5. Issues

Help Facebook keeps force closing!!!!!

Solutions:

1. Use Facebook 1.6 or lower

2. Use tetherGPS lite

3. Use a third party app

Use this thread for help

N64oid won't work!!!!

Starting with N64oid 2.0 and above the new .32 Nook kernel used in CM7 does not work with N64oid.

Solutions:

Use a version of N64oid before 2.0

Use an older version of CM7 without the .32 kernel

Use this thread for help:

6. Conclusion

I hope this guide helped you out. If you think there is anything I should add or you have any questions feel free to comment.

7. Changelog

1/14/11

Restoring to stock guide updated for 1.4.1 zip that will work for people with new touchscreens.

1/10/12

New Guide for restoring to Stock that uses 1.3 and the new clockwork to work on the newer blue dot Nooks.

Removed 1.2 zip as it is no longer needed

Removed "Guide" from Changelog

Changed "Guide Changes" to Changelog in Table of Contents

Added link to CM9 dev thread

12/23/11

Added 1.2 restore zip link

Added Conclusion to table of contents