[Miscellaneous Android Development] C3C076:
GravityMod2 - custom ROM for THL W8 (4GB/8GB/16GB/W8+/Beyond) - Android 4.2.1

Version 3.0

Compatible with 4GB/8GB/16GB versions of THL W8, W8+ and W8 Beyond

Read IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT COMPATIBILITY below.

Introduction

Here comes the Android 4.2.1 ROM with full Project Butter experience with UI running @ 60+ FPS* making our W8 a real beast!

It's based on the latest Eastcom W1 stock Android 4.2.1 ROM. It's a pure stock with a few fixes and mods on top (check out the Changelog in the second post).

For W8 16GB, W8+ and Beyond, the ROM is based on the official THL firmware and it uses official THL kernel.

Installation can be done via recovery (Instructions below).

Thanks goes to akim14 @ androidforum.cz for giving a tip about compatible Eastcom ROM.

* 60FPS is available for W8 4GB/8GB models only.

* W8 16GB runs at max of 49FPS since it's using official THL kernel

* W8+ and Beyond use kernel from Beyond running at 58 FPS

IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT COMPATIBILITY

Although this ROM seems to be working fine on majority of W8 models, there's still a chance you might come accross some issues caused by incompatibility.

Except for memory size, newer batches of W8 seem to have some other hardware differences (e.g. camera sensor) making them incompatible with this ROM.

Since I own W8 8GB version that came out in the very first batch, it is impossible for me to reproduce, debug and fix bugs that may appear on different or newer W8 models. I won't be providing any support nor bug fixes for these models!!! It is simply unmanageable for me! Thanks for understanding.

Therefore, you should rather consider sticking with the stock ROM and installing standalone GravityBox app which will basically introduce all the mods without actually having to flash any custom ROM. This approach avoids all the potential incompatibility issues you may have with non-official ROMs.

And remember, it's always YOUR decision when it comes to flashing ROMs or installing apps.

You should ALWAYS make a backup of stock rom before flashing anything on your device!!! I am getting too many personal message from people that didn't make a backup of stock ROM before flashing GM2 asking for help, which wastes a lot of my free time that could be used more efficiently (e.g. to work on GravityBox app)

Read carefully before you proceed

- full wipe is needed to upgrade from Android 4.1.2 or any other ROM that's not based on this one.

- returning to previous ROM that was backed up using custom recovery is possible only in case you used my ClockworkMod to backup your previous ROM.

All other custom recoveries will simply not work fully because they are not "MTK6589 friendly".

So I strongly recommend to flash my ClockworkMod and perform backup using this recovery before proceeding any further.

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Main Features

- Project Butter fully working (60FPS UI on W8 4GB/8GB, 49 FPS on W8 16GB)

- Rooted

- Busybox

- Sysinit support (for init.d scripts)

- Updated Google apps

- Google Now included

- Chinese apps removed

- Updated APNs

- CallerID mappings fixed in Phone calls and Messaging

- CyanogenMod Circle Battery

- Auto-hide of signal icons for empty SIM slots

- No annoying "SIM card not inserted" notifications

- Power menu reboot and recovery

- Fullscreen caller photo (thanks to kadan)

- Multiline contact names (thanks to kadan)

- Volume key cursor control

- Recent apps clear all button

- Internet Calls support (SIP)

- OTA updates via GooManager

- Engineering mode accessible from Settings / Developer options

- GravityBox - centralized app for additional customizations

--- Status bar tweaks (QuickSettings tiles, additional tiles, background color and transparency, ...)

--- CyanogenMod Pie Controls

--- Expanded desktop

--- Navigation bar tweaks

--- Lockscreen tweaks (custom background, maximized widgets, ...)

--- Power tweaks (advanced power-off menu, low battery warning policy)

--- Phone tweaks (flip action, disable vibrate on call connect, fullscreen caller photo)

--- Display tweaks (minimum brightness setting, autobrightness settings, ...)

--- Hardware key actions (action on menu long-press/doubletap, back key long-press)

--- Media tweaks (more volume steps for music, skip track using volume keys)

--- Other miscellaneous tweaks

--- General MTK6589 fixes

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO YOUR DEVICE.

Downloads

Installation package to be flashed in recovery - version 3.0

THL W8 4GB/8GB:

http://ceco.sk.eu.org/GooMirror/THLW8/GravityMod2/thlw8-4GB-8GB-gravitymod2-3.0-recovery.zip (MD5: bad6e080d7b1865015ae8ca395093482)

THL W8 16GB:

http://ceco.sk.eu.org/GooMirror/THLW8/GravityMod2/thlw8-16GB-gravitymod2-3.0-recovery.zip (MD5: 18d58581ae211724550d31dddbb03640)

THL W8+:

http://ceco.sk.eu.org/GooMirror/THLW8/GravityMod2/thlw8plus-gravitymod2-3.0-recovery-20130710.zip (MD5: ed64686bad1d693496bf45e8f1d1fcd4)

THL W8 Beyond:

http://ceco.sk.eu.org/GooMirror/THLW8/GravityMod2/thlw8-beyond-gravitymod2-3.0-recovery-20130710.zip (MD5: d25afae1123beba06fb28a09cddee8db)

Incremental updates (installable via custom recovery)

THL W8 4GB/8GB:

Incremental update v3.0->v3.1 (hotfix for default write disk setting) (MD5: a04df439bcd58983999108d89dff7e32)

THL W8 4GB/8GB:

Incremental update v3.1->v3.2 (hotfix for front camera resolution) (MD5: d34c95bd5ff50935096a6a9c49f5d7d4)

Camera fix for W8 4GB running GravityMod2 3.x

- applicable to W8 4GB models experiencing camera crash

- applicable to GravityMod2 version 3.x

- contains official THL kernel that will reduce FPS from 60 to 49 (which is still acceptable)

- flash via recovery - make a backup before flashing

- no wipes needed

- Download link: http://ceco.sk.eu.org/GooMirror/THLW8/GravityMod2/thlw8-4GB-gravitymod2-camera-fix-20130728.zip (MD5: 0ff9b2314bbd1f454ea85e2042d65291)

Installation instructions

1) Download proper installation package for your W8 model from Downloads section above

2) Put installatrion ZIP on SD card

3) Reboot to clockworkmod recovery

4) Make a backup of your current rom.

5) Perform full wipe: wipe data/factory reset, advanced/wipe dalvik cache

6) Choose "install zip from sd card", browse for installation ZIP and confirm flash

7) Reboot

Incremental update instructions - when updating to newer version

This is in case you are already running some version of GM2 and want to upgrade to newer version of GM2

1) Download incremental update package and put it on SD card

2) Reboot to clockworkmod recovery

3) Wipe cache and dalvik cache (don't wipe data - your user apps will be preserved)

4) Choose "install zip from sd card", browse for incremental update ZIP and confirm flash

5) Reboot

Repartitioning instructions - to get more space for apps (2GB instead of 1GB)

APPLICABLE TO W8 4GB/8GB VERSIONS!!!

1) Backup contents of Phone storage (internal SD) somewhere to your PC.

2) Download repartitioning package and put it on external SD

3) Reboot to recovery

4) Backup your rom - IMPORTANT!!! CHOOSE TO BACKUP TO EXTERNAL SD!!! IF YOU BACKUP TO INTERNAL SD YOUR BACKUP WILLL BE WIPED DURING REPARTITIONING PROCESS!!!

5) Install zip from sd card / choose zip from external sd - choose zip downloaded in step 2)

6) Reboot recovery (recovery main menu / advanced / reboot recovery)

7) Format data partition (mounts and storage / format data)

8) Reboot system

9) You should see notification saying that phone storage is damaged. Open notification and confirm Format SD when prompted.

10) Reboot to recovery

11) Restore Backup made in step 4) (you can restore complete rom or just Data partition using "Advanced restore")

12) Copy contents of backed up Phone storage (internal SD) from PC back to Phone storage (make sure they fit new size)

New size for 8GB model: ~4.5GB

New size for 4GB model: ~0.5GB

GPL compliance

Sources for kernel used in this ROM are available here: https://github.com/C3C0/MT6589_kernel_source

Special thanks to all those who donated. Namely (in alphabetical order)

If you find yourself here without being linked to your XDA nickname/account, let me know via PM.

arcadesdude, benj2013, bglomax, Cheng W., Chris N., Cleverton H., brown777, djbxp, eran134, Florent P., gaz041064, hannse12, Jinish V., Jiri K., Johan T., joshedmonds, juz4fun, kuko61, luizgcrodrigues, maurizmo, Mr. Premise, Nikos, OpenMinded, peptonib, Péter N., quarando, Rejekt, Sergej L., unavix, walkerc3d2010, weszter, whackertje