[Android General] Mad saint uden:
Good day!

I am posting here in the hope it helps someone. If I am posting in the wrong place or doing something else wrong please do let me know.

I am going to post some links & some text instructions but will explain the outline first.

I own a Lenovo A8-5500-H tablet, lenovo H variants according to the internet are made with the same hardware as their HV varients but a different ROM. H's have 3g data & wifi but not voice calling, HV's have 3d data & wifi & voice calling. After some googling & translating from Russian I discovered the ROM for the H but not the HV, then a few days ago the HV was posted - with the most dreadful instructions in Russian that translated poorly & still involved some faffing around. Anywho I can confirm that you can load the HV rom onto the H and get the 3g calls and all the other pre installed lenovo stuff. The phone is not rooted. The only advantage is that the H is about £50 less than the HV to purchase.

I have permission of the author to share his program and the rom. My links are to the russian lenovo forum where you may have to register.

After the links I will put my own instructions (within this post) which are much easier to follow than russian ones. Again I hope this helps someone.

http://lenovo-forums.ru/files/file/582-lenovo-a8-a5500-a5500hv-a442-000-017-140709-row-call/ this is th a8-5500-hv rom.

http://lenovo-forums.ru/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=15372 this is the lenovo driver pack - you need to use this & not windows own.

http://lenovo-forums.ru/files/file/549-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%88%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B0-lenovo-a8-%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B8%D0%B4-442-a5500h-a442-000-013-140526-row/ this is the original ROM incase you make a mistake and need to start again.

NOT FOR USE ON THE -F VARIANT.

ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS

This is not a direct translation. This provides directions for installing the Lenovo A8-5500-HV Rom onto a Lenovo A8-5500-H device for the perpose of making 3g calls. I have tested this function and method and verify that it works.

However I take no responsibility for you or you device.

Apparently with Lenovo wherever they have a H & HV variant the hardware is the same and the ROMs interchangeable. I have not verified this.

Lets go!

1. Don't Panic. If it doesn't work, you should not have bricked your device, just reload the original ROM.

2. Equipment needed - USB lead to attach device to PC / laptop, preferably the original but another powered lead will do the job ... Your tablet ... a laptop or PC ....

3. Files needed .. Original rom for if you go wrong, called A5500H_A442_000_013_140526_ROW at the time of writing. The new Rom called A5500HV_A442_000_017_140709_ROW, the drivers called LenovoUsbDriver_autorun_1.0.10

4. Time, less than an hour. Maybe half that time.

Apparently 99% of lenovo phones & tablets use the same driver. If yours doesn't I may be able to help but I may not.

(Potential problems:

Windows XP can get confused. You may need to install windows media player 11.)

5. On the PC / Laptop

Unzip the driver file and run it.

6.Unzip the new rom.

7. Have device manager open. You want the tablet to show as MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM port (COM44) or some variant of this. so on Windows 7 or 8 install the divers (without the tablet plugged in).

8. Ensure your tablet is TURNED OFF (seriously this is not a typo) and plug it in. If you the the meditek stuff all well and good. If not you have to be QUICK

9. In the 2 seconds that the device manager says unknown device, right click on it and update driver (pointing the to previously unzipped driver files).

10. Remove the tablet from the laptop / PC

11. Run Flash_tool.exe which is part of the unzipped rom.

12. Click on scatter loading.

13. Go to the folder target_bin and select the file MT6582_scatter_LVP5-3G-ROW-Voice.1.017.01

14. Tick the box called DA-DL with all Checksum (again dont panic if you forget - it just wont work & you have to try again)

15. Click button called Upgrade firmware.

16. Plug in the still powered off tablet. there will be some flashing. If not check the tablet to make sure it's not doing anything, unplug phone, wait a minute and start again.

17. When you see a bright green circle it is complete.

18. You may now unplug your tablet and turn it on.

If you are using the software with another lenovo device, if the battery is removable please do so before plugging into the PC / Laptop.

All ROM & software work was by Steaven on the Lenovo Forum. Google translate, common sense, guesswork and trial and error provided by MSU in order to provide English directions that make sense.