[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] xmr3d:
Hi

I managed to convert a chinese asus zenfone 6 to WW (International) and then Install Android KitKat from ASUS international to it. same method is valid for zenfone 5, just firmware files are different. I am going to share the process as most of the sources were not updated and were in chinese language.

I came up with an chinese asus device that sold as an International asus phone. I don't know how they did that, but they installed WW rom while original SKU of phone was still CCUC! I noticed it is a fake ROM because I noticed there are many bloatwares installed such as random marketplaces and baidu browser and phone had a weird permission popup that appear every time I tried to open an application. for example it says Gallery tries to use network. I click Allow and click "remember", but it ask same question again next time I open gallery. or WhatsApp want to read contact... and this popup was appearing on every applications.

I found out the reason for this problem is that the rom is not original ROM, in system information menu in setting, ROM release date was 2019 which is very weird and show that ROM was modified highly and they changed date of release to 2019, so it cannot check for newer update from Asus! Anyway, lets get to the point...

so I downloaded newest firmware and tried to install, but there was an error message saying device SKU is CCUC but ROM is WW and install failed. new firmwares from asus check against device SKU and don't allow to install. so, here is an option. you have to download latest firmware that doesn't check for device SKU, which is v1.14.40.50

Once you install this firmware, your device SKU will change to WW, then you can go ahead and install new firmware.

So, in my case, I had to download old firmware UL-ASUS_T00G-WW-1.14.40.50.zip ( for Asus Zenfone 6 ) and sideload it into my device.

Once it sideloaded, It changed my device from CCUC to WW and then I could proceed installation of new firmware updates.

Here is what i did:

1. turn off phone.

2. turn on phone while keeping volume up + power button to enter into fastload mode.

3. open recovery mode.

4. hold volume down for 3 seconds, then press volume up to enable ADB mode.

5. choose ADB mode. ( have to download Intel Android Driver so that your windows can detect phone )

6. download UL-ASUS_T00G-WW-1.14.40.50.zip and extract it ( from asus support page: http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=ASUS+ZenFone+6&p=39&s=1 )

6. copy UL-ASUS_T00G-WW-1.14.40.50-user to my windows adb folder. ( have to download Google's Android ADB tools )

7. open adb folder in command prompt and type: adb sideload UL-ASUS_T00G-WW-1.14.40.50-user.zip

8. let it sideload and get installed on your device. now phone is WW. have to restart phone and open recovery mode again so that WW version apply to recovery mode.

9. open ADB mode again.

10. download UL-ASUS_T00G-WW-1.18.40.12.zip and sideload it.

11. once this version is sideload, boot android and let it optimize apps. it will change your android version to latest 4.3, which is needed for

12. turn off device and open ADB mode again.

13. download UL-ASUS_T00G-WW-2.19.40.18.zip and sideload it.

14. restart your device. Now your phone have KitKat android v4.4

15. Enjoy it and don't forget to thanks me if this method helped you.