[Android General] Janiporo:
There are 4 parts to this post (since they are related, I put all of them here, not on separate threads / posts):

-Rom installing guide

-Fix youtube error on Android 4.2

-Activate dual SIM

-Fix missing IMEI-number(s)

ROM-installing guide

Purpose for installing this ROM is that depenging on the purchase place, there can be spyware and such on the phone. Some other modifications are there also, but I do not know what they are. Well, at least this ROM works pretty fast (at least after I uninstalled some useless software with root access).

Original ROM build version on my phone was A916_USR_S1205_141013

This new ROM is Android version 4.4.2 (Build: A916_S206-141125_baralajbi), and this is rooted already. I also found S207 ROM, but it would not install. This ROM is multilingual, of course.

Written guide source is here: http://www.needrom.com/download/lenovo-a916-multilang-root-gapps/

And video guide source here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzyYXAflmOk

Firstly you need to register and login to www.needrom.com or you will not be able to download these files.

Download "MT_6592_SP Flash Tool v5.1352.01"

http://www.needrom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/MT_6592_SP-Flash-Tool-v5.1352.01.zip

Download "MTK_USB VCOM Driver"

http://www.needrom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/MTK_USB-VCOM-Driver.zip

Download "LenovoUSBDriver"

http://www.needrom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/LenovoUSBDriver.rar

Download "A916_USR_S206_baralajbi" (This is the new ROM / Firmware)

http://www.needrom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/A916_USR_S206_baralajbi.zip

AND do the following (some of these might be in the wrong order, did the best I could):

1. Extract all the downloaded packages in to own folders.

2. Prepare your phone, and set USB DEBUGGING on:

Go to: Settings --> developer options --> usb debugging >tick<

OR if the setting is not present, go to: Settings --> about phone --> baseband version {tap this line 7 times}, come back out to settings --> developer options --> usb debugging >tick<

3. If you are paranoid, or using this guide to another model phone, backup your IMEI (this install has been tested on A916, and it does not temper with either of two IMEI, IF done correctly). This MIGHT require root, not sure. There are plenty of softwares to backup those. At LEAST write them down somewhere!

4. Turn off your phone, remove the battery, remove usb-cord (if any).

5. Install the VCOM driver if you don't have this before. Go to windows Device manager, select ANYTHING from the list, select from top drop down menu "action" and "Add Legacy Hardware" (this happens at 4:53 in the video), Select the following: Next --> Install hardware manually --> Next --> Next --> Have disk, now search the correct driver from where you extracted the VCOM-drivers

6. Install lenovo usb driver from where you extracted it (LenovoUsbDriver_autorun_1.0.8.exe). When program asks, remove the phone from usb-cable (if for some reason it is connected)

7. Go to Flash Tool folder, then RIGHT-Click on Flash_tool.exe (choose, run as administrator)

-With Flashtool select "scatter loading"-option, and point it to the "MT6592_Android_scatter.txt" from where you extracted the contents of rom package.

-Wait file to be added into Flash Tool, a long list opens below.

-Open from top drop down menu: Options --> Options --> Download / and select "DA DL All with Checksum" -option.

-Choose "Firmware Upgrade" (OR "Download only"), CAUTION! Do NOT use "Format All + Download", because you will lose the IMEI!!!

-Press Download-button when ready and AFTER pressing that connect the phone (without battery)! -->The process will start and a red progress bar will appear. It will turn yellow, grey and green. When popup appears that says "OK", just click on the X to close that window.

-You have finished.

-You can now safely disconnect your phone, insert battery and turn it on.

-The first boot can take about 1-2 mins

*******************************************

To make Youtube work

First test does it work, dah.

(You have to be root, and this above ROM-image is rooted already)

Source: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1948558

We must make the phone "think" it is 5.0 Lollipop, doing this is quite easy. Do the following.

1. Install ES Explorer.

2. Once downloaded and installed, Open the application and hit Menu, then tap "Settings", this will bring you to the apps Settings Menu. Once in the Settings Menu, scroll all the way down to Root Settings. In Root Settings, "check" Root Explorer (and "Mount File System" if available)

3. We look for the folder /system/build.prop

4. Open the file publisher build.prop

5. Find line:

ro.build.version.release = 4.4.2

and change to

ro.build.version.release = 5.0

6. Save the change.

7. Reboot phone

Now you can check it if it worked going to system settings --> Information about phone (or similar) --> Device information. It should say Android version 5.0, and youtube should be working. Someone said that now you can also install more apps for this phone after "upgrade" to 5.0.

*******************************************

Dual SIM-standby

If problems with dual SIM stanby (only one SIM is in standby), do the following:

WARNING:

This warning does NOT consern you, IF you made clean install, I am pretty sure some security program (avast?) screwed my phone, still, read on:

I tested and this activates dual sim, BUT after doing this and rebooting, phone asks "privacy protection password". I have no clue what this could be, since I have not set any. I have not found a way to skip this verification, even installing fresh ROM does not help, ONLY thing that helps is to format the phone from the software, and then install new ROM. By doing this, IMEI, phone serial and some MAC-addresses got lost. However, if you have the box still available (or on the back of the phone, under battery is a sticker), you can restore IMEI-number. There are also several apps, that will make backups of these, I would recommend several backups with different programs BEFORE activating dual SIM standby! As said before, at least write them down.

Activating dual SIM standby:

Activation steps (Read warning above, this is best to do for phones that have no installed external security programs!):

1. Make sure you have USB-debugging on, or you might get bricked phone, if anything goes wrong (unable to reflash without it on)!

2. Input *#*#5448264#*#* on the dialpad

3. A916 will automatically restart then

4. Setting --> SIM management --> Single Standby Settings --> select "Sim 1 And SIM 2"

5. Reboot phone

6. Dual SIM card / dual standby SHOULD be available!

If you have no success, check that both your SIMS are correctly inserted and there is selected both sims in the settings.

**************************

Change IMEI

If you for some reason partially bricked phone and lost IMEI, here is an guide for fixing that:

Sources:

Here is how to video --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewRaziVtBLk

And here is how to website --> http://bernardosbagofbeans.com/2014/12/restoring-imei-lenovo-tab-a7-30-a3300hv.html

Short summary for IMEI change:

Service mode, input to dialpad:

*#*#3646633#*#*

NOTE: On this A916 phone (it seems that) the IMEI 1 and IMEI 2 can NOT be the same number! Use some random generator for second one, first one is on the box and under the battery.

Setting first IMEI:

Connectivity --> CDS Information --> Radio information --> Phone 1

AT+ EGMR=1,7,”IMEI_1"

Setting second IMEI:

Connectivity --> CDS Information --> Radio information --> Phone 2

AT+ EGMR=1,10,”IMEI_2"

If lost, replace blank bluetooth, WIFI and IP-Mac adresses (and some other maybe):

Install "Device id IMEI changer Exposed" -app, and use it. It will NOT change IMEI, check it out, easy to use. You might be okay without this also.

To insert phone serial number I have no success yet. Serial number is found on the box and behind the phone battery. This phone has MediaTek MT6592-chipset, if that helps googling. I am interested about how to do that, if anyone can. There is place for SN and PN-numbers, no idea what PN-number should be, SN seems to be at the back of the phone. :eek:

In /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iSerial there is phone serial, but if I get it correctly, the operating system just writes there at boot what is in the phone firmware. Changing this, does not help, it is just overwritten over at next boot. Android system info does not show this serial, but for example "my id"-app shows it correctly. And it is still different from the original serial.