- Title: P780 4.4.2 ROW for China Baseband P780
- Listed: August, 2014
- Last modified: 12/07/2014 6:09 pm
- Version: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
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DESCRIPTION
Lenovo P780 ROM, Android 4.4.2, patched to work with Chinese version of the phone
This is a signifiant upgrade to Lenovo P780 ROW, The OS is upgraded to version 4.4.2 KitKat. It is a full upgrade package and will erase all user data. After update, the internal storage will no longer have the virtual SD card, the entire internal storage is partitioned as 'usrdata', the android data partition.
This ROM was initially released for the international version of the P780, I made 2 changes to it, to make it work with the chinese version (no 900 MHz), 4GB (non-ROW), which is now bundled with the VIBEUI ROM. Here are the changes I made: 1) I removed the device check from the installer, now the zip could (but I don't advise to) be installed on any device, and 2) the baseband used on this device is the one bundled with the VIBE UI ROM, the one that works with the non-ROW version of the phone. This ROM has all the apps which the international version has: Google play, more languages, etc.
Applying the zip update will also remove custom recovery and replace it with factory version. The first restart will take longer as usual, so be patient on the first boot. 'boot' and 'recovery' images are overwritten by the update, if you use root and/or custom recovery, you will have to reinstall them custom recovery with SPFlash Tool.
Before upgrading, back up your data (SMS, Call logs, Apps) with Lenovo Backup & Restore, you will be able to restore contacts/sms and logs later with the settings / backup and restore feature, and reinstall APKs from the SD card backup folder manually. APKs can be easily located with the file browser.
The 2nd package provided is in SP Flas tools format, it can be installed fast and easy, no matter what is your phone currently running. The package includes the factory ROM and apps, plus Superuser and Busybox. A custom recovery is also included.
What's new
- OS is upgraded to version 4.4.2 KitKat
- A new 'Lenovo Security' app is provided, this includes antivirus, privacy guard, data usage (and firewall), SMS/call anti-SPAM, speed-up, private space and anti-theft features
- new versions for most system apps (dialer, sms, calendar, email, power manager, etc), google play store, flashlight widget and app
- more privacy
- a memory cleanup button has been added below the task list
- SMS and home screen app can now be switched from the settins app
- 'Smart Scene' feature allows automated audio profile switch, either at a specified time or at a specified wireless network presence
- More theme-able (lock screen, system UI, boot animation, notification UI, contact manager and in-call app can now have different themes (even though a very low number of themes is provided).
- reboot option added to shutdown menu
- all audio volumes are available/adjustable when pressing volume-up/volume-down
- flip-to-mute incoming call alert, auto-redial option
- LED alert now flashes, instead of staying continuously lit (but still doesn't provide notification from other apps, such as facebook)
- the display colours can be tuned for saturation and hue (white balance)
- a 'wireless display' function has been added
- 'Smart Display' feature, preventing the screen to enter standby if the user is looking at the screen.
- Available languages: Bahasa (Indonesia & Melayou), English, Spanish, French, Vietnam, Russian, Chinese, Ukrainian, etc.
- the internal virtual SD card has been removed, now all the available internal storage is provided as a single partition
Notes
- The baseband contained within this ROM is for China version of Lenovo P780, you may lose the 900 MHz for 3G data band if you will install it on the international version of the phone!
- You have to backup IMEIs with MobileUncleTools before flashing. It's a known fact that sometimes IMEIs are lost when flashing ROM, it already happened with many ROMs and many MTK65xx devices.
- automatic updates will fail, due to changes Lenovo made in the update mechanism. For example, the update to ROW_S221 checks for the checksum of the modem.img file, thus making the update to fail.
- after installing Chainfire SuperSU onto this rom, you will gain root, but the current version of chainfire will complain about ‘not being up to date’, this will likely be fixed in a future version of SuperSU
- newer P780s use a different preloader image. I have uploaded both preloader.img on the spflashable ROW-s222 package, you will have to manually select the 2nd preloader.img file manually if your device is manufactured after march 2014.
How to install the ROM
Common prerequisites:
- Use lenovo backup and restore, do a backup of your data to SD Card (apps, contacts, messages, call logs), you will be able to restore them later with settings/backup and restore feature.
- connect the phone to PC, enable USB debugging, install Lenovo drivers if you didn't already, do a backup of your IMEIs with MTK Root & Tools app
1 – P780-S220, zip update – This package can be installed if your device is already running a factory ROM for P780. Versions P780-ROW S119-S124 work fine. You need to have installed a custom recovery able to install zip from SD Card. Download the zip, copy it to the phone card, Power off the phone, start the phone by pressing 'power + vol-up + vol-down' to enter recovery interface, apply zip update.
Recovery working with this ROM: Carliv Recovery v. 2.2 (even though it isn't perfect, it's able to apply zip/sideload updates), TWRP 2.5.0
2 – The SPFlash format package – This package can installed with spflash tools, regardless of what is your phone running. Grab SPFlash tools (version 3.12 or any higher 3.x version recommended) and the Mediatek USB VCom drivers, install the driver, unpack SPFlash tools and the ROM.
Power off the phone with 'Fast bootup' option disabled, connect the usb cable to the phone (only this cable end), start Flash_tool downloaded previously, make sure 'DA DL All checksum' option is enabled within app, click on 'scatter…' button, browse to the 'MT6589_Android_scatter_emmc.txt' extracted with the ROM, click on 'Firmware upgrade' button. Take a look to all memory partitions on SP Flash tool window, make sure all partitions are ticked and HAVE a file associated to them. SPFlash tools version 5 may not automatically check all segments!
Connect the usb cable to the PC end, watch the Flash_Tool how it's transferring firmware, until it displays a window with a green circle.
Unplug the cable, start the phone, wait for the initial setup (it will take longer than the usual start-up), enjoy!
You will notice requests for root from Lenovo Power and Security apps. It's absolutely safe to hit 'Deny', those apps work very well without root access.
Update 2014-12-07: P780_ROW_S226_140919_TO_P780_ROW_S227_141121_WCF9.zip
This is an incremental update from version S226, it can't be installed without havig P780_ROW_S226 installed on device. Installing the factory update alone will not affect the existing modem firmware, but it will disable root. This incremental update can be installed as a zip update.
To install it, download the zip to SD card (and ClockworkMod Superuser if you want root, you can take it from here), reboot to TWRP recovery (with Mobile Uncle Tools or 'adb reboot recovery' command), install BOTH zip files, then reboot. If you do not need root, then you can ignore references to superuser.
Common post-update actions:
- use settings/backup and restore to bring back contacts/messages/call logs
- ignore update notifications, they will allow you to download future updates, but they will likely give errors when attempting to install the update.
- hit the 5 stars button under 'Author rating' on this page and take into consideration a donation!
※Please make a backup of your device before installing or updating ROM
Hi,
I don't understand it well, but this ROM needs one of previous ROW (116,123,124) or CN(125,129..) ROM ?
Warning : "do not attempt to install it on ROW version" it's for factory model of P780 or for previous ROM ?
Thanks bro
Yes, you read right. A previous version of ROW ROM. It could work with older CN ROMs too, but I didn’t tested.
The warning ‘on ROW version’ refers to hardware, not ROM version. CN hardware has Chinese writing on the battery, for this device is this ROM.
I just added a new file, the S221 pre-rooted ROM, with TWRP recovery included.
I decide to go backt to MIUI. This rom is realy nice. I dont like VIBE so I replace it by BUZZ but on my Lenovo was few things which helps me to make decision to back to miui:
- Bateery life is very poor. I'm using bluetooth headphones (stereo) and when I go to rolerskate I run Endemondo. I make about 7 km (about 30 minutes) and after that I have no battery :/ I start from 70% and a the end battery was almost empty. On miui this think get ~8-10%
- I installed Locker Master and after reboot system didn't boot. Factory reset solve the problem so I think it's issue with app but it was next think that helps me to make decision to go back to MIUI
- When you set that you want confirmation that MMS was recived SMS app show that you have unread medssage and it disapeard when you delete MMS message :/
That's all issues what I found. Any way I think it is the best 4.4.2 rom for lenovo
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and findings!
I have a Unicom version: P780_S308_130814; Baseband version: P780.V16, 2013/07/03. Can I use this rom or should I try a ROW version?
It should work on your device.
Thanks for your reply, I will try a soon I have my backup phone ready.
Please note the updated (and rooted) ROM, spflash format.
is this rom working with below detail ????
BASEBAND VERSION
P780.V52,2013/11/06 11:17
BUILD NUMBER
VIBEROM_P780_www.lenovohome.net
The baseband you use seems to be made for china p780. Just have a look at the battery. If it’s written with Chinese symbols, then this ROM will work.
yes, the sticker on top of the battery are write in chinese
Ok, use the s221 spflashable package then.
can install this rom without root the devices ??
The P780-ROW-S221-prerooted-TWRP-CNFW package can be installed with SPFlash tools, it doesn't matter if your device is already rooted or what ROM version does it run.
Hi, I followed your tutorial re change of rom via spflash tool, however, at the begining of firmware update I got this error message.
Any thoughts what I am doing wrong?
thanx cosma
I tested with SPFlash version 3.1304. What version are you using ?
3.1332
Cosma, re-download the package and try again. It would be nice if you'd also use SPFlash ver. 3.1304, it works without any issues.