Lately, developers have been actively offering their users more and more updates for smartphones and other tablet devices. They can be installed thanks to a firmware update. Unfortunately, despite all the positive aspects of the update, not everyone will like the new version of the system.
Sometimes, after installing updates, unwanted effects appear or the device performs worse than before. Therefore, the question arises of how to return the old firmware.
It is important to understand that all actions carried out with mobile devices, smartphones or tablets can harm it, and all articles on this topic are for informational purposes only. It should also be noted that updating the firmware or downgrading to an older version may result in the loss of contacts or other information (optional) that is stored on the device.
If the question arises of how to return the old firmware or install a new one, then you need to perform a number of simple operations.
- 0. Turn off the smartphone.
- 1. Install drivers for the device firmware (you can download it here - click here). This is done by connecting the smartphone to the computer.
- 2. Find the required firmware version. This can be either a new or an old version. It is downloaded to your computer and unpacked. Preferably on the C:\ drive in the Firmware folder
(firmware can be downloaded from) - 3. Install the SP Flash Tool program. It allows you to download firmware to your phone. Most often it is provided along with the firmware in one archive. Let's launch it.
3.a. Click on Download Agent, as well as Scatter-loading File. Select the required files.
3.b. Don't forget to mark DA DL All With Check Sum
3.s. Click Firmware - Upgrade. If, suddenly, an error appears and the firmware does not start, then click Download.
3.d. We connect the smartphone to the computer and wait for the firmware to download.
- 4. Flash your phone using your computer. To do this, turn off the device, launch the SP Flash Tool, and fill in all fields. It is important to pay attention to the DA DL All With Check Sum field; there should be a checkmark next to it. After that, check all the fields again and click update.
- 5. Next, you need to connect the switched off phone to the computer.
If everything is done correctly, colored stripes appear in the lower area of the utility. They show how the firmware is uploaded. When the update is completed successfully, a window with a green circle appears.
When it appears, disconnect the device from the computer and turn it on. The first download will take longer and may take up to 5 minutes. Do not touch the phone or try to turn it off. Remember that only the first boot will take this long.
If you are not sure about something or don’t know, then it’s better to ask here or on 4pda. It’s better to measure 100 times and cut once than to rebuild your smartphone later!
The Lenovo A390 smartphone is equipped with the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system, which provides multifunctionality and supports interactive work. But despite the fairly high technical indicators of this OS, more and more users prefer to improve it, that is, “reflash” it. It is the firmware of the Lenovo A390 smartphone that is the most effective way to increase the performance of this device.
Using the step-by-step firmware algorithm below, you can also change the software of the Lenovo A390t smartphone simply by using the appropriate drivers.
To change the operating system of smartphones, two methods are traditionally used: the Flash Tool and Recovery.
Changing firmware using SP Flash Tool
“Preparatory work” for changing the firmware via the SP Flash Tool consists of several stages.
- You need to download the USB Driver, SP Flash Tool and the actual drivers for the Lenovo A390 firmware to your computer (links at the end of the article).
- You need to unpack all the archives and install the USB Driver on your computer. To do this, connect the device to your computer and, when prompted to install drivers, specify the path to the files from the archive. When asked to install unsigned drivers, answer YES.
- It is advisable to save Back-ups so that, if necessary, you can restore the previous settings. To do this, enter the Recovery menu by holding down the volume button (up) together with the power button on the switched off phone. Find the Back-up folder and select the files to save (including Recovery), and the location on the phone where to send them. Once the process is complete, click Reboot. We also advise you to save the folder with Back-ups on your computer, just in case.
Now you can proceed directly to changing the software.
Flashing Lenovo A390 using SP Flash Tool
- In the SP_Flash_Tool... folder, find and run the file flash_tool.exe.
- In the window that opens, click on the button.
- Specify the path to the folder where the firmware for Lenovo A390 is stored, open a text document MT6577_Android_scatter_emmc.txt and click on Upgrade.
- Turn off the phone's power, connect it to the computer via a USB cable and wait for the firmware to install. If all actions are performed correctly, the screen will first display a red stripe, then purple and yellow. Next, a green circle will appear, which signals the successful completion of the operation.
- Disconnect the USB cable and turn on your updated phone.
Changing firmware via Recovery
Let's move on to the second method of changing the firmware of Lenovo A390 and Lenovo A390t. In this case, first you need to delete the user settings from the smartphone, and then install the firmware itself.
- Download the appropriate firmware for your phone model (see links at the end of the article).
- Dump it onto your memory card or phone.
- Turn off the power to the smartphone and enter the Recovery menu by holding the volume rocker up along with the Power button.
- Using the volume button, move up and down the menu that opens. Using the Power button, click on wipe data/factory reset - yes and on wipe cash partition - yes.
- In the menu, click on the line Apply update from external (if the folder with the firmware is on the SD card) or internal storage (if you copied it to the phone’s memory).
- Having found the folder with the necessary drivers, click on the Power button and wait until the firmware installation is completed.
- Select Reboot system now.
After everything, it is recommended to completely turn off the device, remove the battery for 30 seconds and then insert the battery back. Remember that the responsibility for all actions performed lies with you, and the warranty for the smartphone will be void in case of such interventions.
Sometimes our mobile gadgets begin to behave inappropriately. There may be several reasons for this. But most often this behavior is associated with the device’s firmware. For some reason it was damaged and therefore became unstable. In this case, a flashing is required. Gone are the days when you had to go to service centers for this procedure. Now any user can flash the device. Let's take a closer look at the firmware process. For example, let's look at how to flash a Lenovo A319.
What kind of device is this?
Belongs to a budget line of devices with advanced functionality. It copes well with all tasks and has high-quality sound. But what’s more valuable about it is that it lends itself very well to flashing and customization. Only it, like all devices on the MTK platform, very often tends to lose IMEI after flashing. But it can be restored very easily. Nevertheless, let's move on to the most interesting part. How to flash via computer?
Firmware via PC
Yes, if you install the official firmware from Lenovo, then you can’t do it without a computer. The first thing you need to do is download the entire driver package for this gadget. Then we download the firmware program, which is called SP FlashTool, and the firmware itself. First you need to install all the drivers and only then proceed to the next stages of the process. In some cases, you will have to disable digital signature verification in Windows. And now we will find out how to flash Lenovo A319.
After installing the drivers, add the firmware file to the folder with the downloaded program. Turn off the device and remove the battery from it. Now launch SP Flashtool, in the window that opens, look for the “Scatter Loading” button and click on it. Select the firmware file with the extension .txt and the word "scatter" in the name. Next, click on the “Download” button. Now you can connect your turned off smartphone to your PC. The installation of the firmware will begin. The process will be completed when a green circle with the text “OK” appears on the monitor screen. Disconnect the gadget from the PC and reboot it. This is how you can flash Lenovo A319. The instructions are simple and clear.
Firmware without a computer
There are a number of unofficial (custom) firmware for this smartphone. They need to be installed using a different algorithm. A PC is only needed here to install a custom, unlocked recovery. Everything else is done using a Micro SD card. What do you do without a computer? First you need to download the custom recovery installation file. Then connect the device to the PC, turning it on first. Click on recovery and install it on the device. Now you can proceed to the firmware itself.
Before flashing the Lenovo A319, you need to download the firmware itself in ZIP format and put it in the root of the memory card. Then you need to turn off the phone and turn it on in recovery mode ("volume up" plus "power" button). Here you must first select “Wipe data & factory reset” to reset the gadget to factory settings. Then find the item "Install ZIP from SD Card" and click "OK". The firmware process will begin, which may take quite a long time. After it is finished, you need to click on “Reboot System Now”. The first boot can last from 5 to 10 minutes. Now you know the answer to the question of how to flash Lenovo A319 without a computer.
Using custom
Many people love custom firmware for their performance and low demands on system resources. However, installing such an OS is fraught with serious consequences for the smartphone. The user is deprived of official updates. But that's not so bad. The fact is that such firmware is extremely unstable. In addition, they are in no way protected from outside invasion. While official versions receive patches and fixes for security problems, custom firmware does not have such support. And they are often assembled by crooked hackers who have only recently mastered Android. Therefore, if you change the firmware, then only to the official one. Because stability, security and timely updates are above all. It is not recommended to use firmware from third-party developers. Because the consequences can be unpredictable.
Summary
Gadgets such as Lenovo A319 lend themselves well to flashing. And this is only a plus for the manufacturer. Because sometimes there are cases when the original firmware is buggy, and there is neither time nor money to contact a service center. All that remains is to flash the gadget yourself. Now you know everything about how to flash Lenovo A319 through a computer and without it.
One day one of our website visitors asked for help. He needed to flash a Lenovo S820, and he didn’t quite figure out how to do it correctly and not get bricked. So I decided to write detailed instructions on how to properly flash a Lenovo S820 idea phone.
What you need to know
Firmware for Lenovo S820 comes in two types: custom (firmware modified by advanced users) and official, in turn, the official version is divided into Chinese multilingual and European. Links to download official firmware can be found at the end of the article, and custom versions can be found on the Internet, for example on NeedRom.
When choosing firmware, be careful; Lenovo S820 is available in two variations: 4Gb RAM and 8Gb RAM, and accordingly they come with different firmware.
You can flash a smartphone in several ways: using a computer or through recovery mode. If you use a computer, then you will need the SP Flash Tool. You can read how to use it in, also in this article you will find how to correctly install gadget drivers. Firmware for SP FLASH TOOL is packaged in an archive with a *.rar extension and if you unpack it you will see many files. In this archive, you need to make sure that there is a scatter file “MT6589_Android_scatter_emmc”, see Figure 1 below.
As for the recovery mode, there are ROM firmware for under and under TWRP Recovery. CWM and TWRP Recovery are small programs (something like the BIOS on a computer) that allow you to flash your Lenovo S820, update it, install various patches, and even install applications or games. As a rule, when you find a firmware for yourself, the developers indicate what to flash: CWM Recovery or TWRP Recovery. Such firmware is also archived and has a *.zip extension.
Preparing the phone for firmware
So, you have a smartphone, a computer and a data cable and you need to flash the Lenovo S820. To do this, first charge the gadget, then download drivers for MTK devices (for a switched off body), and the program. After this, you need to decide on the choice of firmware (official or custom) and download it. Now you have everything to start the process of flashing your phone. But before flashing it is highly recommended.
Sewing process using SP Flash Tool
After you have made a backup of your firmware, you can start flashing it. Now turn off your phone, launch the SP Flash Tool program and specify the path to the scatter file by clicking the “Scatter-loading” button, see fig. 2.
By specifying the path to the file, blocks that will be flashed will appear in the lower field. You need to make sure that all the blocks have a check mark, and “Preloader” too. Next, check the “DA DL All With Check Sum” checkbox and press the “Firmware->Upgrade” button, see fig. 3.
The Flash Tool will begin to create a firmware image (pink progress bars will run at the bottom), while turning off the phone (if it is connected to the computer, then disconnect it), remove the battery and connect the phone to the computer while it is off. If everything is done correctly, the firmware process will begin (first a red and then a yellow progress bar will run at the bottom). If for some reason the progress line stands still and does not move, then try disconnecting the gadget from the PC, reconnecting the battery, and connecting it to the computer again. It didn’t help - then the problem is with the drivers, you’ll have to reinstall them (naturally, the firmware process needs to be interrupted). After the firmware process is completed, a window with a green circle will appear, see Fig. 4.
Congratulations, you have managed to flash Lenovo S820. Now you can disconnect your smartphone from your PC and turn it on. The first download is long, about 5 – 10 minutes.
Links to download official firmware:
Good luck! If you need any help, write.
We are not responsible for any damage caused to your phone if something goes wrong.
Installing new firmware on a phone is a responsible matter and requires preliminary preparation. You can reflash Lenovo a319, a916 and other smartphones in several ways, using the Recovery menu or special programs on your computer. Let's look at where it is better to download firmware for Android on Lenovo and how to install it correctly on a mobile phone.
Android OS firmware on Lenovo smartphones may be needed in different situations. For some, their mobile phone began to glitch and reboot spontaneously, while others were tired of the standard personalization settings. Regardless of what exactly prompted you to reflash, you need to carefully read the step-by-step instructions for its implementation. It is also worth noting that most Lenovo smartphones are equipped with MTK brand processors and have their own features, which we will mention below.
Download the required firmware version
The first place to start flashing a smartphone at home is by searching for the latest firmware version. If you try to install the wrong version, the smartphone will, at best, work with limited functionality and system errors. After all, each firmware also contains software drivers for all the main hardware modules of the device: camera, speakers, radio module, etc. If they are incompatible with the components used in the phone, then they will not work either.
It is best to look for custom firmware versions on thematic websites and forums. For example, you can download free firmware for smartphones such as: Lenovo a859, a319, note k50 and many other models. Before downloading them, be sure to read the installation instructions in Russian and compatibility with your mobile phone. As a rule, the firmware is downloaded as a zip archive in one file, which later needs to be placed on the phone’s memory card or on a PC.
Reflash via modified Recovery
Through stock Recovery, only official firmware versions can be installed on Lenovo smartphones. This is also not bad, but in most cases, they are flashed to custom firmware, which cannot be installed in the usual way. To download them, you must first reflash the Recovery menu itself on Android. Coping with this task is not so difficult, all you need is:
- Unlock the bootloader and enable USB Debugging on Android.
- Download Android SDK Platform Tools.
- Download the desired version of Recovery and save the file in .img format on your computer. We recommend downloading TWRP from the developer's official website.
- Turn off the phone, go into fastboot mode, and then connect it to the computer via a USB cable.
- Open a command window by first navigating to the directory where the Android SDK Platform Tools folder is located.
- Type the command fastboot flash recovery“path to recovery file” and press the enter button.
- After a notification about the successful installation of Recovery appears on the screen, you can disconnect your smartphone from the computer and try to start it.
Now you can proceed directly to installing the new firmware. To do this, first write the desired archive onto a memory card and insert it into the smartphone. Next, turn off the mobile phone again and do the following:
- We go into custom recovery. To do this, with the smartphone turned off, press the key combination volume up/down + lock/off button. In the Recovery menu, navigation is carried out using the same volume buttons, and confirmation of the action is carried out using the lock key. But if the TWRP control is touch-sensitive, as in the menu of the mobile phone operating system.
- We clear data and cache. To do this, select the item wipe - data - wipe cache - wipe dalvik cache.
- We install the firmware. To do this, click on the Install zip from sd card button, select the desired archive and wait for the process to complete.
For more information about the method of installing custom Recovery on Lenovo a328, s860, a369 and others smartphones, see the video below.
Flashing using the SP FlashTool computer utility
You can flash smartphones with MTK brand processors, including Lenovo, using the SP FlashTool program. Its advantage is its accessible interface and support for almost all current phone models. Before flashing a mobile phone via a computer, you need to download one of two versions of the program, FlashTool 3 or 5. Their difference is not only in the updated interface design, but also in compatibility with a certain type of phone. The 3rd version is better suited for older models, and the 5th - for new ones.
Firmware via computer utility
Before installing the firmware, you need a few small preparations, a fully charged mobile phone battery, a working USB cable and a computer with Windows XP/7/8 installed. You also need to download a zip archive with firmware to your PC. After that, you can proceed directly to installing it on your phone, to do this:
- Download and install the required drivers on your PC. Note that special firmware drivers are needed for the SP FlashTool program, and not those that come standard when connecting a mobile phone to a computer. You can find them on the same thematic forums and sites with firmware.
- Download the SP FlashTool program from the official website and install it on your PC.
- In the program window, click on Scatter-loading and select the scatter file that is located with all the firmware files.
- Go to the options section and in the download line check the DA DL All with Checksum box.
- We connect the phone to the computer via a USB cable.
- To start the installation process, go to the Download tab, select Download Only or Firmware Upgrade and click on the green rectangle.
- We wait for the process to complete, after which a large green checkmark will appear on the computer screen. After this, you can disconnect the smartphone and turn it on.
Lenovo firmware process
When flashing, do not remove the USB cable from the phone or PC. Also, you do not need to turn on the phone or interact with it in any way. This can lead to incorrect installation of the firmware, as a result of which the phone will malfunction or not turn on at all.
