Custom ROMs breathe new life into old devices. They’re a game-changer, offering fresh features and extending your phone’s lifespan. But what if you’re faced with just a payload.bin file and no TWRP? Don’t sweat it. Here’s how to get it done.
Prerequisites
- To begin with, download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
Windows | Linux | macOS
[Note: Links are automatically updated from Google’s servers] - Then enable USB Debugging and connect your device to the PC via USB cable.
- Now unlock the bootloader on your device [it will wipe off all the data]
- Once done, type in the below command to boot the device to the Fastboot
Mode adb reboot bootloader
- Finally, download the ROM, rename it to rom.zip, and transfer it to platform tools.
That’s it. This was the setup process. Let’s now proceed ahead and make you aware of the flashing steps.
Installation Steps
- Download and extract the Fastboot Enhance Tool on your PC.
- Then download the desired ROM and extract it onto your PC.
- You’ll get a few files, one among which will be the payload.bin.
- Transfer it to the Fastboot Enhance Tool. Now launch the tool.
- Then head over to the Payload Dumper tab and click on Browse.
- Select the payload.bin file and click Open. It will now be loaded.
- Go to the Partitions tab and select boot, dtbo, and vendor_boot.
- Checkmark Allow Incremental and then click on Extract Image.
- Choose the platform-tools folder as the extraction location > OK.
- Once done, you may now flash each of these partition files using:
fastboot flash boot boot.img fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot.img
- You may now reboot your device to the newly flashed recovery via
fastboot reboot recovery
- From there, do a Format Data/Factory Reset [it will wipe all the data]
- Once done, you may now start off with the sideloading of the ROM file
adb sideload rom.zip
- Once the flashing is complete, your device will automatically boot to OS.
Remember, this process can be tricky. It’s like performing surgery on your phone. Take it slow, follow each step carefully, and you’ll be fine.
Custom ROMs aren’t just about new features. They’re about freedom. You’re breaking free from manufacturer restrictions, taking control of your device. It’s empowering stuff.
But here’s the kicker: this method isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s for those who love to tinker, who see their phone as a playground, not just a tool. If that’s you, dive in. The rewards are worth the risk.