There are a lot of things you can do with Android devices, thanks to the variety of customizations that developers are cooking up and the apps emerging on the Google Play Store. However, a custom recovery such as TWRP Recovery is a must-have tool if you want to enjoy all of these customizations on your phone. With this tool, you can enjoy hassle free and quick installations.

XDA Developer arrrghhh managed to put together TWRP Recovery for the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897. The essential recovery features are up and running, though the port is still not a hundred percent perfect since the USB Mass Storage is not working, the clock is off, and the physical keyboard can’t be used to type while in recovery mode. Still, it’s already workable and can be used to install customizations on your phone. If you are thinking of giving it a try, just follow the our step-by-step tutorial below.

This guide shows you how to flash TWRP Recovery for the Photon Q 4G LTE XT897.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE, model number XT897. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A rooted Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 with an unlocked bootloader.
  • For help with rooting, see our guide on how to root the Photon Q and flash ClockworkMod Recovery.
• • You can unlock your phone’s bootloader via Motorola’s official support site.
• The following are only required if you wish to install via Fastboot:
  • You should have Android SDK installed on your PC.
    • Check out our guide on how to install the Android SDK (Software Development Kit.
  • Download Motorola Drivers for Windows (MotorolaDeviceManager_2.3.4.exe, 31.5 MB).
  • Enable USB Debugging on your phone. Go to Setting > Developer Options and tick the USB debugging option.
• Download TWRP Recovery (openrecovery-twrp-2.4.0.0-asanti_c.img, md5sum: abebd6f5ab21e7f269a591443b94f64d)
  
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

Installing via GooManager

1. Install GooManager on your Photon Q 4G LTE.
2. Open GooManager on your phone.
3. Go to Menu (tap the icon beside the Search button) and select Install OpenRecoveryScript from the list.
4. Confirm Recovery Install by selecting Yes.
5. Grant root access to the app, if prompted.
6. Wait until the installation is done.

Installing via Fastboot

1. Save the TWRP Recovery image to your computer’s C:\ drive.
2. Connect your phone to your computer via a USB cable.
3. Open a command prompt on your computer. You can do this by pressing the Windows button and pressing R to launch the Run dialog. Type cmd in the dialog box.
4. Change the working directory of the command window to the location where you saved the TWRP Recovery image. In the command prompt, enter the location of the file in this format “cd c:\location of file”
   • For example, cd c:\android.
5. Put your phone in Fastboot Mode by entering adb reboot bootloader at the command prompt.
6. Enter fastboot flash recovery openrecovery-twrp-2.4.0.0-asanti_c.img at the command prompt to install TWRP Recovery.
7. Once installed, unplug your phone and reboot.
8. To boot into TWRP Recovery, do the following:
   1. Turn off your phone.
   2. Hold the Volume Up and Power buttons together then release the Power button.
   3. When the display turns on release the Volume Up button. You should now be in TWRP Recovery.

Hooray! You have just installed TWRP Recovery on the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897. You can now install custom ROMs and other goodies on your phone.

Custom ROMs are the way to go if you want to explore the custom features available. Before you can do that, you have to gain root access and install custom recovery on your phone for easy flashing. XDA Developers member shabbypenguin was kind enough to share with us  how to root the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT987 and how to install ClockworkMod Recovery on it afterwards.

For more info about rooting, you can consult our beginner’s guide to rooting your Android device. Meanwhile, ClockworkMod Recovery is a custom recovery that allows you to easily flash custom ROMs and other customizations via ZIP files. The tool also lets you perform other functions such as wiping partitions, easily backing up and restoring data, and more. It’s a faster and easier way to install customizations on your phone compared to the Odin method.

This guide shows you how to root the Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 and flash ClockworkMod Recovery.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE, model number XT897. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 with an unlocked bootloader.
  • You can unlock your phone’s bootloader via Motorola’s official support site.
• Android SDK installed on your PC.  Check out our guide on how to install the Android SDK (Software Development Kit).
• Enable USB Debugging on your phone. Go to Setting > Developer Options and tick the USB debugging option.
• Download the following files:
  • ClockworkMod Recovery image (cwmrecovery.img, 6.5 MB).
  • SuperSU app (SuperSU-v0.94+.zip, 659 kB).
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. Copy cwmrecovery.img into the same folder where fastboot.exe is located.
2. Copy the SuperSU ZIP package to your phone’s SD card.
3. Turn off your phone.
4. Enter Bootloader Mode by holding the Volume Down, Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time. Select AP fastboot.
5. Connect your phone to your PC via a USB cable.
6. Open a command prompt from the Android SDK platform-tools folder with Windows explorer.
   • You can do this by holding down Shift on your keyboard, right-clicking with your mouse, and selecting Open command window here.
7. Type in the following commands and press Enter on your keyboard after each command.
   • Type fastboot devices to check if your phone has been recognized by your PC. If successful, it should respond with your phone’s serial number.
   • Type fastboot flash recovery cwmrecovery.img to install ClockworkMod Recovery.
8. Enter Bootloader Mode again then select Recovery to boot into ClockworkMod Recovery.
9. In ClockworkMod Recovery, do the following:
   1. Select Install ZIP from SD card > Choose ZIP from SD card > Select the SuperSU file.
   2. Once installed, select Go Back and select Reboot System Now.

Congratulations! You have rooted your Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 and installed ClockworkMod Recovery. Enjoy flashing custom ROMs, mods, kernels, and more on your device.

Sometimes you just can’t help tinkering with your Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926, especially if you come across new and interesting custom features. However, it also means risking your hundred dollar contract and warranty. Rooting your phone might mean enjoying a taste of freedom but if something goes wrong, you can’t ask for assistance from Verizon since your warranty has been voided. If you’re in this very boat, don’t fret, my friend, because there is now a short and easy way to unroot your phone and revert to stock firmware.

XDA Developers member Pzyduck shared this method for Droid Razr HD users, allowing them to save their devices by restoring them to stock. This is also handy for people who’ve made a mistake during their adventures of flashing and soft-bricked their phone.

This guide shows you how to unroot the Droid Razr HD XT926 and revert to stock.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD, model number XT926. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A rooted Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926
  • Check out our guide on how to root the Droid Razr HD XT926.
• Enable USB debugging on your phone. Go to Settings > Developer options and tick the USB debugging option.
• Download the following files:
  • Motorola Drivers (MotorolaDeviceManager_2.3.4.exe, 31.5 MB)
  • RSD Lite 6.1.4 (RSDLite_v6.1.4.zip, 5.84 MB) 
  • Stock firmware and fastboot (VZW_XT926_4.0.4-7.7.1Q-144_VQW_S3-34-25_CFC.xml.zip, 605.3 MB)
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. On your computer, extract the firmware package.
2. Open the extracted folder and you will find a VZW_XT926_4.0.4-7.7.1Q-144_VQW_S3-34-25_CFC.xml file.
3. Open that file with Notepad and delete all the lines with the word “getvar’ then Save the file.
4. Open the RSD Lite program and press the “…” button. Browse and select the XML file that you edited with Notepad.
5. Boot your phone into AP Fastboot Mode, as follows: Turn off your phone and hold down the Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power buttons together to enter Boot Selection Mode. Scroll down and select AP Fastboot.
6. Connect your phone to your computer via a USB cable. Your phone should be recognized as XT926.
7. Press Start in RSD Lite to start the flashing. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Your phone should reboot into stock firmware.

Nicely done! You’ve just restored your Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926 to stock and unrooted it. Share some of your thoughts in the comments. Enjoy!

Custom recoveries save us from the hassle of old-fashioned software flashing involving plugging in our phones into our computers and typing complex commands that only expert developers understand thoroughly. Thanks to custom recoveries, you get to flash, backup, and restore custom ROMs on our Motorola Atrix HD instantly with ease, not to mention being able to enjoy some other handy features. ClockworkMod and TWRP Recovery are two of the most popular custom recoveries available, but if your phone has a locked bootloader, there is nothing handier than Safestrap Recovery.

If you’re considering customizing your phone with a locked bootloader, then Safestrap Recovery developed by XDA Developers member Hascode is what you need. Safestrap Recovery works by bypassing the main partition of your phone where the official ROM is installed and only making changes to virtual ROM slots. This makes flashing custom ROMs possible even with a locked bootloader. This handy tool also allows you to access boot options, install or flash a ZIP file, backup and restore a ROM, mount partitions, wipe partitions, and enjoy a number of advanced options.

This guide shows you how to install Safestrap Recovery for the Atrix HD MB886.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Motorola Atrix HD, model number MB886. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A rooted Motorola Atrix HD MB886
  • For help, see our guide on how to root the Atrix HD MB886.
• You must have a file manager installed on your phone, such as ES File Explorer File Manager.
• Download the Safestrap Recovery APK (RAZR-HD-Safestrap-3.12.apk, md5sum: 9b3d75e84c06d1e71af1bf1bad57faf3).
  • NOTE: Don’t worry if the name of the file is Razr HD, it also works for the Motorola Atrix HD.
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. Perform the following if you have an earlier version of Safestrap (e.g., version 2.x) installed.  Otherwise, skip to the next step.
   1. Using your file manager app, move the /sdcard/safestrap directory to the external SD card (/sdcard-ext).  This directory will serve as backups, just in case something in this process fouls up later on.
   2. Run the Safestrap app on your phone.
   3. Select the Remove Recovery option to remove the recovery files from the /system. directory.
   4. Uninstall Safestrap from your phone.
2. Copy the Safestrap Recovery APK file to your Atrix HD’s internal SD card.
3. Go to Settings > Security and enable the Installation from unknown sources option.
4. Launch ES File Explorer and browse for the Safestrap Recovery APK file.Select Install.
5. If you are updating from Safestrap version 3, you might be prompted to overwrite an existing installation. Select Yes.
6. A SuperSU prompt message may also appear. Select Allow to grant root access to the application.
7. Safestrap will now launch. Select Install Recovery to install the recovery files and wait for the installation to finish.
8. To boot into Safestrap Recovery, reboot your device. A splash screen will appear for about 8-10 seconds, during which time you must press the Menu button to enter Safestrap Recovery Mode.

Nicely done! You now have Safestrap Recovery v3.12 on your Motorola Atrix HD MB886.

No matter how unbreakable a phone, a crafty developer will definitely find a way to achieve root access. One such crafty developer is XDA Developers member djrbliss who has found an easy and quick way for Motorola Atrix HD MB886 users to root their device.

Say hello to the MotoFail2Go root exploit which doesn’t just work on this one device but also on several other Motorola phones. It’s a handy tool for new Android users who want to enjoy a taste of freedom without having to follow complicated and technical guides. If you’re unfamiliar with rooting, you can read our beginner’s guide to rooting your Android device.

What’s great about the MotoFail2Go root exploit is that it doesn’t require you to unlock your phone’s bootloader. This has been proven and tested to work for both the SIM-free Atrix HD and the Bell version of the phone. The method also works for other Motorola devices, such as the Razr M, Razr HD, Razr I, and Photon Q.

This guide shows you how to root the Atrix HD MB886.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Motorola Atrix HD, model number MB886. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• Motorola Atrix HD MB886
• Enable USB debugging on your phone. Go to Settings > Developer options and tick the USB debugging option.
• A Windows PC
• Download and install Motorola Drivers (MotorolaDeviceManager_2.3.4.exe, 31.5 MB) on your PC.
• Download the Motorola rooting file (motofail2go_windows.zip, 2.4 MB) to your PC
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. Connect your phone to your computer via a USB cable.
2. Windows should detect your phone.
   • If not, try to re-install your phone’s drivers.
3. On your computer, extract the Motofail2go_windows.zip file.
4. Open the folder where you extracted the Motofail2go_windows.zip file and double-click the Run.bat file to launch it.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions. Your phone will automatically reboot when it’s done.
6. Unplug your phone from your computer.
7. If you encounter a run-as: Package ‘com.motorola.bug2go’ is unknown error, just wipe your /data and /cache partitions in Recovery Mode and run the Run.bat file again.

Nicely done! Your Motorola Atrix HD MB886 has been rooted using the MotoFail2Go root exploit.

Still waiting for your Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-I9300? Wait no more because the latest software version XXELLC of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S3 I9300 has been officially released for the Spain region, which also includes Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

This official Android 4.1.2 release reportedly packs all the features you’ve been waiting for in Jelly Bean: Multi-View, Page Buddy, a new Gallery App, Smart Rotation, Paper Artist, and the Group Cast app to name a few.

Enjoy these new features without having to wait for your updates to arrive over the air. Flash this official firmware package manually to get the Jelly Bean fix you need.

This guide shows you how to flash Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean XXELLC for the Galaxy S3 I9300.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Samsung Galaxy S3, model number GT-I9300. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-I9300
• A Windows PC
• Handset USB drivers installed on the PC. You may install the drivers by installing Samsung Kies.
• Enable USB debugging on your handset.
• Disable antivirus, firewall, and other security software. Also disable Samsung Kies and other software that accesses your phone. Such software can interfere with the procedure in this guide.
• A file extraction tool like WinRAR or 7-Zip installed on your PC.
• Download the I9300XXELLC firmware (I9300XXELLC_I9300PHEELL3_I9300XXELLA_PHE.zip, 805.8 MB) to your computer.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.
• Make sure that your phone’s battery power is at least 50% to avoid interruption due to power loss that may cause damage to your phone.

Instructions

1. Extract the I9300XXELLC_I9300PHEELL3_I9300XXELLA_PHE.zip to your computer.
2. Run the Odin executable file from the extracted ZIP file.
3. Turn your phone off.
4. Boot your phone into Download Mode by pressing and holding down the Home, Power, and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Press the Volume key to continue into Download Mode.
5. Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable.
6. Once Odin has recognized your phone, click on PDA and locate and select the .tar.md5file you extracted from the ZIP.
   • NOTE: Make sure that the re-partition option is not ticked.
7. Click Start in Odin to begin flashing.
8. Once you see the “PASSED” message in Odin, wait for the Samsung logo to appear on your phone’s screen before unplugging your phone from the PC.

Great work! You just flashed the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean software build XXELLC on your Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-I9300. Let us know what you think about the features by leaving a comment.

AOKP is a well-known and well-respected ROM in the Android community for a variety of reasons. One of which is the ROM’s many customized features that involve performance enhancements. Now, thanks to the efforts of XDA Developers members Task650 & Ktoonsez, AT&T and Rogers Galaxy S3 owners can enjoy an unofficial version of the AOKP ROM.

Task650 & Ktoonsez have been working on creating a stable and workable version of AOKP. This ROM is also being actively developed and updated by the developers, so expect more features and fixes in their next update. The recent update comes with new animation options, CyanogenMod’s Chronus clock and weather widget, Navigation Bar color options, a few fixes from the older version, and more.

This guide shows you how to install AOKP Jelly Bean ROM for the Galaxy S3 I747.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-I747 or Rogers Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-I747M. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-I747 or Rogers Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-I747M with ClockworkMod Recovery installed. Check our guide on how to flash ClockworkMod Recovery for the Galaxy S3 I747.
• Download the following:
  • AOKP Jelly Bean (aokp_JB_4.2_d2att-ota-eng.task650-1.17.2013.zip, md5sum: dc36f2b2ce9cd11b35420115216d0076)
  • Download Link
  • Mirror link
  • Google Apps package (gapps-4.2-jb-12.19.2012-signed.zip, md5sum: 5bd0f5b455caf436517e7a15549b1e60)
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.
• Make sure that your phone’s battery power is at least 50% to avoid interruption due to power loss that may cause damage to your phone.

Instructions

1. Copy aokp_JB_4.2_d2att-ota-eng.task650-1.17.2013.zip and gapps-4.2-jb-12.19.2012-signed.zip to your phone’s internal SD card.
2. Turn off your phone.
3. Boot the phone into ClockworkMod Recovery by holding the Volume Up, Power, and Home buttons.Once in Recovery Mode, use the Volume keys to navigate through options and the Power button to select.
4. Create a NANDroid Backup. Go to Backup and Restore > Backup.
5. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset > Yes.
6. Select Wipe Cache Partition > Yes.
7. Select Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache > Yes.
8. Select Mounts and Storage > Format /system > Yes.
9. Select Install ZIP from SD Card > Choose ZIP from SD Card > locate and select aokp_JB_4.2_d2att-ota-eng.task650-1.17.2013.zip > Yes.
10. Select Install ZIP from SD Card > Choose ZIP from SD Card > locate and select gapps-aokp-JB-10.12.2012.zip > Yes.
11. Select Go Back > Reboot System Now.

Congratulations! You just flashed the unofficial AOKP Jelly Bean preview build to the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-I747 or the Rogers Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-I747M.

Developers never run out of creative juice for creating exciting ROMs for us to enjoy. Many Android developers have been churning out an amazing number of ROMs for the Samsung Galaxy S3. Of course, the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 isn’t an exception. And, thanks to XDA Developers member nitroglycerine33, the Eclipse ROM build 4 is ready for flashing onto the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-I535.

The Eclipse ROM uses an AOSP base with some touches of CyanogenMod, AOKP and the developer’s own mods. The ROM sports the Dark UI and comes with an extended power menu, notification shade toggles and widgets, CPU voltage controls, and more great features. Although this ROM is stable, some users have had problems with syncing their calendars. Regardless, many have praised this ROM for its speed, performance and overall look. Check out the Eclipse ROM now by following the steps below.

This guide shows you how to flash Eclipse ROM for the Galaxy S3 I535.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3, model number SCH-I535. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-I535 with ClockworkMod Recovery. Check our guide on how to flash ClockworkMod Recovery 6.0.1.2 for the Galaxy S3 I535.
• Download the following:
  • Eclipse ROM (Eclipse-2.1-d2vzw-build4.zip, md5sum: a786cce8bc0600ae73b33211ee43b013)
    • Download Link
    • Mirror
  • Google Apps (gapps-jb-110512-phone.zip, md5sum: f05a373a7850fb1f4d45fb1510c2bb73)
    • Download Link
    • Mirror
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.
• Make sure that your phone’s battery power is at least 50% to avoid interruption due to power loss that may cause damage to your phone.

Instructions

1. Copy Eclipse-2.1-d2vzw-build4.zip and gapps-jb-110512-phone.zip to your phone’s internal SD card.
2. Turn off your phone.
3. Boot the phone into ClockworkMod Recovery Mode by holding the Volume Up, Power, and Home buttons.Once in Recovery Mode, use the Volume buttons to navigate through options and the Power button to select an option.
4. Create a NANDroid Backup. Go to Backup and Restore > Backup.
5. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset > Yes.
6. Select Install ZIP from SD Card > Choose ZIP from SD Card > Locate and select Eclipse-2.1-d2vzw-build4.zip > Yes.
7. Select Install ZIP from SD Card > Choose ZIP from SD Card > Locate and select gapps-jb-110512-phone.zip > Yes.
8. Select Go Back > Reboot System Now.

Congratulations! You just flashed the Eclipse ROM on your Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-I535. What do you think of this ROM? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Verizon still stands firm in its decision to keep the Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926′s bootloader locked, preventing developers from creating customizations for the phone. Knowing the crafty developers of the XDA Developers forum, however, they didn’t let a locked bootloader stop them. They managed to find a way to root the Droid Razr HD and now, thanks to the efforts of XDA Developers members Hashcode and GoClifGo05, there’s a way to install custom recovery on the device.

Safestrap Recovery is a custom recovery that is very handy for devices with locked bootloaders. It only makes changes to the second system, a series of ROM slots located on the internal EMMC area of your phone on your /sdcard, and doesn’t touch your primary system. This version of Safestrap is based on the famous TWRP Recovery and allows you to install stock ROMs, mount partitions (e.g., /system, /data, and /cache), backup/restore, and wipe data. You can perform some advanced functions like copy log to SD, fix permissions, partition SD card, use a file manager, execute terminal commands, and adjust settings.

This guide shows you how to flash Safestrap Recovery for the Droid RAZR HD XT926.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD, model number XT926. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A rooted Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926
  • For help, see our guide on how to root the Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926.
• A file manager app installed on your phone, such as ES File Explorer.
• Download the Safestrap Recovery (RAZR-HD-Safestrap-3.12.apk, md5sum: 9b3d75e84c06d1e71af1bf1bad57faf3) to your computer.
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

Preparing for Safestrap 3.05

If your phone has Safestrap 2.x, perform the following before proceeding to the next set of instructions:

1. Move the entire /sdcard/safestrap directory to the external SD card (/sdcard-ext).
2. Go into the existing version of Safestrap and select the Remove Recovery option to remove Safestrap files from the stock /system partition.
3. Remove Safestrap’s APK file from the device.

Installing Safestrap 3.05

1. Copy the Safestrap Recovery APK file to your Droid Razr HD’s internal SD card.
2. Go to Settings > Security Menu and enable the Installation from unknown sources option.
3. Launch ES File Explorer.
4. Browse for the Safestrap Recovery file and select Install.
5. If you are updating from Safestrap v3, it might warn you that it will overwrite existing installation. Select Yes.
6. A SuperSU prompt message will also appear. Select Allow to grant root access to the application.
7. Safestrap will now launch. Select Install Recovery to install the app.
8. When Safestrap has been installed successfully, the Status should say Installed.
9. To boot into Safestrap Recovery, reboot your device. A splash screen will appear for about 8-10 seconds during which time you need to press the Menu button to enter Safestrap Recovery.

Nicely done! You now have Safestrap Recovery installed on your Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926. What do you think of the features? What do you like about Safestrap Recovery? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Users are still feeling bad about Motorola’s not unlocking the bootloader for the Droid RAZR HD. Though it’s possible to root the phone without unlocking the bootloader, a locked bootloader still limits further development.

On the other hand, some lucky individuals were able to acquire the Motorola Droid RAZR HD XT926 Developer Edition, which has an unlockable bootloader, allowing for customizations to be developed. Though these customizations might smell and look really good right out of the developers’ kitchens, you won’t be able to do anything if you don’t have custom recovery. Thankfully, XDA Developers member GoClifGo05 has given us some helpful tips on flashing TWRP Recovery to the Droid RAZR HD.

TWRP Recovery is a custom recovery that allows you to easily install custom ROMs, kernels, themes, and other modifications. This recovery also allows you to easily create NANDroid backups (which can be really useful in case you run into some problems during flashing), wipe data for a clean slate, and of course, flash modification files.

This guide shows you how to flash TWRP Recovery for the Droid RAZR HD XT926 Developer Edition.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Motorola Droid RAZR HD, model number XT926 Developer Edition. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• Motorola Droid RAZR HD XT926 Developer Edition with an unlocked bootloader and root access.
  • You can unlock your phone’s bootloader via Motorola’s website.
  • For help with rooting, see our guide on how to root the Motorola Droid Razr HD XT926.
• A Windows PC.
• Enable USB debugging on your handset.
• Disable antivirus, firewall, and other security software. Such software can interfere with the procedure in this guide.
• Android SDK should be installed on your PC. This will install the necessary drivers for your phone.
  • Check out our guide on how to install the Android SDK (Software Development Kit).
• Download the following files:
  • ES File Explorer from the Google Play Store
  • Fastboot (Fastboot.zip, 404.46 kB)
  • TWRP Recovery (twrp-recovery-vanquish.img, md5sum: ad04b8a53cc6391fa90699c2e7978921)
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. Open ES File Explorer on your phone and do the following to prevent it from restoring stock recovery after flashing TWRP Recovery:
   • Go to Settings > Root Settings.
   • Enable the “Root Explorer” option and tap on Yes when prompted.
   • Select Allow/Grant to grant root access to the app.
   • Enable the “Up to Root” and “Mount File System” options.
   • Go to the /system/etc folder and rename the RECOVERY.SH file to any name you prefer.
2. On your computer, extract Fastboot.zip to your computer. You will get a folder named “Fastboot.”
3. Copy the custom recovery image file to the Fastboot folder.
4. Turn off your phone.
5. Boot into the Boot Mode Selection Menu by pressing the Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power buttons at the same time.
6. Highlight Fastboot using the Volume buttons and press the Power Button to select it.
7. Connect your phone to your PC via a USB cable and wait for Windows to complete driver installation.
8. On your computer, open a command prompt and navigate it to the Fastboot folder.
9. Follow the procedure below to flash TWRP Recovery:
   • Enter the following to check whether the drivers of your phone are installed. If a device ID is displayed at the command prompt, the drivers were successfully installed.
     • fastboot devices
   • Enter this command to flash TWRP Recovery to your phone:
     • fastboot flash recovery twrp-recovery-vanquish.img
   • Reboot your phone back to bootloader by entering this command:
     • fastboot reboot-bootloader.
10. Your phone will boot back to bootloader. Choose Recovery from the list to boot into the custom recovery that you installed.

Congratulations! Your Motorola Droid RAZR HD XT926 Developer Edition now has TWRP Recovery. Enjoy!