For me, ClockworkMod Recovery is a must install tool on Samsung Galaxy S II. You can install custom mod like theme, boot animation, application and even firmware with CWM. It is very simple to install them because all you need to do is copy the update zip file to sdcard. Then install it at CWM. No PC or Mac is needed. However, not every custom build zip is friendly to your Samsung Galaxy S2. Be sure to make a full system backup with CWM before apply any update zip. Just restore to previous stage if anything go wrong. A beginner and new to ClockworkMod Recovery? Do check out below step by step video guide to learn more…
Step by Step Guide
- First of all, copy the zip file that you want to install into sdcard.
- Press and hold down Volume Up + Home + Power buttons at the same time.
- Release all buttons when you see SGS2 Logo.
- ClockworkMod Recovery will be loaded then.
- Go to install zip from sdcard.
- Then select choose zip from sdcard.
- Select your zip file (BIOS-Boot-SGS2.zip in my video).
- Select Yes – Install your zip file.
- Reboot your SGS2.
- That’s all.
Enjoy your new installed custom mod / firmware.
I never mess up with my Samsung Galaxy but here you have mentioned all steps clearly which could be follow. Thanks Jayce for useful tutorials.
Der is no update.zip!! what do i do plz help
What update.zip?
after i select Install Rom from SD Card thru ROM manager, i selected the downloaded cyogen mod, den my phone restarts, then i get dis error!!
E: failed to verify whole-file signature
E:signature verification failed
Installation aborted
Btw i hav e Samsung Galaxy S2 and i hav rooted the phone nd hav installed ROM Manager Premium!! i’m stuck here nd i dunno what to do!! i wanna install the cyogen mod on my phone!
Please use ClockworkMod Recovery to install.
i did it its done! now how do i install Cyanogenmod?
You might need to do it twice because I face bootloop on 1st attempt.
https://www.jayceooi.com/2011/08/11/how-to-install-firmware-on-samsung-galaxy-s2-with-clockworkmod-recovery-video/
currently running criskelo rom v20.i am on stock rom before. i wanna flash siyah kernel v 1.7.8. after putting my kernel zip file in sd card, i tried to flash the zip kernel thru cwm but it is said that no zimage found. hv no idea bout this. do i hv to extract the zip file first?
No need to extract. Install it directly.
but how come no zimage found when trying to flash the kernel. already wipe cache and dalvic cache..
No idea. Try to redownload the kernel zip again. Make sure that zImage file is in there.
Hi Jayce! I have SGS2. When I restart my phone with Volume Up + Home + Power buttons, the screen shows:
”
Android system recovery
reboot system now
apply update from sdcard
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
”
I mean, there is no “Install zip from SDcard”-line. Do I have to update my system (I bought my phone only one month ago)? Or do I have to extract .zip-file to somewhere in phone?
I’m so thankful for your help!
You need to install ClockworkMod Recovery.
https://www.jayceooi.com/2011/08/08/how-to-install-clockworkmod-recovery-on-samsung-galaxy-s2-video/
Hi,
I followed your video precept. I installed ClockworkMod Recovery. Then I installed ALL_ROM_Addcallrecorder_MultiLang_SicOpaT on my phone. When I restarted my phone, it said something like: “Sorry! Application Message (process com.android.mms) stopped unexpectedly. Try again. And there is also [FORCE TO CLOSE] -button. Now I can not call anybody or use data connection.
Could you please tell me, what to do?
Hanns
Restore back to your previous backup. Or install ‘Return to stock dialer’ from https://www.jayceooi.com/2011/08/19/how-to-enable-call-recording-on-samsung-galaxy-s2/
I have the same problem but i’m rooted and i want to install a rom but when i go to the recovery mode i get the same menu and its blue and there’s no “install zip from sd card” option and on that link for the CF root my kernel version isn’t there (by the waymy kernel is XXLP6 ).
please help!!
Get CF-Root for XXLP6 at XDA website.
may I have a link please as I can’t seem to find it?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1103399
I’m sorry to disturb u one more time..
When I turn my phone on, it says “Downloading… Do not turn off target!!”. But the phone is not doing anything! The phone (sgs2) does not contact with PC and I think, all the memories are empty now.
Do I have any change to repair my phone’s software by my self?
What had you done until you got this?
My point was to get call recorder.
1) I installed ClockworkMod Recovery.
2) Opened “ALL_ROM_Addcallrecorder_MultiLang_SicOpaT” via Volume up + home + power.
2) I followed exactly the video “How to root Samsung Galaxy S2 with CF-Root”. I remember, in the end Odin3 was saying “added… removed… added…” and so on.
Phone restarted normally, but didn’t get contact with net or calls. What ever I did, it said “Sorry! The application Messaging (process com.android.mms) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again [Force close]
4) Volume up + home + power -> advanced -> Reboot recovery
When I turned power on, I see that green android-guy “Welcome to GT-I9100 Touch the android to begin. When I click it, it says the same thing: “The application Messaging (process com.android.mms) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again”. Nothing can do now.
P.s. My kernel version included letters XWKI8, so I took version “CF-Root-SGS2_XW_NEE_KI8-v4.3-CWM4”. I don’t know, if it’s correct or not.
Well?? 😐
It might not working on XWKI8 firmware. Please check with XDA Developer, sicopat.
What is that, where can I find it? (I searched without finding)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1222368
wish this is also available for hd2..
CWM or BIOS boot animation?
Hi Jayce! First off, thank you for your wonderful tutorial on rooting SGS2. After weeks of debating, questioning, doubting and forum reading, i decided to root my SGS2 using your method and it WORKED! Secondly, you have mentioned in the above post about installing update .zip files. I would like to use this method to install one of any 2 boot screen: One is the ‘Starting Windows’ and the other is the cool Honeycomb bootscreen (on the Nexus S i think). As i am still a careful user, could you tell me the worst situation that would arise should this fail? I have a backup of the nand and i can restore it from CWM, should the need arise. Thanks!
So far the worst case that I faced when install update zip == boot loop (fail to load Android OS).
But wont we be able to boot into CWM (vol up + home + power)? I could restore a nand backup from there right?
Yes, as long as we can load bootloader (SGS2 logo screen), we are fine. You can use CWM to restore or Odin to flash new firmware.
Hi Jayce,
Why is it that after I perform flashing of zImage to get back my CWM from the CWM app, the next reboot, i lost it again?
What I did was I flash the stock kernel to remove the yellow triangle sign. Then, I flash the CF-ROOT zImage by selecting Update Kernel from CWM then I get to see the CWM 4.1 and able to boot to recovery mode, but the next reboot of the phone, I lost the CWM.
Hmm… This should not be happening. Unless your kernel was overwrite by stock kernel again.
Yes, I think the next thing i did was i flash the BLN kernel…
So if i flash that BLN kernel and then flash again the zImage, will it remove my BLN feature?
Yes. Better get yourself a USB Jig if you like to play with custom kernel much. 😉
hey jayce or any one else who can help me. ive installed that CWM and had no trouble with that, but my problem is that instead of reasing from the sd card when ever i click on “install zip from sd card” it reads from my phone memory. also ive tried to install JKay deluxe theme and it keeps repeating that the installation is reported. ive got no idea on how to fix either of these problems so any information is greatly apreciated.
thanks.
CWM read from internal SD card is normal.
Are you using the correct JKay Deluxe Theme for your firmware?
that could be the problem, what is the simplest way to find the correct version for my firmware?
It is very simple. Eg, XXKI3 firmware uses XXKI3 JKay. Stock firmware uses odexed. Custom firmware uses deodexed.
Alrightey sweet thanks. Sorry this may be a stupid question but how do I check my cornerstone because I tried it with orientation and it looks nothing like the ones that were offers. And downloading custom firmware won’t have any affect on the root?
Cornerstone?
Custom firmware will replace your existing firmware including root access. But most of custom firmware is rooted by default.
Sorry I got autocorrected that s supposed to say firmware*
Go to Settings – About phone.
Hello there,
I am trying to install a boot animation zip from CWM my kernel is speedmod and i tried several times but it still showing the stock boot animation why is that? I did everything you said at another post how to install it and i did it for 4 times and still is showing me the stock animation of my SGS2. Any suggestions?
Maybe your kernel / firmware does not support custom boot animation.
Hi Jayce,
I’ve installed the update.zip file that was there when I rooted my gs2 with the CF-root kernel. I saw that ClockWorkMod Recovery is now version 4.0.1.5 after I installed the update.zip. I would like to know what needs to be done to update the CWM Manager app and the ClockWorkMod Recovery. I’ve seen on some other guides that the ClockWorkMod Recovery version is higher than 4.0.1.5. The firmware version on my phone is ZSKI3.
Another strange thing I noticed is that if I reboot my phone into ClockWorkMod Recovery, it’s version reverts back to 4.0.0.2, is that normal?
Thanks.
What update.zip did you install?
CWM version is based on the kernel that you use.
There already was an update.zip file on my internal sd card after I installed the CF-root kernel for my firmware. I suppose it got copied over there while I flashing the phone with CF-Root-SGS2_XX_OXA_KI3-42-v4.2-CWM4.zip, or maybe a software update put it there?
Can I flash a custom, say cyanogenmod firmware, with the ClockWorkMod Recovery version 4.0.0.2? What would be the benefits of getting it to version 4.0.1.5, if it can be kept at that version?
CF-Root does not put update.zip file there. Don’t simple install update.zip if you don’t know what is it.
Yes, as long as you have CWM. Version does not affect much actually. No idea on CWM v4.0.1.5 benefits, you need consult CWM developer for that. Depend, CWM version is based on the kernel that you use.
That update.zip was surely put there by ROM Manager which I installed then removed after finding out its clockworkmod recovery is not compatible with my CF-rooted kernel. Thanks a lot for all your guides and videos for the galaxy s 2.
Im also getting an error message like this…
“after i select Install Rom from SD Card thru ROM manager, i selected the downloaded cyogen mod, den my phone restarts, then i get dis error!!
E: failed to verify whole-file signature
E:signature verification failed
Installation aborted”
What do i do? , already available update.zip on my SD card.bt when gonna install it by holding Volume Up key + Home button + Power button. it says like above.please help brother? , i have to install cyangeonMod to my galaxy s2.
Use CWM to install.
https://www.jayceooi.com/2011/08/08/how-to-install-clockworkmod-recovery-on-samsung-galaxy-s2-video/
Jayce,
I am planning to install Speedmod kernel using Kitchen Pro. I already have CheckRom RevoHD v4. My doubt is do I need to install CheckRom RevoHD v4 after installing Speedmod?
And my second question is how to tweak on demand min and max?
No.
Use SetCPU.
Thanks Jayce.
Are there any tutorial or guide available for setting and tweaking on demand or something like that for getting better performance, I mean better battery life?
Regards
https://www.jayceooi.com/2011/10/06/how-to-undervolt-samsung-galaxy-s2/
Jayce,
I installed SetCPU, however like mentioned in the tutorial, I cannot find Voltage tab in setCPU. Is it because my kernel is not supporting undervolt?
Thanks
Yes, your kernel needs to support that. Else it won’t show at SetCPU.
Thanks Jayce.
Which kernel and rom do you use?
CF-Root Kernel and CheckROM RevoHD v4.
Hello everyone,
i am loking for the program BIOS-Boot-SGS2.zip but can not find it
please help by uploading this file..
many thanks
anto
https://www.jayceooi.com/2011/08/10/download-bios-boot-animation-for-samsung-galaxy-s2/
many many thanks man you are very good
Hello
one more question please my something happend to my galaxy s2 not charging …
is there anyway to root it i tried odin but computer can’t see the phone is there
any other way of rooting my phone your help will be apprciated
many thanks
anto
Make sure that you have Samsung Kies installed. Odin needs to use its USB driver.
thanks for your reply
yes i have kies installed but odin still can’t see the phone
is there another way to root the phone like a file that you run from sd card
or any other soulution.
many thanks in advane
anto
No as far as I know.
thanks for your help brother
Hi, Jaycee,
i m having this problem i hv sgs2 rooted with 2.3.6 ( xwkl1). Now when i am trying to install Andyx rom v8.0 the kernel doesn’t let me install. I tried flashing siyah kernel it shows E:signature verification failed
Installation aborted”. i try to install siyah 2.3.6 (Cwm method and Odin method) it doesn’t work. I try to flash update. zip it says installation aborted.
Help me how to install Andyx Rom v8.0 with the suitable Siyah kernel.
I have downloaded ( xwlp2, xwlp3, xxlpb, xxkh3) but nothing seems to work…..
Help needed….
Hi Naman, I did not try Andyx ROM. No idea at all. Please consult ROM chef.
Hi Guru-
Can you this bootanimation CWN use for S3?
Thx,
cal
Should be working on custom ROM like CM9, CM10. Not working on Samsung firmware.
sir how can i root my samsung galaxy y S5360 mobile plz tell me sir step by step…………thanking u
Hi Anees, please refer to this guide.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1675474
I tried to flash my galaxy S2 by Odin, to Jellybean 4.1.2, between upgrade it got disconnected & now phone is showing yellow triangle on screen between the icons of phone & PC, when I connect to PC in Odin its connecting & get disconnect after few seconds, pls advice what to do
Hi vipul, try to install it again see.
Thanks for the rely Jay,
but its not possible as I said its getting disconnected after few seconds,in Odin when I connect it shows “Added” & after few seconds it shows “Removed”, what to do now, is there any adapter or cable to flash it externally without USB,or even thru USB how can fix bootrom first to connect to odin atleast, any idea…
Try emergency recovery in Samsung Kies see.
Hi jayce
But flashing with new fw deletes rooting n cwm…how can I then restore to original fw just in case if I dont like the new one…bec my back ups r gone with every new flashing.
Your CWM backup should be intact in backup folder even installed ROM.