Sony stopped its Xperia P’s Android updates at Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. This thing maybe a little disappointing for the users who always love to try out the latest and greatest version of Android on their device, but Xperia P might not be capable of running the stock KitKat. To overcome this drawback of old Android devices, CyanogenMod has always played a great role and given lives to the devices forgotten by the manufacturers.
CyanogenMod 11 is based on unofficial Android 4.4.2 KitKat and is available for a lot of devices at the moment. Xperia P’s CyanogenMod 11 custom ROM has also landed on the XDA developers forum, so it’s a great chance for those waiting to get their device a KitKat, but it will be unofficial. In the following post we will be installing this CM 11 custom ROM on Xperia P, the only thing you should keep in mind is, this ROM is not official firmware, and there are high chances of bugs, so it may not be kept for everday use on your Android device. Also, proceed only if you’re actually familiar with these firmwares and you know how to handle em’. Let’s move forward now.
Installation Instructions:
- Make sure that your phone is Xperia P LT22i. Do not try this on any other phone.
- Make sure that your phone’s bootloader is unlocked, if not then unlock it here.
- Please make sure that your phone’s battery is charged at least over 60%. This is highly recommended in order to prevent any power issues during the recovery flashing process.
- Backup each and everything on your Android phone as follows:
- Backup all your important contacts, find the full guide here.
- Backup all your important sms messages, find the full guide here.
- Backup all your important call logs, find the full guide here.
- Backup all your important media content manually. (Copy to your PC.)
- Backup all your apps / data. If you’ve rooted your device, use Titanium Backup to do so. Follow the full guidehere.
- Backup your current system using a custom recovery (CWM or TWRP) if you’ve flashed one. This is recommended in case something goes wrong with rooting your phone, you can use the custom recovery and return to the old working state of your system.
- Keep in mind that this is a custom ROM and may contain bugs. We do not guarantee that everything will be perfect and up to the mark. Flash it only if you’re familiar with custom ROMs and you actually know what you’re going to do.
- Make sure that you read the instructions carefully and applied all precautionary measures. Let’s go ahead
How to flash Android 4.4.2 KitKat CM 11 Custom ROM on Sony Xperia P LT22i:
- Download the ROM’s zip file from Here .
- Download the Google Gapps for Android 4.4 KitKat Custom ROM.
- Copy the ROM.zip file and Gapps.zip file on your phone’s internal or external sd card.
- Open the downloaded .zip on your PC and extract the kernel.elf / Boot.img or / Boot.elf file only.
- Download Android ADB and Fastboot drivers, follow our full guide here to make it easy.
- Now place the kernal file that is boot.img or kernel.elf file that you extracted from the zip folder in the fastboot folder that you downloaded from the guide linked above.
- After placing the kernel file in the fastboot folder, open the fastboot folder. Press shift and then Right click on any empty area inside the folder, now select “Open command prompt here“. flash it using the command
“fastboot flash boot boot.img”. or use “fastboot flash boot kernel.elf” In case you are confused, follow the Android ADB & Fastboot drivers guide carefully.
- Boot into CWM recovery. To do so, turn off your device, now turn it on and quickly press volume up and down keys, you will get the CWM interface.
- In CWM wipe the cache and dalvik cache.
- Now select “Install Zip>Choose Zip from Sd card / external Sd card”.
- Select the ROM.zip file that your placed on your phone’s Sd card.
- It should take a few mins to flash the ROM, now once again select “Install Zip>Choose Zip from Sd card / external Sd card”.
- Choose the Gapps.zip file this time and flash it.
- As soon as done flashing, clear cache and dalvik cache again.
- Reboot system now, you should see the CM logo on the boot screen now, it may take upto 10 minutes in order to boot into home screen.
- Congrats! Enjoy unofficial Android 4.4.2 KitKat custom ROM on your Sony Xperia P now.
That’s all for now. Do tell us about your experience with this ROM. In case you got any queries or you face any difficulties, feel free to stop by the comment box below. We will try our best to help you out. Thanks all!
This post was last modified on July 4, 2014 9:04 pm
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@fabiancarvajal:disqus can you please provide a little more details? Flashing Gapps is necessary as it will bring google play and other important google apps in your phone.
Gapps.zip shows error when installing.
I do not understand step 7, then to mount the boot.img of the ROM CWM Recvery is damaged and I can not enter it on reboot, is the gray screen. The disarmed and disconnected the battery, and switch it on as usual.
Again I install CWM Recovery Seeking the ROM.zip and install, but stays in the CM logo.
Thanks for your help USAMA
@fabiancarvajal:disqus step 7 loads a kernel into your phone having the custom recovery. Try wiping your cache and dalvik cache after ROM installation and see if the issue persists or gets resolved. In case this doesn't work, I'll try this myself and let you know the solution. Meanwhile you can flash stock firmware and bring your device back to life.
Usama pero el paso 7 es el kernel del recovery. ¿Eeste recovery solo sirve una vez y despues ya no sirve? No queda el led rosado siempre; como en un Xperia z1... Ahora, el paso 7 entiendo que el boot.img es el de la ROM que viene comprimido y al descomprimir hay que con fastboot montarle el boot.img. ¿Al montar el recovery kernel, y luego montarle d euna vez el boot de la ROM es que me confundo. Disculpa por tanto enrredo. Gracias por su tiempo
@fabiancarvajal:disqus the boot file is the kernel and the zip file is the ROM. You will first flash the kernel and then flash the ROM using the recovery that the kernel will install in your device.
@fabiancarvajal:disqus step 7 loads a kernel into your phone having the custom recovery. Try wiping your cache and dalvik cache after ROM installation and see if the issue persists or gets resolved. In case this doesn't work, I'll try this myself and let you know the solution. Meanwhile you can flash stock firmware and bring your device back to life.
Gapps.zip shows error when installing.
I do not understand step 7, then to mount the boot.img of the ROM CWM Recvery is damaged and I can not enter it on reboot, is the gray screen. The disarmed and disconnected the battery, and switch it on as usual.
Again I install CWM Recovery Seeking the ROM.zip and install, but stays in the CM logo.
Thanks for your help USAMA
Hey i tried flashing with your custom rom today but with no luck,i unlocked the bootloader and then flashed the boot.img file following the steps you mentioned.When i rebooted the phone the sony logo came up followed by agrey screen which stays on for ever.Dont know what to do .this was my first time trying to flash my phone xperia p lt22i .i had also copied the custom rom and gapps zip file in the internal storage.please help
@disqus_xBZsRV2j4q:disqus Try doing the whole procedure once again, if you don't manage to boot into recovery, you may flash stock firmware and recover your device immediately.
Hey thanx,i tried doing something similar,i flashed the phantom kernel and it worked,then i tried to flash kikat 4.4.4 with cm11 and it worked perfectly for me.
please any others link to download the rom file?