Install Android 4.1.2 Sony Xperia Neo L CyaongenMod 10 Jelly Bean ROM

Sony Xperia Neo L user now can upgrade to Android 4.1.2 Jelly bean firmware. This update we use CyanogenMod 10 custom ROM. This after market firmware based on the latest Android open source project (AOSP). Therefore you can’t use any Sony’s applications and features. Such as Bravia Engine, Xloud, etc.

Sony mobile already confirmed Sony Xperia neo L MT25 will not receive the Android 4.1.2 jelly bean firmware update. This is a good opportunity to use the latest exciting features such as Google now, Project butter optimized performances and much more.

CM ROM’s are highly customizable and optimized for best performance. This installation need to unlock the bootloader and use a custom recovery such as CWM or TWRP. Though we don’t need to root or install  a CWM or TWRP. This CM10 Xperia Neo L ROM has its own custom kernel. It includes CWM recovery.

In addition to that this CyanogenMod ROM installation wipe all the user data on your Xperia Neo L. Before starting the ROM installation make sure that you have a latest backup. This method wipes all the user data including contacts, SMS, installed apps with their data. But it’s not touching anything on your SD card. Cyanogen team ROM not available Google’s apps. Therefore you can’t see Google sync, Gtalk, Calendar and even Play store market apps. We can install all of them using this post contain Gapps zip file.

Warning.

• Installing after market firmware voids the warranty. If your phone brick by following this tutorial, I can’t claim its damages.
• This tutorial includes ROM zip file only for the Sony Xperia Neo L. Applying it to another device cause unexpected result.

Requirement.

• Unlock the bootloader [ Guide in here ].
• Install the ADB driver [ Guide in here ].
• Charge the phone battery minimum 50%.
• Backup user data [ With root  | without root ].

Download.

• CM10 Android 4.1.2 ROM for Xperia Neo L in here.
• Google apps zip file in here.
• Fastboot zip file in here.
• Extended kernel in here. (Optional)

How to install Android 4.1.2 jelly bean Sony Xperia Neo L with CM 10 ROM.

• Extract the downloaded fastboot zip file into the desktop.
• If you need to use this ROM zip file contain kernel extract the “boot.img” file and save it with the fastboot files. If you like to use extended kernel copy it to the fastboot folder and rename it as “boot.img” without quotes. You can use only either one kernel.
• Copy CM 10 ROM and Gapps zip files onto your SD card.
• Power off the phone and wait till it vibrate.
• Press and hold the “Volume Up” key and at the same time connect the Neo L to the PC via USB cable.
• Open the fastboot folder.
• Press and hold the Shift key and at the same time right click inside the folder.
• Now you can see a context menu just like the following screen shot. If you have Windows XP computer or you can’t see a context menu, you have to follow this tutorial.
• Click “Open command window here” option.

• Then you can see the CMD window. Type following command line and hit the enter key.

fastboot devices

• If you got something like “xxx xxxx xxxxx fastboot devices” respond, you can go to the next step. If not, you have to install the adb driver.
• Next type following command line and press the Enter key to install the kernel (boot.img)

fastboot flash boot boot.img

• When you see the following type response on your command window disconnect phone from the PC and power On.

• When you see the first boot logo press and release the Volume Up key several times until you see the CWM or TWRP.
• Once you have successfully booted into the recovery, it’s highly recommended to make a complete ROM backup. It will save your system partition and all the data on your SD card. In case if you need to rollback to the previous ROM, you can use this saved files.
• Next go to “wipe cache partition>Yes – Wipe cache”.
• Then “wipe data/factory reset>Yes – Wipe data”.
• After that navigate to “Advanced>Wipe dalvik-cache>Yes – wipe cache”.
• Now we can install Android 4.1.2 Xperia Neo L ROM. Go to “install zip from sdcard>Choose zip from sdcard” and browse the copied ROM zip file.
• To begin the installation, select “Yes – Install”. This installation takes a couple of minutes.
• Once it’s completed again you’re in the “Apply update from zip file” menu. Then select the Gapps zip file.
• After all the files has been installed. Go to the recovery main menu and select “reboot system now”.
• Very first boot takes several minutes. After phone fully configured you can download apps from the Google play. It’s not recomman to restore apk files from your previous backup. It will cause some errors.

Periodically developer of the ROM releases new bug fixed version. If you download a new CM10 ROM zip file, you can update it without wiping user data. But you have to again install the kernel (boot.img) and Gapps zip files. This ROM developed by the XDA developer TakuyaZ. In case if you feel to use your older ROM you can again boot into the recovery and restore the previous backup. After that again install the previous ROM compatible kernel via fastboot.

[Via: XDA forum]

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