MyPhone A919 Duo: Easiest Way to Root and Install a Faster ROM (Xperia Mizwa Final)

MyPhone A919 Duo Running on Xperia Mizwa (Gaming+Battery Friendly) ROM.

Before anything else, let me list some basic points.

1. You will be expected to download some files from XDAForum and MyPhone A919 Duo User's Facebook Page.

2. You will need internet to download a couple of programs from the Google Play Store.

3. This process will require rooting and installing of CWM recovery before installing any ROM because you might end up getting the message "Signature Verification Failed".

4. You do not need to download any flashing software for this installation. 

Some terms to understand before we start.

• XDAForums- This is where new custom ROMs are released. Whenever people want to try something new with their phone (e.g. make it look cooler, make it run faster, or make it more customizable), this is where they usually go to download and try new Android OS.

• CWM (ClockworkMod) recovery- This like a computer's BIOS. It's where the magic happens without having to rely on the phone's stock rom.

• Stock ROM- This is your phone's original system. Meaning, if your phone was running with unRooted ICS or JB, then that's what your stock ROM is.

Note: Stock ROMs are usually unrooted. This means you can't change their system files and pre-installed software easily. You can't remove the add-ons the company has installed in your phone, and you can change permissions for rooted applications.

• Root- If you're simply the type who likes to install APKs, then rooting isn't necessary. However, if you're the adventurous type who prefers tweaking your system, boosting your RAM permanently, changing where your applications are automatically installed, or simply into wreaking havoc to your phone, then be my guest.

DISCLAIMER: This said, please remember that I will not be responsible for bricking your phone. And yes, I've rendered a MyPhone useless. It was bricked because I installed the wrong recovery.img. Fortunately, this following procedures won't be as complex.

• Superuser- This grants an application permission to change some of your system settings. One of the most practical reasons why people install Superuser is to allow a rooted application to do some juju on your phone e.g. remove bloatware or software installed by MyPhone.

• Boromir- the exploit used to install superuser into your phone. Boromir is probably some character in Lord of the Rings.

1. Procedures in Rooting your MyPhone A919 Duo

1.1. Download Framaroot from the XDAForums. 

One-Click-Root

Or you can download this directly via this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?s=7f4bbdc17184570184c1b955e3f8705f&attachmentid=2293503&d=1380569629

Question: Does Framaroot work for all Android devices? The answer is NO. For instance, the Lenovo IdeaPad K1 does not budge with Framaroot. It will simply show you that now exploit is available for it

1.2. Copy Framaroot from the Downloads folder of your computer to your SD card.

Side Note: While you're at it, you might as well download Final Mizwa (Battery and Gaming-Friendly ROM) and the recovery image we will be using.  You might as well copy this two files into your SD card.

Google docs showing the contents of Final Mizwa Z3.zip. Click on the image to view in actual size.

Final Mizwa Direct Link

Recovery Image Direct Link

My Google Chrome Downloads tab. Click on the image to see original size.

For backing up files, I manually copied my files from the phone to the SD card. Or you could try Wondershare's Dr. Fone for Android for your images and videos. I used SMS Backup for my messages.

1.3. Assuming you've copied all the necessary files into your SD Card--NOT YOUR PHONE MEMORY (Framaroot, Recovery Image, and Final Mizwa), then disconnect your phone from your computer, and we shall start the rooting process of our MyPhone A919 duo.

Conditions to ensure Framaroot (and the rest of the apps) will be installed smoothly:

a) USB Debugging must be checked. ( Go to Settings>Developer Options> USB debugging) 

b). Unknown Sources must be checked (Go to Settings> Security> (Under Device Administration) Unknown Sources.

1.4. Go to your File Manager and look for Framaroot.  If you saved it directly into the SD Card, then once you tapped into the SD Card, you'll immediately find Framaroot. Install it and open it.

Framaroot will have to editable segments. One will have "Install SU" and the word "Boromir" will also pop out. Don't change a thing, but tap on Boromir.

Once done, a pop-up message suggesting its success will show-up in your screen.

Note: In some occassions, Superuser doesn't show up in your App Menu. No worries, just go to Google Playstore and download it there.

Now that we're done rooting your device, the next thing to do is to install CWM recovery. In this part, I don't suggest downloading ROM Manager because it will simply tell you that it's still going to use the phone's recovery instead of CWM.

2. Procedure on Installing ClockwordMod Recovery and Installing Final Mizwa ROM in MyPhone A919 Duo

2.1. Go back to Google Playstore and download Mobileuncle MTK Tools.

2.2. Install and open it.

Note: There will be instances that MobileUncle MTK Tools require Superuser permissions. Just tap on ALLOW.

2.3. Once the application has opened, look for Recovery Update and tap it.

2.4. Under Recovery Update, locate your recovery.img file under SD Card. It's the file that you copied into your SD Card, found usually under Recovery file in SD Card. Check out the image from CaraKamu's blog.

Now, it should ask you to reboot your phone. Do it.

CWM-based Recovery v6.0.2.8. Click the image to view actual size.

Tada! We're in CWM Recovery.  Use the Volume buttons to move the selector up or down and the Power button to select the highlighted text (the text with blue background). Most people will usually install the ROM without formatting the system. This is fine because Xperia Mizwa does that for us. The following is optional:

2.4.a. Wipe Cache Partition
2.4.b. Under Advance, Wipe Dalvik Cache
2.4.c. Under Mount and Storage, Format System. Then, Format Data. Then, Format Cache.
2.4.d. To be on the safe side, I also do wipe data/ factory reset.

2.5. Select Install zip from SD Card.

Note: As an extra precaution prior to installing Mizwa Xperia Final, Before selecting "choose a zip from sdcard", select toggle signature verification and press the Power button twice. This should give you a message at the bottom. 

2.5.a Signature Check: Disabled.
2.5.b After doing the Toggle signature verification, select "choose a zip from sdcard". If you copied Final Mizwa.zip directly into the main folder of the SD Card (some people call it the root folder), then just locate it and select the file.

Note: Expect to select Yes a couple of times before finally achieving the screenshot below.

Now, we wait...

As you could see, formatting the partition is already done by the Xperia Mizwa ROM. The portion shown above "Installing: /sdcard/Final Mizwa Z3.zip" is done by following items 2.4.a to 2.5.a. Click on the image to view actual size.

And we're done. Bask in the glory of the XPERIA loading screen. 

Yay!!!