You pretty know well that Lenovo P780 comes in two version, one Chinese version and other is ROW version. Basically two Android version ROM with some differences. Chinese version is only for China and ROW version is for Rest of World. Both version of Lenovo P780 is good but there are little difference like in Chinese version there is no Google Play store and its does not support 900Mhz GSM frequency. Hardly people want to use a CN version Lenovo P780.
But the thing is that if you are using a Lenovo P780 ROW version and you are thinking to install custom ROM then here I want to point out that maximum custom ROM specially KitKat will work only if its flashed on Chinese Base ROM.
Yea! If you flash CN based custom ROM on ROW Stock ROM then it will be trapped in bootloop. Mean soft bricked. Now question it goes to boot loop when we flash CN based custom ROM on ROW Stock ROM?
Answer is Kernel. Then custom ROM you get are developed ( Specially KitKat) are based on kernel of Chinese Base ROM and ROW device has different kernel. So its goes to boot loop.
So if you have Lenovo P780 Chinese version then you don’t need to worry while installing Chinese based custom ROM. But if you are using ROW device then you first have to switch to Chinese Stock ROM then you can install Chinese based custom ROM.
So how to change Stock ROM of Lenovo P780 from ROW version to Chinese version or how to install Chinese Stock ROM on Lenovo P780 ROW Version.
The process is little big just do it carefully.
A. Install Driver: (Must do it before proceeding)
First Download All MTK USB Driver 2014.rar and unrar it.
Part-I
- Unrar the All MTK USB Driver 2014.rar and you will find three folders inside there. Now connect your p780 to PC/ laptop .Then right click on my computer icon on your PC and click on Manage icon on the popup menu.
- Now a computer Management window opens.. On the left side you will see Device manager.. Left click on it( On Device manager).
- On the right side of the Computer Management window look for Portable Devices .left click on the small black triangle (the black triangle turns blue when you put the curser on it).
- Right click on the p780 icon .. A popup window appears….left click on “Update Driver Software”…a mini window opens now..with 2 options…. Then left click on ” Browse my computer for driver software”…now PC opens a mini window. Click on the button with “Browse”.
- Now a PC opens a small window.. select the folder ” All MTK USB driver 2014 ” you have already downloaded.
- Click OK after selecting folder which contained MTK Drivers.. Then click on next on ‘update driver software ‘ popup window.. Then PC will install the needed software .click finish when completed.
Part-II (Installing Preloader 65XX driver, Must for flashing)
- Switch off your phone
- Open device manager
- Now connect it to your PC via USB cable and you will see something appear in Device manager and then vanish
- If you miss it plug off the USB cable and then connect, but you must need to find the device appear and vanish
- Once you see the device just right click on it asap and choose “Update Driver”
- Now browse the directory of All MTK USB Driver 2014 folder not the zip file.
- Then click OK and next to install the driver.
You can check if its properly installed or not by Connect your power on Lenovo P780 to PC /Laptop…Enable USB computer connection on the phone as Media Device (MTP)…then…Right click on My computer Icon on the desktop of your PC/laptop…then double click on manage option on the pop up menu…you will be on computer management window… then double click on device manager..(can be seen in the left column)..in the right column find option …portable device…put cursor on the small blue triangle..put a left click on it..it expands…if you can see your Lenovo P780 there means Driver successfully installed…..see the screen shot bellow.
B. Basic preparation
1. First Root your device using this guide How To Root Lenovo P780 Both Jelly Bean & KitKat
C. Backup IMIE ( Must Do)
Sometimes IMIE may be gone when you flash Chinese base ROM, which can be restored using mobile uncle tool. After flashing custom ROM. To backup IMEI just install Mobileuncle tool from play store. Now open the app( you need root privilege) and you will see a option ” IMIE Backup Restore (MTK) ” . Just tap on it then select backup. The backup file will be saved in your sd card with name “imie.BAK” just copy the file and save it in safe place in Phone as well as PC or Dropbox.
D. Download Files
Download Chinese Stock ROM for 8GB Version P780_S308_130814.zip ( According your Device)
Download Chinese Stock ROM for 4Gb Version P780_S135_130917 ( According your device)
Download TWRP Recovery Chinese version twrp_recovery CN.zip (Must)
Download Superuser (Must)
Download modem_P780_V23.zip
Download SP Flash Tool
E. Prepare your file
After downloading the stock ROM zip file just unzip it, inside there you will find some another Zip file. Unzip also these files. Then unzip twrp_recovery CN.zip file, open it you will get “twrp_recovery.img” file, now rename this “twrp_recovery” to “recovery”.
Now open the Stock ROM folder there you will find “target_bin” folder, just open it. Then delete “recovery.img” file from “target_bin” folder and copy paste the “recovery.img” there that you rename earlier.
Also delete “checksum.INI” file from “target_bin” folder.
F. Final Job, do it carefully
1> Disable antivirus on your PC/lap top
2> Turnoff windows firewall on your PC
3> Open sp flash tool ( better use ver.3…
4> Right click on flash_tool icon..(blue box with red curved arrow )…
5> Run sp_tool as administrator
6> Click on ..scater-loading
7> Double click on MT6589_Android_scatter_emmc…file from the target_bin folder of the ROM ( s308 for 8 GB users)
8> So_tool loads all files..note every box is ticked..( very important)
9> Click on the box near DS DL ALL With Check Sum..
10> Click on …firmware=> upgrade…
11> When sp_tool says searching ( see at bottom)..connect your switched OFF phone to PC via USB cable
12> If flashing not started now( can see color strips passes through bottom white strip of sp_tool…..)…..do this trick. Open back cover of phone…press and hold the red small button near SD card slot for just 3 seconds while the phone still connected to PC…..even then flashing not started…SORRY…disconnect your phone . and install drivers for p780 properly. ..and do the above process again
13> When flashing is completed a Green ring in box appears.. .success..you have flashed Chinese ROM
14> Power on your phone…first boot take around 5 minits
15> Change language to English
16> Reboot phone to recovery
17> Flash super user or super su zip from recovery.
You have successfully installed Chinese Stock ROM.
Note: If you are a ROW user and you just have changed stock ROM from ROW to Chinese to install Chinese based custom ROM then you need to flash modem_P780_V23.zip after installing custom ROM.