How to flash Lenovo S820

Over the years of operation, the Lenovo S820 smartphone has proven itself as a balanced technically machine, easily copes with the tasks of the average complexity. And today the model is capable of performing the functions of a digital assistant, even if not the fastest and productive, but quite reliable. This is possible only if the hardware components of the device are working, and the software works without failures. Consider how to upgrade and reinstall the firmware of the model and what to do if the device stopped feeding signs of life as a result of the collapse of Android. Among other things, it is possible to find out how the official OS is replaced by the official OS on Custom.

Despite the fact that the MediaTek hardware platform, which is based on Lenovo S820, practically "not killed by" interference in the software part, and all ways to work with the system according to the model proposed below in the article are repeatedly and successfully applied in practice before Go to any actions, you need to consider:

Any impact affecting the system software is made by the owner of the device for its own fear and risk! Exceptionally, the user who produces manipulation is responsible for the result of operations and the state of the apparatus in the end!

Preparation

In order for the process of reinstallation of the operating system on the Lenovo S820, it turned out to be effective and passed without problems, it is necessary to implement a number of preparatory actions and study information on the nuances of the procedure in relation to the model under consideration.

Hardware revisions, memory markup, system types

The main difference between the specific instances of the Lenovo S820 smartphone, which can be in the user's hands is the amount of internal memory. There are devices from 8GB and 4GB ROM on board. Despite the fact that methods of manipulations with both variants of the model implies the execution of the same steps, the system software packages, intended for installation, differ, but also there are universal solutions.

In a word, when choosing a system software package to equip the model, you need to take into account the amount of memory of a specific instance of the device. You can find out the value of the ROM volume, for example, using specialized android applications. Install from Google Play Market Program Device HW info.

Download Device HW Info from Google Play Market

We open the application and see what is specified in the "ROM" point on the main screen, the funds demonstrated immediately after launch.

As for official firmware, the main difference is here in the memory markup used. There are "Chinese" systems - markup CN. and "European" - markup Row . The main unpleasant features of the "CN" assemblies is the lack of a Russian-speaking interface and Google services, but their installation may be required to change markup and subsequent installation of a custom shell.

On the transition from one type of distribution of partitions to another is described below in the article, and to find out the type of OS and the markup of the device's memory currently, you should go through this path: "Settings" ("SETTINGS") - "On the phone" ( "ABOUT PHONE") - "Version Information" ("Version Information") - "Build Number" ("Build Number").

If the smartphone is installed in the smartphone, in the value of the "Assembly number" parameter, an appropriate mark is present after the model name. If the CN markup, then "Build Number" without marks, in the form: "Model_version_number of the assembly".

As an object for experiments that have become the basis for demonstrating methods of manipulation in this article, the Lenovo S820 4GB device was used, which is initially running the Row firmware. At the same time, references to packages to install into their specific instance of the device, regardless of the hardware version and the installed type of operating system (markup), below will find all model owners.

Drivers and operating modes

To ensure the ability to interact the PC and smartphone, including to restore and install Android, the device must be able to translate into special status-launch modes, and the computer is equipped with specialized drivers.

Backing up information

Of course, no one wants to lose the data stored in the smartphone and representing greater value for the user in some cases, rather than the device itself. At the same time, the firmware in most situations implies a preliminary cleaning of the memory regions of the device from information, and therefore a backup copy of all the important, created in advance, is simply necessary.

To return information from the backup to the smartphone, you should use the "Restore" tab of the "Backup / Restore" section in a smart assistant.

It is very simple to work here:

1. Install the checkbox in the checkbox near the desired backup, click "Restore";

   

2. We choose the data types recoverable, click "Restore" and wait for the completion of the recovery of information.

   

In addition to saving user information contained in the Lenovo S820 memory, it is extremely desirable to save the device memory sections that are harmless without a backup (NVRAM), or create a complete Nandroid-backup system through an extended recovery environment. The steps that assume these procedures are included in the firmware instructions below, it is recommended not to ignore them.

Rut-right

In general, to update, reinstall or restore the official firmware on the product under review of Lenovo, the superuser rights are not required. But if the purpose of the user is the Android modification is not documented by the manufacturer using the methods, without any particular privileges do not do.

Rut-right can be obtained using several means - applications Framaroot (for individual options for firmware based on Android 4.2), Kingroot and Kingo Root are very effective in solving this issue, you only need to implement instructions from articles on our website.

Read more:

Getting Ruth-Rights on Android through Framaroot without PC

Obtaining root rights with Kingroot for PC

How to use Kingo root

Entrance to the recovery environment (recovery)

On the phone Lenovo S820, the recovery environment is not entirely standard and familiar to users of other models of the manufacturer. In order to access the functions of the factory or modified recovery, it is necessary to do the following:

1. On the smartphone turned off, press the "POWER" key and hold it 2 seconds, after which you simultaneously clamp both the volume level control buttons. As soon as the "volume +" and "volume -" will be pressed, "food" let go.

   

2. The above sequence of pressing hardware keys leads to the launch of the recovery environment - the appearance of the name of the names of the native or custom recovery on the screen.

   

Reset parameters and cleaning sections

Before reinstalling Android, it will be unlisted to clean the phone from user information and return the parameters of the device to the factory. The reset procedure through the recovery itself is an effective method of getting rid of many problems with the program part, therefore, if the purpose of the user is to get rid of the device from the program "garbage", "brakes" and freezes, it should be started from returning the device to the state of "out of the box" .

Read more: Resetting the settings on Android

Firmware

With regard to Lenovo S820, various methods of reinstalling system software and a number of software tools are applicable. Performing the instructions below, the best solution will be step by step, that is, use the proposed methods one by one before receiving the desired version of Android on the phone.

Method 1: Official Android Update

If the purpose of the intervention in the program part of the model under consideration is to update the installed official assembly of the OS without changing it type (ROW / CN), there is no particular practical meaning in attracting tools from third-party developers. To enhance the version of Android, the easiest way is to use the official OTA update module integrated into all the OS assembly manufacturer for the phone.

Create a backup of important information stored in the device. Then I fully charge the phone or connect the charger to it, connect to the Wi-Fi network. Next, perform the following steps.

Row-Systems Update:

1. Open on the "Settings" apparatus by any familiar method.

   

2. Go to the "All Settings" tab. The list of items to the bottom and find the option "On the phone", tadam on it.



3. Click "Upgrading System", as a result of which automatic checking of the display of the update for the installed OS will be performed. If you enhance the Android assembly number, appropriate notification and recommendations on the actions that need to be held before the update procedure will appear.



4. Click "Download" and expect that the components of the new version of the system will be downloaded to the phone ROM.



5. Upon completion of the update download, a screen will appear with the timing of its installation procedure. We choose "update immediately" and tapa "OK". The smartphone will turn off and starts, demonstrating on the display of animated android, as well as notification of what is happening: "Installing the system update". We wait for the end of the procedure - another restart of the device.



6. The final stage of the Android update on Lenovo S820 includes a selection of basic parameters (interface language, date / time settings, etc.) and restore data from backup.



7. Next, you can use the phone that function is now running the updated official Android!

CN-assembly update Android:

1. Open the list of smartphone parameters, touched by the "Settings" icons on the Android desktop.



2. Go to the All Settings tab, the displayed list of points down and taping "ABOUT PHONE".



3. We click "System Update" and then expect the completion of automatic checking the presence of a newer version of Android, rather than installed in the smartphone at the moment. In the case of the presence of an update on Lenovo servers, "A New Version Available" is notified, as well as information about the account assembly number and the amount of data that will load the phone during the procedure.



4. We touch the "download" button and expect the end of the file download process to the device repository. When the download is completed, automatic checking package will be performed.



5. Next will enter the Offer to archive the data into the backup. Tabay "Backup", select the types of archived data, begin the procedure by clicking "Backup" again.



6. The procedure for overwriting the memory areas of updates will begin after clicking on the "Update Now" button. Further flow of the actualization process of the OS version does not require intervention, everything is carried out automatically. The smartphone will restart, displays the Android screen, inside which a certain process occurs, and the inscription "INSTALLING SYSTEM UPDATE ...". Upon completion of the update - another restart of the device and the launch of android.



7. Since in the process of the above-described manipulations of the telephone settings are reset to factory values, before operation, it is necessary to determine the basic parameters of the OS and restore user data from the backup.

   

   Now you can use the entire functionality of the updated version of the system.

Method 2: SP Flash Tool

The Universal SP Flash Tool, intended for conducting manipulations with android devices based on MTK processors, can be called the main and main tool used in the Lenovo S820 firmware. Only using this application you can carry out the entire range of operations with the system software - backup, update, reinstall, changing OS type (markup), restoring non-working device software.

For manipulations with Lenovo S820, the SP FlashTool version is not higher than V5.1708. More new assemblies of the firmware model do not support!

Depending on the current state of the smartphone and the goal, that is, the type and version of the OS, which will be operated by the device as a result, the flashlight is used in different ways. Below are the instructions that take into account the subtleties of application relative to the Lenovo S820 model, and if it did not have to deal with the firmware before, it is recommended to first familiarize yourself with the material describing the general principles of the application and basic concepts.

Read more: Firmware Android devices based on MTK via SP Flashtool

As for the firmware, there are packages with images for installation and scatter file, all major versions of official solutions are available for download from the following link. For download and installation, extreme ROWA assemblies Android 4.2 are available, and the latest released Lenovo for the version of the system software version based on Android 4.4.

Download Row-and CN-firmware Lenovo S820 smartphone to install via SP Flash Tool

From the CN-systems based on the above link, the decisions are presented only on the basis of Jelly Bean. To update the version of the "Chinese" android after installation, through the flash station, you should use the update method "by air" described above in the article.

Select and load the appropriate package depending on the device (4GB or 8GB ROM), the required markup (CN or ROW) and the OS version. After downloading, the archive with the system must be unpaved in a separate directory.

Bacup NVRAM.

Exercising serious interference with the system of system software, we risk a losing the most important area of ​​memory containing parameters (including IMEI identifiers) related to the operation of the radio module (modem). If the information from the "NVRAM" section is about which will be lost, the SIM card will not work. Therefore, it is extremely recommended at the first opportunity to keep the dump of the specified area to the PC disk.

1. Run Flash Tool, specify the application path to the scatter file from the directory with your favorites to install the firmware.



2. Switch to the "Readback" tab, click "Add".



3. Double-click on the line, which appeared in the basic field of the Flashtula window, which will open the file saving window. We determine the place of saving the future backup and specify its name, then click "Save".



4. Next, the window will open for entering the initial and end address of the area in the device's memory. We introduce the following values, and then click "OK":
   • In the "Start Address" field - 0xe00000;
   • "Lenght" - 0x500000.



5. Click "Read Back", which will translate the application to the standby connection status.



6. Next, connect the device off with the USB port of the PC. After a few seconds, the "NVRAM" dump dump is started and its saving to the file. Upon completion of the procedure, the Redback OK window will appear - on this, the creation of a backup of the section is completed.

Update / Reinstall OS

If the device as a whole works, that is, it starts in Android, and the purpose of the firmware is the update of the official system and / or its reinstalling without changing the type of markup should be used by the following instruction.

1. We start the flash drive, add the Scatter file to the program from the folder with the firmware images.



2. Open the Options menu, click "Option ...". In the settings window that opens, go to the "Download" section and check the presence of marks in the two check boxes of the Da DL All WITH CHECKSUM area. If the "ticks" near the points "USB Checksum" and "Storage Checksum" are missing, set them. We close the parameters window and proceed to the next step.
3. We free from check box "Preloader" in the main area of ​​the application window, where the images and paths are listed. We are convinced that the "Download only" firmware mode is set.



4. Click "Download" and then connect the Lenovo S820 in the off state to the PC.



5. We expect until the device memory areas will be overwritten from file-images.



6. Upon completion of the process, the "Download OK" window will appear. Disconnect the YUSB cable from the smartphone and run the device, while holding the "POWER" key for a long time.



7. The first download of android after performing actions involving it reinstalling, lasts longer than usual, and eventually completes the start of the OS now the already updated version.

   

   OS Parameters When performing the above operations will be reset to factory, so the settings need to be defined again.

   

Reinstalling the system, markup change, restoration

If the model under consideration is required to replace the type of the official Android C cn on Row or vice versa, for example, to install a custom firmware in the future, it will take full overwriting of all regions of the device using FlashTool, including "Preloader" with their pre-formatting.

In addition to replacing markup, the execution of the following steps in most cases allows you to restore the workability of the crash of Android on the Lenovo S820 devices that are not loaded into the OS, but at the same time are defined in the Device Manager as "MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM".

1. Open the flash driver, load into the Scatter file program.



2. We check that in the "Download" section of the application settings settings in the USB Checksum and Storage Checksum check boxes, acting in the same way as described in paragraph 2 of the instructions above on the system reinstalling in "Download only" mode.
3. We switch the program mode to Firmware Upgrade.



4. Click "download" and connect the previously turned off the device to the computer.



5. Clearing sections

   

   And then the recording of the data in them will start automatically.

   

   If the process does not start due to the fact that the computer does not see the phone in the right mode, remove the battery and try to connect without it.

6. Upon completion of the Android Flash Tool reinstall, the "Download OK" notification will demonstrate.



7. Next, disconnect the device from the PC, turn it on by clicking and holding a little longer than the "Power" button. We expect the launch of the Android, we carry out the initial setting and use the installed system.

Additionally. Interface language

Firmware "CN" After installing the default interface in Chinese, which can cause some difficulties from the user. Just in case we will demonstrate the switching of the CN language language for the model into English.

1. After the first launch of the "Chinese" OS, promotional pages are displayed - "smash" them to the left, we get to the desktop android.



2. Open the "Settings" (focusing on the icon, the desired icon is "gear"). On the screen with a list of parameters, go to the third left tab. The list of the list is down and find the item marked with the "Pencil" icon, tadam on it.



3. On the screen that opens concern the first inscription list. Next tapack "English".



4. The process of switching a language from Chinese to more understandable English is completed.

"Deadlining"

In a situation where Lenovo S820 does not turn on, does not respond to press pressing, and / or the above methods of manipulation via FlashTool do not give the result or impracticable, it will have to be interfered not only in software, but also to the hardware of the device - to rewrite the memory of the device across the flash drive After climing the test point on the phone board.

The proposed method for restoring the health of the Lenovo S820 smartphone is cardinal and implies a disassembly of the device, therefore, it should be started to perform the following instructions only with full confidence in their forces and capabilities!

1. We disassemble the device to access its motherboard:
   • Remove the lid, remove the battery and unscrew the 6 screws holding the rear panel of the smartphone.

   

   • Carefully refress the rear panel and remove it.



2. The location of the test point (the "SCLK" point on the board) is shown in the photo, we find it. We are preparing a tool that will further be closed by this point and "land" (point "GND" on the board). The most convenient for this purpose is tweezers, but you can use any remedy, for example, a broken clip.



3. Open the flashlight, specify the path to the scatter file. For recovery, we take a package with the system based on Android 4.2, it is desirable to choose the option (ROW / CN), which was installed in the device until the "oxidizing".



4. We switch the mode of overwriting partitions, - for the "exposure" you need to select "Format All + Download".



5. Next, we translate the program to wait for the device to connect the device by click on the "Download" button.



6. We are closed by test point on the Motherboard Lenovo S820 C "Earth".

   

   Earth is either the point in paragraph 1 of this instruction on the board, or the metal parts of the device body.

   

   Not blurring contacts, connect the cable with a USB port of the PC to the micro-USB connector.



7. Flashtool will automatically start the formatting process of the device ROM, and then overwrite partitions. You can watch the process using the progress bar at the bottom of the application window. Once the indicator starts up, the jumper from the contacts can be removed.



8. Upon completion of the procedure, confirming its effectiveness of the "Download OK" window is displayed.



9. Disconnect the cable from the smartphone, install the rear panel and the battery in place, turn on the device.

Imei Recovering

Full cleaning of the phone's memory in the recovery process from the "surpinated" state, as well as other factors can lead to IMEI identifiers, which, in turn, will cause the inoperability of mobile communications.

IMEI can be restored by one of two methods.

From backup NVRAM

If the dump section of the NRAMM was previously stored through a flash station, the restoration of SIM cards does not take much time.

1. Run FlashTool, add the scatter file of the official firmware.



2. Activate the professional mode of operation of the program by pressing the "Ctrl" key + "Alt" + "V" on the keyboard. After ADVANCED MODE is activated, the corresponding inscription will appear in the window title, and the Write Memory item appears in the Window menu, click on it.



3. Go to the "WRITE MEMORY" tab of the program in the program and click the "Browser" button. In the File Selection window, specify the path to the "NVRAM" dump and click Open.



4. In the Begin ADRESS (Hex) field, we make a value of 0xe00000. Next click "Write Memory"



5. Connect the Lenovo S820 in the off state to the USB port. Data entry to the "Nebrum" section will start automatically and will occur very quickly. The process of notification "Write Memory OK" is completed.



6. On this, the restoration of the most important area is completed, you can turn off the device from the computer, run it in android and check the performance of the communication module.

Maui Meta program

If the backup of the NRAM section has not been previously created, the restoration of the performance of the Lenovo S820 radio modulus will have to be produced with the attraction of an additional software. Maui Meta. . Suitable for working with a model version of the tool - v6.1316. - Available for download:

Download Maui Meta program for recovery IMEI Lenovo S820

In addition to the application Maui Meta to restore having in the situation under consideration, you will need a package with system images designed for installation through a flashytole. To successfully hold the following procedure, it is important to use components from a package corresponding to the Android installed device installed. If the apparatus is installed on the apparatus based on android 4.4, we pre-flash 4.2 through the flashtool in Firmware Upgrade mode.

The calibration file that will be needed to execute the following instructions is located in the ModemDB catalog obtained as a result of unpacking the archive with the firmware.

1. Install Maui Meta by opening the installer and following its instructions. After installation, run the tool on behalf of the administrator.



2. In the main window, Maui Meta, select the "USB COM" connection mode.



3. Open the "Options" menu and put the mark near the "Connect Smart Phone Into Meta Mode" item.



4. Call the "Actions" menu and open the Open NVRAM Database option.

   

   In the component selection window, specify the path to the file "bplguinfocustomappsrc ..." from the above-described directory and click "Open".

   

5. Click "Reconnect" and connect the phone translated into the "META MODE" state to the PC.



6. As soon as the device is properly determined in the program, the indicator will stop flashing and turning into yellow.



7. Select from the drop-down list "IMEI DOWNLOAD".



8. In the displayed window on the "SIM_1" and "SIM_2" tabs, we enter the appropriate instance of the machine without the last digit to the appropriate fields of the IMEI.



9. After entering the identifiers and verify the correctness of the values, click "Download to Flash".



10. The success of the operation will report notification "Download Imei to Flash SuccessFully" at the bottom of the "IMEI DOWNLOAD" window.

    

    Now you need to close the window where the parameters were made, and then click "DISCONNECT" in the main window of Maui Meta.



11. Turn off the phone from the computer, run it in Android, holding a "POWER" button for a long time. After launching the OS, check that IMEI recorded successfully - type the combination of * # 06 # in the "Relator".

Castomal recovery

Many experienced users of Lenovo S820 when conducting various manipulations with system software along the device prefer such a functional tool as custom recovery. For the model, several variants of the modified environment were created, the most well-known from which CLOCKWORKMOD RECOVERY (CWM) and Teamwin Recovery (TWRP).

Despite the fact that the custom recovery environment can be installed in a smartphone and without a PC (the method is described below in the article), installing the recovery through Flashtool - the most effective solution. Below, you can download the archives containing TWRP and CWM images for all versions of the device, as well as scatter files necessary to perform the integration of the medium into the device through the flash station.

Download TWRP and CWM images + scatter files to install recovery in Lenovo S820 smartphone via SP Flash Tool

1. We choose and download the file corresponding to the type of firmware installed in the smartphone - Row or CN is an extremely important point!



2. Unpack the archive with a file-way environment and scatter in a separate directory.
3. We open the program and load the scatter file from the folder obtained as a result of the execution of the previous paragraph of the instruction.



4. Just in case, check the location path of the recovery file, and the fact that the firmware mode is selected - "Download only".



5. Next, proceed to overwrite the medium - click "Download". We connect the machine in the off state to the USB port of the computer.

   

   Then we expect the end of the rewrite process of the Recovery area - display the window "download ok".



6. IMPORTANT! Turn off your smartphone from the PC and without loading in Android, go into the recovery.

   

   If the first launch after the integration of the medium will be carried out in the OS, the custom recovery will be overwhelmed with the "native" module and the above-described installation procedure will have to be repeated!

Method 3: Android unofficial assemblies

The most interesting method for modifying the program part Lenovo S820 is the replacement of the official OS on the Android-shell, created by third-party developers teams or individual enthusiast users - custom firmware.

On the Internet, you can simply find a huge number of different modified Android variations, after installing which the device is fully converted to the interface and the operating system functionality.

If the above-described methods of manipulation via FlashTool are studied and mastered, it is safe to experiment with various romel products, all of them are installed according to one algorithm, which is implemented even without using a computer.

Step 1: Preparation

The first thing to do, after it is decided to replace the OS Lenovo S820 on a custom android-shell, is to find, select and download a package of an unofficial firmware to the smartphone memory card. It is important to consider for what markup created a modified product - Row or CN. The same applies to custom recovery - installed the medium intended for a particular markup corresponding to the operating system intended to be installed.

Most of the modified systems for the phone under consideration, which take attention, function on the CN markup, therefore, in the examples below, it is assumed that the user device is initially running the "Chinese" OS.

Step 2: Installation of Extended Recovery

Packages with custom firmware are installed using modified recovery environments, so before you start replacing the official android to the product from third-party developers, it is necessary to equip the recovery apparatus with advanced features. As an example, the most functional version of the model, available to users, is used below. TWRP 2.8.4. For CN markup.

The TWRP integration into the phone can be carried out with a PC through a flashytole, as described in the previous method of firmware of the device or without a "big brother" by performing the following instructions. Files that will be needed to implement the installation of the modified environment without a computer, download the link below - the archives contain images of recovery for various options for model and markups, as well as APK file Installation tools - MobileUncle MTK Tools applications:

Download TWRP 2.8.4 images for Lenovo S820 smartphone and recovery installation facility without PC

Before you start installing the TWRP according to the instructions below, you need to get root rights on the smartphone!

1. Place the image of the "recovery.img" and APK file of the Mobaylnkl Tuls program to the MicroSD root installed in the device.

   

2. In the file manager relating to the name of the Distribution of Mobile Tuls. Android package installer will start. We install the application, following the instructions on the screen and confirming all requests.



3. Open MobileUncle Tools, issue a permit to use superuser privileges, refuse to update the program if such a proposal is received.

   

4. Call the "Recovery Update" function, after which the memory card will be automatically scanned for the presence of a recovery environment file. The module name for the installation is displayed at the top of the next screen. Tabay on the name "recovery.img" under the inscription "Recovery File in SDCard2" and then confirm the request for using this image - the "OK" button.

   

5. The image of the environment is written to the appropriate memory section almost instantly. Next, a request for rebooting into the recovery appears. Click "OK" - the phone will restart and boot TWRP.

   

Step 3: Install Custom OS

As an example, install the CAN CN-firmware MIUI 9, ported for the MINOVO project model, in Lenovo S820. To date, Miui is one of the fastest, functional and, unconditional, beautiful systems available for operation on the smartphone under consideration. And also the way the MIUI options can be installed below from other developers and, of course, most of the other custom OS.

Thus, the tools discussed above and methods for carrying out operations with Lenovo S820 memory sections allow all the owners of the smartphone to independently carry out a wide range of actions - from restoring the operability of the android operability to the complete conversion of the device's software part.