[ROM][03-08-2013] ZTE V987 (MT6589) custom ROMs (JB)

[ROM][03-08-2013] ZTE V987 (MT6589) custom ROMs (JB)
In this post you'll find all custom ROMs for ZTE V987 (MT6589) smartphone. Please be sure to read the instructions carefully in order to avoid unnecessary questions.


Tutorials and Frequently asked questions (FAQ):
At the end of the post
Version history (including download links):

 
V1.0MOD (23-04-2013):

  • Based on official Android 4.1.2 ROM (ZTE China release: ZTE-CN-9B18D-P188F04V1.0.1 / Custom build: B01 ; Stock kernel 3.4.5)
    • Officially supported languages: English and Chinese (Traditional and Simplified)
  • Custom changes:
    • User customize-able installation based on AROMA installer
    • Included script to automatically disable internal sdcard if extended userdata partition is detected
    • Integrated the latest version of Google apps
    • Rooted (no need to root phone with third party applications) with SuperSU application (v1.25)
    • Busybox (v1.20.2) installed (including init.d support)
    • Disabled aee debugger daemon
    • Updated APN list (apns-conf.xml)
    • Updated TZ data (timezone data)
    • Added "Reboot" and "Reboot to recovery" options to power menu
    • Replaced "Press to unlock" by "Slide to unlock" lockscreen
    • Included Android 4.2.2 Clock and Camera/Gallery apps
    • Added optional AdFree hosts to system hosts file (blocks ads in several applications or games, for example Angry Birds)
    • Added support for the following languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, Finish, French, Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Swedish, Turkish and Ukrainian

=> Download link
=> MD5 sum: 635a12b6cab992558a4911a51627a3d6

=> Patches:Titanium Backup hang-up fix

Install the .zip under recovery mode.  TB_hang-up_fix.zip

=> Mods: Phone dialer keys with Russian letters 
V2.0MOD (07-06-2013):

  • Based on official Android 4.2.1 ROM (ZTE China release: ZTE-CN-9B18D-P188F04V1.1.1 / Custom build: B01 ; Stock kernel 3.4.5)
    • Officially supported languages: English and Chinese (Traditional and Simplified)
  • Custom changes:
    • User customize-able installation based on AROMA installer
    • Included script to automatically disable internal sdcard if extended userdata partition is detected
    • Integrated the latest version of Google apps
    • Rooted (no need to root phone with third party applications) with SuperSU application (v1.32)
    • Busybox (v1.20.2) installed (including init.d support)
    • Complete stock Android look in terms of app icons and wallpapers
    • Disabled "vibrate on call connect" feature
    • Added support for the following languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, Finish, French, Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Swedish, Turkish and Ukrainian

=> Download link
=> MD5 sum: ee35a15bcecfef2b891e4fd3c4969d9d

=> Patches:Titanium Backup hang-up fix 
Install the .zip under recovery mode.  TB_hang-up_fix.zip
V3.0MOD (02-08-2013):

  • Based on official Android 4.2.1 ROM (ZTE China release: ZTE-CN-9B18D-P188F04V1.1.1 / Custom build: B03 ; Stock kernel 3.4.5)
    • Officially supported languages: English and Chinese (Traditional and Simplified)
  • Custom changes:
    • User customize-able installation based on AROMA installer
    • Included script to automatically disable internal sdcard if extended userdata partition is detected
    • Used B02 kernel to grant better sensitivity of soft-keys
    • Integrated the latest version of Google apps
    • Rooted (no need to root phone with third party applications) with SuperSU application (v1.51)
    • Busybox (v1.21.1) installed (including init.d support)
    • Complete stock Android look in terms of app icons and wallpapers
    • Replaced "Press to unlock" by "Slide to unlock" lockscreen
    • Integrated GravityBox (v1.85)
      • Patches Android's master key (bugs 8219321 and 9695860) vulnerabilities
      • Includes lots of system tweaks and fixes for common problems of MT6589 based devices
    • Added support for the following languages: Afrikaans, Armenian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Bengali, Catalan, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, Farsi, Finish, French, Hindi, Croatian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Latvian, Malay, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Swedish, Swahili, Thai, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese and Zulu

=> Download link
=> MD5 sum: c69e400a6e35363e75e813e3985d6703
V3.0R2MOD (03-08-2013):
  • Based on official Android 4.2.1 ROM (ZTE China release: ZTE-CN-9B18D-P188F04V1.1.1 / Custom build: B03 ; Stock kernel 3.4.5)
    • Officially supported languages: English and Chinese (Traditional and Simplified)
  • Custom changes:
    • User customize-able installation based on AROMA installer
    • Included script to automatically disable internal sdcard if extended userdata partition is detected
    • Used B02 kernel to grant better sensitivity of soft-keys
    • Integrated the latest version of Google apps
    • Rooted (no need to root phone with third party applications) with SuperSU application (v1.51)
    • Busybox (v1.21.1) installed (including init.d support)
    • Complete stock Android look in terms of app icons and wallpapers
    • Replaced "Press to unlock" by "Slide to unlock" lockscreen
    • Integrated GravityBox (v1.85)
      • Patches Android's master key (bugs 8219321 and 9695860) vulnerabilities
      • Includes lots of system tweaks and fixes for common problems of MT6589 based devices
    • Added support for the following languages: Afrikaans, Armenian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Bengali, Catalan, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, Farsi, Finish, French, Hindi, Croatian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Latvian, Malay, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Swedish, Swahili, Thai, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese and Zulu
=> Download link
=> MD5 sum: 3ec19a80224563200e801cd67f8eac19

GPL compliance:
Kernel 3.4.5 source code
 Tutorials

How to enter into recovery mode:
With ZTE V987 completely turned off, press and hold VOL. UP key and turn on the phone. Keep holding both keys, wait until the splash logo appears and then release keys.
Navigation under recovery mode:
Stock recovery mode: As soon as the splash logo disappears, an image with a triangle and an Android will appear and BACK key must be pressed in order to access menu options. Navigation is made using VOLUME keys (navigate up with VOL. UP and navigate down with VOL. DOWN) and MENU key to apply the action.

Custom recovery mode: As soon as the splash logo disappears, ClockworkMod Recovery menu will appear. Navigation is made using VOLUME keys (navigate up with VOL. UP and navigate down with VOL. DOWN) and POWER key to apply the action.
How to flash custom recovery:
Download ZTE V987 custom recovery and follow this MT657x flashing tutorial.

Important: Use SP Flash Tool v3.1304.0.119 or higher.
Flashing a new custom ROM via the SD card method (update.zip):
Read this guide to know more about ClockworkMod Recovery and how to flash a custom ROM.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Question: I can't install your custom ROMs. Why? What am I doing wrong?
Answer: First of all you have to flash a custom recovery into your phone and then you are able to install my custom ROMs.
Question: I wanted to try one of your custom ROMs. Will I loose all my data after installing it?
Answer: It is advisable to clear all userdata when installing my custom ROM for the first time. During installation, you can choose whether or not to wipe userdata... If you are willing to do so, create a backup before ROM installation so that you are able to restore it later. The most recommended way is to use Titanium Backup to create a backup of your favorite applications.
Question: In phone specifications it's stated that it has 4 GB of eMMC, but only approximately 500 MB are available for internal storage... Can you explain me the reason for that?
Answer: The phone has indeed 4 GB of eMMC. Part of it is used by system and cache partitions, while the rest of the size is divided into internal storage (approximately 900 MB) and an internal sdcard partition (approximately 2 GB). If you find that an internal sdcard partition is useless (and have a big external sdcard), you can extend userdata partition (internal sdcard partition completely disabled).
Question: How can I access hidden MediaTek engineering mode?
Answer: From phone's dialler type code *#*#3646633#*#*.
Question: I don't have this phone, but mine is also based on the same MT6589 SoC. Can I still flash your recovery and install your custom ROMs?
Answer: Even though your phone is based on the same SoC, there may be differences in other hardware components. It is not likely that recovery and ROMs will work on your phone so you may risk to brick it.
Question: Can I revert to stock ROM? If so, where can I get it from?
Answer: Sure, you can revert to stock ROM if you want. You just need to download the stock update.zip and flash it through recovery. To get a clean install, be sure to wipe all userdata first and then install the .zip. After first boot you'll even got stock recovery back. Following is the list of stock ROMs, available from official ZTE website:
  ZTE V987 internal memory re-partition

Initial notes:
  1. Make sure that you have a full nandroid backup of your current ROM. If not, boot into recovery mode and make one. This is very important if you want to restore userdata after internal memory is re-partitioned.
  2. Also make sure that you have a backup of your internal sdcard because it will be fully erased and disabled.

    Important: Use SP Flash Tool v3.1304.0.119 or higher.
Instructions:
  1. Copy disable_internal_sdcard.zip to external sdcard
  2. Shutdown the phone
  3. Open SP Flash Tool v3.1304.0.119 (or higher) and load the scatter file
  4. Flash MBR, EBR1, EBR2 and RECOVERY as shown on the next image (read flashing tutorial first):

  5. After flashing is complete, boot into recovery mode and format /data
  6. Optionally, if you want to restore previously saved userdata, go to nandroid backup / restore and restore data (advanced restore feature)
  7. Install disable_internal_sdcard.zip file through recovery mode
  8. Reboot your phone and enjoy your extended userdata partition

Notice: As an alternative to a big userdata partition and no internal sdcard, I have added another mod (download the second attachment) that extends userdata partition to 2GB (stock size is 1GB) and the rest of the space remains for the internal sdcard. This was released in order to cope with some difficulties I had making the previous mod work with Android 4.2.1 ROMs.

File Type: zip V987 extended userdata mod.zip
File Type: zip V987 extended userdata mod2 - 2GB_USRDATA.zip