Step 4: Choose and install a ROM
There are several ROMs available. They can be found at XDA, Slatedroid, etc. The process for installing any of these ROMs is pretty much the same across the board, so I will provide a link to the ROM I used (CyanogenMod v7 or CM7 for short.) Please note that CM7 is a 1.1 ROM and is Gingerbread based. Currently there are Froyo, Gingerbread and Honeycomb based ROMs. Honeycomb is in the very early stages of development and is not recommended at this time.
You can find CM7 at
Cyanogenmod.com This is a 1.1 bootloader ROM and should not be used if you are on bootloader 1.2.
Transfer files to your gTab
1. Using your computer, download the ROM zip file. Open up the zip file. If you see a file called "boot.img" and a bunch of folders, then leave your zip file alone. If you see another zip file called "update.zip" and a folder called "recover", then unzip the original zip file. What you want is a zip file with a "boot.img" file inside.
2. If your ROM requires GAPPS (Google Apps) file, download that, too. The CM7 ROM linked above does require these files, and they can be found
here or
here.
3. Boot your gTab into CWM mode.
4. In main menu of CWM, select "mounts and storage".
5. Select "mount USB storage".
6. Connect your gtab to the computer.
7. Using your computer, navigate into the root of your internal sdcard in your gTab and create a folder called "Rom".
8. Put the zip file that contains the "boot.img" file into the newly created folder "Rom" in your gtab. Also put the GAPPS file (if you need it) into the "Rom" folder.
9. Select unmount.
10. Disconnect USB from your computer.
Back up your current ROM - since my device was new, I skipped this part, but it doesn't hurt to have a backup anyway
1. Go back to root menu of CWM.
2. Select backup and restore.
3. Select Backup.
4. Watch your current image being backed up.
5. Choose either Option C1 or Option C2 depending on your branch.
Flash the ROM
1. After backup is done, go back out to the root menu.
2. Choose "wipe data/factory reset".
3. Choose "wipe cache partition".
4. Once it's done, go back out to root menu and choose "advanced".
5. Choose "Wipe Dalvik Cache".
6. Go back out and choose "install zip from sdcard".
7. Go into folder "Rom" and choose the Rom that you picked from the list. Watch it install.
8. After ROM installation is complete, repeat steps 6 and 7 for the GAPPS file IF YOU NEED TO.
9. Once everything is done, go back out to root menu and choose "reboot system now".