How to get Android Lollipop for Moto E

Today I'll be sharing with you the way to get Android lollipop on your Moto E. It's been a while since Lollipop update was announced for Moto E but it hasn't come up till now. Since I was eager to try the Lollipop, I flashed CyanogenMod 12 and now I am enjoying the Android Lollipop on my Moto E. So I'll list down the steps to be followed-

Note- This procedure requires you to unlock your bootloader and then you lose your warranty. If you perform any step wrong, chances are there that you may brick your beloved device. Consider yourself warned before proceeding.

Okay, if you have decided to take the risk lets begin-

Prerequisite-

Unlocked Bootloader

Custom Recovery(TWRP or CWM)

CyanogenMod(Download and copy to SD card)

Steps-

1. Turn off your device, and enter into recovery.(After switching off keep the power button and volume down key pressed  for about 3 to 4 seconds. Then use volume down button to choose recovery option and then press volume up button to select it. Device will enter into recovery mode.)

2. Make a backup of the current ROM, in case anything bad happens.(As Anything that can go wrong will go wrong :-P)

3. Wipe Dalvik cache, cache and do a factory reset.

4. Select install option and choose the CyanogenMod zip which we had downloaded earlier and copied to the SD card.

5. After the process gets completed, reboot the system.

6. Now the CyanogenMod logo will appear, it'll take a while to load for the first time. 

Now enjoy Android Lollipop 5.1 and be the envy of your friends who are still waiting for the Stock ROM update.

Rooting Moto E(XT1022)

Hello guys, Welcome to TechJugaad Center, we're going to show how to root the Moto E today. Moto E is a budget smartphone, with really cool specs. I got mine from Flipkart. So head there if you want one. 

In this post we'll show you how to root the Moto E and install some cool apps that'll take the Moto E to the next level, the most cool feature that rooting will bring, is that, your Moto will be able to do screen recording. You've heard it right, screen recording. I have attached a video which i had recorded. Do check it out.

Downloadable Arena:(Download the stuff mentioned here from the links provided, please let us know of any dead links.)
1. mfastboot
2.SuperSu 
3.TWRP Recovery  (Rename it as recovery.img)
4.MotoE drivers  (Install them immediately)

First make sure you have unlocked the bootloader, use the link given below and follow the instructions given on the site.

Unlock Bootloader (You can use mfastboot instead of Android SDK)

 Note- You'll lose your warranty after unlocking the bootloader, and i'm not responsible if you brick your device in this process.

 Follow these steps-
1. Copy SuperSu to the SD card of your mobile.

2. Copy TWRP Recovery to the mfastboot folder.

3.Open command prompt and navigate to the mfastboot folder, or just navigate to the mfastboot folder first and hold Shift and then Right Click in empty space you'll get an option to open command prompt, this trick works in Windows 8. 

4.Turn off your phone and then hold the power button along with the volume down button for 10 seconds and then release them.

5.Connect your phone to your laptop or desktop via a USB cable.

6.In the command prompt type this command and hit enter
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

 7. TWRP Recovery will begin and there choose the install option, navigate to the SuperSu, which you had earlier copied to the SD card. 
  
 8.Your phone will restart and presence of SuperSu app indicates that you have successfully rooted your device.

SuperSu App, the status bar and navigation bar have been tweaked using the apps given below.

Now to tweak the looks of your Moto E follow the steps given below.

Now download this app
1.Xposed Installer

Once you've installed Xposed Installer, go to the frameworks option and install the framework, then reboot your device.

Now depending on your choice download any app from the Download section of the Xposed Installer, there are many apps with description of the functions they perform.

These two apps are used by me, so i'll recommend them if you're still stuck on KitKat and have not received the Lollipop update-

1.AndroidL Navigation 

2.GravityBox[KK]

BeforeXposedInstaller

After using XposedInstaller

AndroidL Navigation will change the KitKat navigation buttons and put Lollipop navigation buttons.

GravityBox is a powerful app that has the capability to change the overall look of your Moto E, also you can make customisations to the feature of Screen Recording.

Hope this post helped you, leave your comments below if you get stuck anywhere.

Unlocking Bootloader of Moto E(XT1022)

This guide is for beginners who want to unlock the bootloader of MOTO E.

Before starting let's get familiar with some common technical terms and learn something about the bootloader. If you're already familiar with the bootloader and other technical terms than skip this portion and go to Step 2.

Step 1-Things to know before unlocking the bootloader.

_________________________________________________________________________________

*What is a bootloader and why is it locked?
-> Bootloader is the first program that runs when you start your device. It contains the information of the stock ROM(ROM is similar to OS of computer like Windows and Linux). It is responsible for starting the booting of the ROM. The bootloader is locked, means that you cannot put any other custom ROM on your device. If you try to flash a different ROM, that is like you're trying to install different OS. Then your device might get bricked, it means it'll be totally useless and it can only be used as a paper weight.

Now you may ask why companies lock the bootloader, the bootloader is locked for security purposes. To prevent malicious ROMs from being installed. The average person doesn't have much knowledge of how the things are working under his device, so for the security of such people it's usually locked.

Must know Terms-
* Stock ROM- The original ROM which comes with the device.
*Custom ROM- ROM's which are modified and enable you to have root access.
*Flashing the device- Installing custom ROMs or kernels.

*Why to unlock the bootloader?
-> The bootloader is unlocked to enable an user to install custom ROM and gain root access. In short the first step in rooting the device is to unlock the bootloader. Root access on a device means that you can modify almost every system file present in the device. Which can be dangerous if the person doesn't know what he's doing, which is another reason why the bootloader is locked as people may totally screw up their device and it's the company who'll get a bad reputation for it.

Unlocking the bootloader voids your warranty, but you can relock the bootloader, provided your still having the stock ROM.

Usually developers are the people who unlock the bootloader to play with their devices. Nowadays everyone wants root access this is the sole reason why people consider unlocking the bootloader. But beware that rooting a device has it's own drawbacks.

Must know Hack- Suppose you mess up your device and it's still in warranty period, then flash the stock ROM, relock the device and take it to your nearest service center. They wouldn't know a thing and would help you with your device.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Step 2- Unlocking the bootloader

Prerequisite- Download these files Android, Drivers.

You don't have any need to download anything from the website.

1. Go to this site and read the instructions given there for the sake of reading and proceed to making an account or sign in using Google+ id.

2. Turn off your device and then push the volume down button and while holding it push the power button, afterwards release them simultaneously, the device will enter fastboot mode. Connect your device with the PC.

3. Now go to the folder Android which you've downloaded earlier
hold shift and press the right click of your mouse and select open command prompt here option.

4. Now type fastboot oem get_unlock_data, you'll get some strings. Don't panic if you don't get anything here, probably the drivers are not probably installed. Try restarting the PC and then continuing.

5. Right click and select mark and copy the five lines of strings, be careful to not consider the white spaces.

6. Paste the string on the site and request an unlock key, i've tried with my MOTO E and i was unsuccessful in the first attempt when i pasted the string along with the blank spaces. So you're gonna get an unlock key just be sure that you're pasting the right length of string without any white spaces.

Half the battle has been won.

1. You'll get a mail containing the unlock key of the device.

2. Click on the link given in the mail.

3. Again put your device in fastboot mode as you did earlier, pressing the power button while holding the volume down button and connect it with the PC.

4. Now type fastboot oem unlock THE_KEY_You_Recieved

5. If all goes well you'll get a message on your device that your bootloader is unlocked.

The message will always be seen by you whenever you restart your device. 

And there you have it, your device with an Unlocked Bootloader. Now you can proceed to root it or install Custom ROM of your choice.

**Note-1. You'll lose all the data present in the internal storage after completing of this operation.

2. You continue to receive updates after unlocking of the bootloader.

Unlocking Bootloader of Xperia E dual C1604(11.3.A.2.1)

Unlocking Bootloader of Xperia E dual C1604(11.3.A.2.1)


**Note that you will end up losing your warranty after unlocking your bootloader.


What is bootloader?
-> Bootloader is to mobile as BIOS is to the computer. Bootloader is understood as the first program that runs when the device is powered on, which does the hardware checks and then selects the rom and gives it control after starting it.
In othere words your bootloader knows where your rom is and it is responsible for starting it. ROM of your phone can be understood as similar to the Operating System of the computer. As we have different operating systems like windows, linux. Similarly there are different roms. If your bootloader is unlocked then you are able to flash custom rom like Cyanogenmod, AOSP. But if you flash a rom while your bootloader is locked then you may end up soft bricking your device.

Why Unlock the Bootloader?
-> Unlocking the bootloader will allow you to flash a custom rom, which can increase the performance of your phone.
Custom roms will give you root access, overclocking and many more features that will breathe a new life into your phone.

Usually companies lock the bootloader thereby preventing the end user from running custom roms and thus making them stick to the stock rom. But now the trend is changing. Companies are themselves providing unlock key to users to unlock bootloader of devices.

****************************************************** There are two general ways, which are considerd safe, and are tested by me, using which you can unlock the bootloader of your Xperia phone.

*Prerequisite for both the methods is the Unlock key.

To get the key go to Sony Xperia's site (here) and follow the instructions given there. Fill in the appropriate details and you'll get the key in you e-mail id. Now the unlocking can be done.
Charge your phone to atleast 75% before starting this.


First Method(Easy Method)-
1.Download Flashtool and install it. Search flashtool on google and you'll get it or use the link provided below, download the latest version.

2.Connect the phone in flashmode. To enter in flashmode first switch off your phone and while connecting it with your computer, using the USB cable, continue to hold the volume down button until you'll see the notification led glowing green. In simple words "hold down the volume down button" as your connecting the phone to the computer.
3.Start flashtool and install the appropriate drivers for the phone from the list of devices that will appear.

**If your having problem with the flashtool not detecting your phone. Than consider installing PC companion software from the official site. That will take care of the driver problems.

4.Now click on BLU button it will ask for the unlock key, enter it.

**Here is the link to get flashtool for windows-here

There it is now your phone is Unlocked.

 *If it isn't successful in the first try then restart your computer and give it a second go, that should probably get it going.

 * You can use the flashtool to relock your bootloader again, just connect your device in flashmode again and click on   BLU, then on relock it will relock your bootloader.


Second Method-
->Go to Sony Website and follow the instructions given there. Also download the files given there but don't download android sdk. The file you have downloaded from the website contains the drivers (name it as file b) which are essential to connect the phone to the computer.

1.Download the following  file, this will fulfill the role of android sdk, on your computer. Name it as File a
2.Hold shift and then right click on the  downloaded file a then choose the option of run command prompt here.
3.Connect the phone in fastboot mode, that is while connecting it to the computer keep on holding the volume up key until  the led starts glowing blue.
4.Type the following in the command prompt 
 fastboot getvar version

 You should get a reply such as 0.5 or something. If you don't get any such reply then reinstall the file b downloaded from sony website once again. To install the file b right click it and choose install.

5.Then type the following command 
 fastboot oem unlock 0xYour Unlock key 

**Hash file not found error on windows 8? 
->Windows 8 users need to turn the driver signing off then only they can install the file downloaded from sony website.

 *To turn driver signing off go to the settings option in the charms bar, then select Change PC settings-> Then click on   General-> Then click on advanced startup ->On restart Select the troubleshoot option ->type the number which says turn driver signing off.

**Experiencing Bootloops? 
->If your experiencing bootloops that is the device just goes to the loading screen and restarts, then you'll need to follow the given steps-

1.Download Flashtool
2.Download custom recovery. Here is the link that will install dual custom recovery on your device- here
3.Flash the recovery by connecting phone in fastboot mode and then selecting the lightning icon given in the flashtool.
4.Then select fastboot mode then choose select kernel to flash then browse to the file downloaded above and then flashing would be done.
5.To boot into recovery keep on pressing the volume down button when the led below is glowing blue. This would get into TWRP custom recovery. If you want to boot into CWM recovery then keep on pressing the volume up button when the led below is glowing green.
6.Then select wipe data/cache and also wipe dalvik cache.

This should probably solve the bootloop problem.


If you're still confused and can't get out of the bootloop then refer to this post.

Now if you want to root your phone or want to install CyanogenMod refer to this post.

After rooting you'll definitely not want consider installing these cool apps........

***I am not responsible for damages to your device that may arise while you apply the above mentioned methods, apply them carefully or you may end up bricking your device.

If you end up bricking your device don't panic, help is on the way, refer to this post. It'll bring your beloved android device back to life.


Check out these new posts- 
1. Creating a Chat Bot

2. Rooting Samsung Galaxy Y

3.Unlocking bootloader of Moto E

I'd be happy to hear from you, please leave your comments below.