Update Motorola Droid Razr to Android 5.1 Lollipop with SOKP Custom ROM

• MARIUS MARIA 
• HOW TO

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Motorola will no longer release official Android OTAs for the Droid Razr due to hardware limitations. However, if you own the mentioned device and if you are not planning in buying a better phone, you can still enjoy the latest features, apps and Android performances, right from your own Motorola Droid Razr. How is that possible? Well, thanks to the AOSP team (Sonic Open Kang Project in particular) you can now install a new Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware on your Droid Razr. Thus, use this tutorial if you want to learn how to update your smartphone to latest Lollipop built via SOKP custom ROM.

According to the devs and to other users who shared their experience with us, the AOSP Lollipop firmware is stable enough for a daily use. Therefore, you can now safely update your Droid Razr to Android 5.1 firmware as there aren’t major bugs, lags, or software related issues reported until now. In fact, the SOKP ROM is smoothly running on the Razr and due to same reasons, you will be able to easily customize and optimize the performances of your Android device – your phone will run better and faster (the battery life will be upgraded, the speeds will be improved and the general performances will be also tweaked).

Anyway, before choosing to update your Motorola Droid Razr to Android 5.1 Lollipop OS, remember that you are about to flash a custom ROM in form of SOKP software. The firmware is therefore developed by third party devs and the present Android 5.1 built shouldn’t be associated with Google or with Motorola. Thus, this update operation isn’t official as you are about to complete a complex and risky installation process that, by the way, is recommended only for experienced users and not for newbies.

So, if you are planning in completing this dedicated step by step guide, first you need to be careful as the warranty of your Droid Razr will get void. Yes, that’s what happens when you install an unofficial Lollipop update – therefore, if something bad happens, you will no longer be able to reclaim the warranty and in some situations you might even have to learn how to manually troubleshoot a bricked Android smartphone.

Also, before being able to apply the steps from below, you have to prepare some things as installing SOKP Android 5.1 Lollipop OS can be achieved only in special conditions. So, first, root your Motorola Droid Razr – ensure root access because the custom ROM will have to access and modify in built and default features and programs. Moreover, after unlocking the Android system, install a custom recovery image on your Razr as the Lollipop firmware will be flashed only through recovery mode.

While updating your phone with the SOKP custom ROM, a wipe will be applied. The Android 5.1 Lollipop OS can smoothly run on your Droid Razr only if you previously make a hard reset and only if you clear cache on your way (more info are being offered below). Because of that, you might now end up in losing all of your personal data, info and accounts. Therefore, as you can already tell, a backup is not really an option for you. That’s why I recommend you to use backup and restore apps and save your contacts, call logs, text messages, internet settings, market apps and any other data you might need afterwards.

Since this Lollipop 5.1 update is still under development, before doing anything else you might also want to make a Nandroid backup for saving the current Android OS that runs on your Droid Razr. In this way, if the SOKP ROM will not be on your taste, you will be able to easily apply a downgrade operation.

This will be a manual update procedure and for being able to safely complete the same, you will first have to take care of the steps from below:

• Remember to root and install a custom recovery image on your Motorola Droid Razr. Also, remember to backup your data and to make a Nandroid backup.
• Then, make sure that you can use a computer and your phone’s USB cable.
• On your phone, first you need to gain developer rights: go to “menu – settings – about phone” and then tap several times on built number.
• Then, enable USB debugging option on your device: go to “menu – settings – developer options” and check the USB debugging section.
• On your computer temporarily turn off antivirus protection as security options might interfere with the update process.
• Check the battery status on your Droid Razr before installing the SOKP Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware; plug in the charger if the battery level is currently lower than 50% – else your phone might get turned off in the middle of the installation process.
• Apply this tutorial only if you own the XT912 model of the Motorola Droid Razr; the Lollipop 5.1 firmware file from below is compatible only with the mentioned device so try not to mess things up in any matter.

How to Update Motorola Droid Razr to Android 5.1 Lollipop with SOKP Custom ROM Firmware

1. On your computer download the ROM package from here and then get the Google Apps package from here.
2. Save both files on desktop and don’t unzip anything.
3. Connect your smartphone with your computer and transfer these files on your phone’s SD card.
4. Unplug the USB cable in the end and then turn off your handset.
5. Now, enter recovery mode on your Droid Razr.
6. Good; from recovery, first of all select “wipe data factory reset”, “wipe cache partition” and “wipe dalvik cache” – you will now prepare your phone for the custom ROM.
7. After doing so, return to main menu of recovery.
8. Next, select “install zip from SD card” and “choose zip from SD card”.
9. Pick the Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware file and install the SOKP ROM on your Droid Razr.
10. Don’t forget to repeat the process for flashing Google Apps package.
11. When done, from main menu of recovery select “reboot system now”.

That’s great; you have successfully installed the SOKP custom ROM firmware on your Motorola Droid Razr which means that you can now test the Android 5.1 Lollipop OS on your own Android based device.