ReplicantInstallationHeimdall

Warning: installing an operating system, such as Replicant, may void your device's warranty and will erase the data stored on the device.

Prerequisites

In order to install Replicant on your device, it is assumed that you have a computer running a GNU/Linux operating system and everything necessary to connect your device to the computer through USB. Moreover, it is assumed that anyone performing the installation knows how to use the command line in a terminal and has basic knowledge about it.

Downloading the files

The first step in the installation process is to download and set up the files that will be used to install Replicant to the device. The files must be downloaded on your computer first.

1. First find the latest image for your device in ReplicantImages. For instance for a Galaxy S2, the table will have 

Galaxy S 2 (I9100)
in the device column.
2. Download all the files listed for your device (including the checksum and the signatures) on ReplicantImages for the latest image.
3. Make sure you have added the Replicant release key to your GPG keyring

Check the signature of the recovery

4. First identify the recovery file and its corresponding signature file:
The recovery file will look like that:

recovery-<yourdevice>.img

And the its corresponding signature file will look like that:
recovery-<yourdevice>.img.asc

For instance for the Samsung Galaxy S2, the file will be named like that:

5. From the command line, go inside the directory that has the dowloaded files:

cd "${HOME}/Downloads/"

6. Then check the signature of the recovery (and don't forget to sure to substitute "<yourdevice>" with the actual device name):
gpg --armor --verify recovery-<yourdevice>.img.asc recovery-<yourdevice>.img

Make sure the check succeeds, do not install anything if it doesn't!

Installing heimdall

The heimdall tool is required to flash the recovery image to the device.
Instructions to install heimdall: ToolsInstallation

Copying the files to the device

There are two means of pushing the system zip to the device:

Using the storage of the device

You can either complete this step by using the device's internal storage or by using an external microSD card.

Using the internal storage

1. Make sure the device is started up and has an Android system running
2. Connect the USB cable to both the computer and the device
3. Enable USB mass storage on the device
4. Mount the mass storage on the computer
5. Copy the replicant-6.0-i9300.zip file at the origin of the mass storage
6. Safely unmount the mass storage on the computer
7. Disable USB mass storage on the device

Using a microSD card

1. Connect the microSD card to the computer (e.g. using an USB card reader)
2. Mount the microSD card on the computer
3. Copy the replicant-6.0-i9300.zip file at the origin of the microSD card
4. Safely unmount the microSD card on the computer
5. Disconnect the microSD card from the computer
6. Insert the microSD card in the device (make sure it is turned off before inserting the card)

Installing ADB

Instructions to install ADB: ToolsInstallation

Preparing the device

The next step in the installation process is to prepare the device for heimdall mode.

1. Make sure the device is completely turned off and the USB cable is disconnected from the device
2. Start the device by holding the following key combination: Volume down, Select, Power
3. Hold the key combination until the device shows a Warning message
4. Confirm that you want to download a custom OS (using volume up)
5. Make sure the device is in Downloading mode
4. Connect the USB cable to both the computer and the device

Installing the images

Now that both the computer and the device are set up, it is time to actually install the images to the device.

1. Install the recovery image to the device:

heimdall flash --BOOT path/to/recovery-i9300.img --RECOVERY path/to/recovery-i9300.img

This should also automatically reboot the device to the recovery.

Data wipe

A data wipe is necessary if you switch from the factory image or a different Android distribution to Replicant. You also need to do a data wipe when upgrading to a new major release (e.g. from Replicant 4.2 to Replicant 6.0). Only when updating to a new minor release (e.g. from Replicant 6.0 0001 to Replicant 6.0 0002), a data wipe is usually not required.

3. Select Factory reset
4. Select Wipe data (keep media)
5. Confirm the data wipe by selecting Yes
6. Press the back key (if necessary) to get back to the general menu

7. Select Apply update

Using the storage of the device

Using the internal storage

8. Select Choose from emulated
9. Select the system zip: replicant-6.0-i9300.zip
Note: if your device was running Android 4.2 and later, it may be located in the 0 directory

Using a microSD card

8. Select Choose from sdcard1
9. Select the system zip: replicant-6.0-i9300.zip
Note: if your device was running Android 4.2 and later, it may be located in the 0 directory

Using ADB sideload

8. Select Apply from ADB
9. Back to the host computer, load the system zip with sideload:

adb sideload path/to/replicant-6.0-i9300.zip

10. Make sure the file is being transfered

Completing the installation

11. Press the back key (if necessary) to get back to the general menu
16. Select Reboot system now to reboot the device

Your device should now be running Replicant!