The new Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS is yet to officially roll out to Nexus devices. It is touted to come with native support for fingerprint sensor input, leaner and faster Chrome browser, Google Photos, auto back-up. Power saving features have also been incorporated in the Android Marshmallow to extend battery life, which was sorely missed in previous OS Lollipop.
Tech savvy Nexus 5 owners, who are finding it too tiring to wait for the official release, can explore the new OS, developed by the industrious xTRaSmooth custom ROM community.
They say their Android 6.0 Marshmallow ROM has all the features promised in the original version and also come with few more additional features as well.
Salient features of xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow ROM:
- Exclusive xTraSmooth Sound Boost via Surround Stereo Mod
- Viper 4 Android
- Pre-Rooted with SuperSu Stable
- Custom HotPlug Enabled
- xTreme Battery Life
- Stock BootLogo 1080p 60FPS
- Performance tweak and more features are added to enhance the user experience on Nexus 5.
Prerequisites (things to remember before installing the Custom ROM):
- Though installing custom ROM improves the device's performance and UI experiences, it makes the company warranty void and they will no longer be liable to provide updates in future [users can restore warranty by flashing the device with stock-ROM].
- This new xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow has to be installed on LG-Google Nexus 5 (aka Hammerhead) only; if tried on other devices, it might get bricked [To check your device model: Go to Settings >> About phone >> model number]
- Make sure the device is rooted before going forward for custom ROM installation.
- Installation of custom ROM requires clearing of memory in the smartphone, so make sure to back up all the data by installing TWRP in the smartphone.
- Make sure you have installed USB drivers on the PC, or else your smartphone (Google Nexus 5) will not be recognised by the computer.
- Make sure your device has more than 80 per cent battery, or else there is a chance of smartphone getting temporarily bricked if the installation process is interrupted midway.
[Disclaimer: This procedure is very technical and should be performed by a person with sound knowledge of rooting (or manual software installation) Android devices. If the step-by-step installation process is not followed properly, there are chances of the smartphone getting bricked or being permanently irreparable. IBTimes India cannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with caution.]
Tutorial: Step-by-step Installation Procedure of xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow on LG-Google Nexus 5-
Step 1: Download xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM, HERE and Google Apps HERE on the PC.
Step 2: Connect LG-Google Nexus 5 to PC via USB cord.
[Note: Before plugging the phone to the computer, make sure you have installed USB driver software, if not, click HERE to download the firmware]
Step 3: Place the xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow zip file and Google apps .zip files into the phone's memory. [Note: Users are advised to paste the .zip file in root folder of the storage, not in any other folder.]
[Note: Before beginning to install the custom software, make sure the device is already rooted and ClockworkMod Recovery installed].
Step 4: Turn off the device and disconnect from the PC.
Step 5: Perform the regular 'Bootloader Mode' sortie by press holding 'Volume up', 'Volume down' and 'Power' buttons.
Step 6: Once entering the 'Bootloader mode,' go to the TWRP Recovery mode, then perform full data wipe, by choosing 'wipe data/factory reset'
[Note: Perform the above step if you are migrating from other ROMs or else skip this procedure and do dirty flashing, which means wiping only dalvik cache and cache when flashing an updated version of the same ROM you are currently on]
Step 7: Clear the cache memory by selecting 'wipe cache partition'
Step 8: Return to the recovery mode, and select 'advanced' and tap 'wipe dalvik cache'
[Note: This step is optional, but many recommend this procedure so that users do not face boot loops or any other errors in the middle of custom ROM installation]
Step 9: Come back to the main recovery screen and then tap 'install zip from SD card'
Step 10: Tap 'choose zip from sdcard' and go to xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow.zip file on the SD card and enter the installation process. Repeat the same procedure for installing Google Apps. [Note: use Volume keys to navigate and power button to select options]
Step 11: Once done with the installation process, navigate to '+++++Go Back+++++' and restart the device by opting 'reboot system now' seen in the recovery menu.
Now, your device (LG Google Nexus 5) will take a minimum of five minutes to complete the booting process.
Head to Settings >> select 'About phone' to confirm the installation of xTRaSmooth Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM.
[Credits: XDA Developer Forum & Team Android]
