The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a pretty powerful device, but its title of "flagship" has been recently taken by the newer Note 3. As such, this will also affect the time in which the Note 2 will receive the latest Android KitKat update. The Note 3 is on the priority list at this point, whereas the Note 2 will be a latecomer.

Fortunately, you can always rely on the developer community to deliver solutions to your problems. In other words, if you want to experience the Android 4.4.2 OS on your AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2, you can do so by using a custom ROM. OmniROM has recently started launching nightly builds for the AT&T Note 2, and this guide will allow you to install the latest OmniROM on your device.

Please note that this release is not an official Android / Samsung update. It's a custom ROM and it's not final, hence the "Nightly" title. Nightly builds are not really stable, but they are developed on a daily basis. As such, a bug today can be fixed tomorrow with a new release.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING

  • This guide has been specifically designed for the AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Do not attempt to apply this method to any other devices or SG Note 2 variants
  • This guide requires you to have a rooted AT&T SG Note 2 that runs the latest version of CWM or TWRP recovery. If you don't meet these prerequisites, then don't proceed any further
  • The installation process will require you to apply a factory reset. This will result in loss of data, so create backups if necessary
  • Later throughout the tutorial, you will be given instructions on how to create a NANDROID backup
  • You can use the "Helium" application to backup app data
  • The "SMS backup & restore" app can be used to backup your text messages
  • The "APN Settings Backup & Restore" application can come in handy if you wish to backup your APN Internet settings
  • Your contacts should be synced with your Gmail account
  • You'll need to enable USB Debugging before proceeding. To do so, press "Menu" while viewing a home screen, go to "Settings" > "Applications" > "Development" > "USB Debugging"
  • Make sure that your handset's battery is at least 60-70% full
  • This guide is for advanced users. If you brick your phone, or if you lose important data, you can't hold the developers or anyone else responsible
  • Don't skip any steps!

AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Install Android 4.42 OmniROM Nightly – CWM Recovery Method:

  1. Download the latest 4.4.2 OmniROM file by visiting this link
  2. Download the Google apps zip file form this link
  3. Connect your Note 2 to your computer using the USB cable
  4. Copy both files onto your phone's storage, and disconnect the device from your PC
  5. Now, reboot in recovery mode. To do so, power off your smartphone and press and hold the "Volume Up", "Home" and "Power" buttons at the same time
  6. Create a NANDROID backup by selecting "backup & restore". This backup will allow you to return to your current ROM
  7. Now go to "Data wipeout / factory reset". From the "Advanced" menu, select "wipe cache" as well as "dalvik cache"
  8. After you've wiped the device's memory, go to the recovery screen and select "Install zip form SD card"
  9. Browse for the OmniROM zip file and flash it
  10. Now select "Install zip from SD card" again, but this time browse and select the Google apps zip file
  11. Once both files have been flashed, select "+++Go Back+++" and "Reboot system now". NOTE: this first reboot in normal mode may take several minutes to complete. If the process does not finish after 10 minutes, or if your device is stuck in a boot loop, then you'll need to redo the whole tutorial from the top. Make sure you don't skip any steps!

NOTE: You can use the NANDROID backup if you wish to return to your previous ROM. You'll need to reboot in CWM recovery and go to "backup & restore"

AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Install Android 4.42 OmniROM Nightly – TWRP Recovery Method:

  1. Download the OmniROM zip file from this link. Make sure you download the latest available 4.4.2 version
  2. Download the Google apps package from this link
  3. Connect your AT&T Note 2 to your computer via USB
  4. Copy the files onto your phone's storage, and once the transfer is complete, disconnect your device
  5. Turn off your smartphone and reboot in recovery mode. To do so, press and hold "Volume Up", "Home" and "Power" simultaneously
  6. In the TWRP screen, select "Backup", select the type of data that you wish to save, give a name to the file and then swipe the "Swipe to Backup" button. This will create a NANDROID backup of your current ROM
  7. After the backup, you need to reset your device. Select "Wipe", go to "advanced" and select "wipe cache" and "dalvik cache". Then, "swipe to wipe"
  8. Now go back to the recovery menu and select "Install"
  9. Browse for the OmniROM zip file and flash it
  10. Select "Install" again and this time, browse for the Google apps zip file
  11. After both files have been installed, return to the main TWRP menu and select "Reboot". NOTE: this first reboot in normal mode can take several minutes to complete. If the process takes more than 10 minutes, or if your device is "boot looping", then something went wrong and you need to start the process from the beginning. Don't skip any steps!

NOTE: if you wish to return to your previous ROM, you can use the NANDROID backup to do so. Simply reboot in TWRP recovery mode and select "restore", then select the desired backup file

› See More: AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note II: Install Android 4.4.2 OmniROM Nightly (CWM and TWRP Methods)