Sony has recently announced that it works on bringing the official Android 4.4 KitKat on a handful of Xperia devices. However, it's unknown whether or not the Xperia Sola will eventually receive the highly anticipated KitKat release.

The good news is that, if you own a Sola and you wish to experience Android 4.4 on your device, then you can still do so with the help of custom ROMs. This guide will show you how you can apply the CM 11 custom ROM on the Sola.

Before proceeding however, you need to understand that this ROM is not an official CyanogenMod release, and in fact it's a port / release developed by XDA members and developers. You should also know that, while CM 11 is based on Android 4.4, the ROM includes several new features and tweaks aside from what Google has implemented in the new update. The ROM should improve performance on your device, and according to those who have tried the ROM, everything seems functional. Nevertheless, you may still encounter minor bugs.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING

  • This guide is designed only for the Sony Xperia Sola. Do not try to apply this guide to any other smartphone
  • In order to apply CM 11 and this guide, you will need to have an Xperia Sola that has an unlocked bootloader, that is rooted and that runs on the latest version of CWM.
  • During the process you will need to perform a factory reset. Create backups if necessary
  • To backup data from your apps, you can use the "Helium" tool
  • To backup text messages, you can use "SMS backup & restore"
  • You can use "APN Settings Backup & Restore" if you wish to backup your APN Settings
  • Your contacts should be backed up on your Gmail account
  • Before proceeding, make sure that your smartphone's battery is at least 60-70% full. It's mandatory that your smartphone won't remain out of battery during this guide
  • The guide below will include information on how to create a NANDROID backup
  • Before proceeding, make sure that you have "USB debugging" enabled. To enable this option, go to "Menu" > "Settings" > "Developer options" and check the "USB debugging" check box
  • Do not skip any steps
  • This is an advanced guide. In case you brick or damage your smartphone, or if you lose data, you can't hold the developers or anyone else responsible

Entering Recovery Mode:

IMPORTANT: You should not follow this guide right now. During the flashing process, you will be asked to check this guide, so please do. For now, you only need to know that this is a method of booting in CWM recovery (Remember that you need to have CWM on your smartphone to begin with!)

  1. Go to the Play Store and download "Quick Boot"
  2. Install the tool on your smartphone
  3. In the app's menu, select "recovery" in order to boot in recovery mode

Flashing CM 11 Android 4.4 KitKat Custom ROM on the Sony Xperia Sola:

  1. Download the CM 11 zip file by visiting this link
  2. Since CM 11 does not include Google apps, you will need to download the package separately. Visit this link in order to do so
  3. Save the files on your computer but don't unzip them
  4. Now, connect your smartphone to your computer using the USB cable
  5. Copy the downloaded files and paste them onto your phone's SD storage
  6. Once the transfer is complete, disconnect your phone from your computer
  7. Now, reboot in recovery mode (please refer to the guide above in order to learn how to enter CWM recovery mode)
  8. At this point you should create a NANDROID backup. This will allow you to create a backup of your current ROM. In case CM 11 is not going to be your cup of tea, then this backup will allow you to restore your current ROM. In order to create this backup, select "backup and restore", give a name to your file and confirm
  9. Once the backup has been created, you will need to wipe your phone's memory. To do so, select "wipe data / factory reset" and then "wipe cache partition"
  10. Now, you need to select "advance" > "wipe dalvick cache"
  11. After you have performed these steps, you can flash the CM 11 ROM. TO do so, select "install zip from SD card" > "choose zip from SD card", then select the CM 11 zip file that you have downloaded at step 1
  12. After the file is flashed, you need to add the Google apps zip. To do so, select "install zip from SD card" again, > "choose zip from SD card" and select the Gapps zip package that you have downloaded at step 2
  13. After both zip files have been flashed, return to the main recovery menu and select "reboot system now". NOTE: this first reboot after the flashing process may take several minutes to complete. Don't panic, and don't press any buttons
  14. Congratulations!

NOTE: in case the first boot takes more than 10 minutes, or in case your device is stuck in a boot loop, then you'll need to start over again. Remember, don't skip any steps, and make sure that you have performed a factory reset, and that you have wiped the partition and cache.

NOTE: In case you ever want to get back to your previous ROM, use the NANDROID Backup created at step 8

› See More: Sony Xperia Sola: Install CM 11 Android 4.4 KitKat Custom ROM (Unofficial Release)