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Android OS 1.5 ‘Cupcake’ download available – Manually install Cupcake

By: , IntoMobile
Sunday, May 24th, 2009 at 12:42 PM

T-Mobile G1 owners have been patiently waiting for T-Mobile to roll-out the Android OS 1.5 update, known as “Cupcake,” through over-the-air installations. Alas, we’ll all be waiting until at least next month before T-Mo gets the eagerly-anticipated Android OS 1.5 “Cupcake” update to the entire US. But, that doesn’t mean you have to wait on T-Mobile to get your hands on the new Android OS. The Android OS 1.5 ROM is now available through the Android Code website as a free download – and with a little elbow-grease, anyone can force-update their G1 without T-Mobile’s help.

With video-recording, homescreen widget support, stereo bluetooth and an on-screen keyboard, the Android Cupcake update is worth getting your hands on. For those of you already familiar with force-updating your G1, go ahead and do your thing (the steps are the same as we’ve outlined previously). Follow these instructions to force-update your G1 to Android OS 1.5 “Cupcake” -

  1. Download the signed-kila-ota-xxxx.xxxx.zip update file
  2. Rename “signed-kila-ota-xxxx.xxxx.zip” to “update.zip”
  3. Copy update.zip to a freshly formatted microSD card (copy it to root)
  4. Reboot and flash your G1 with the new Cupcake firmware
    • Disconnect your T-Mobile G1 from your computer if you used the data cable to access the microSD card
    • Turn off the handset by holding down the “Power” button
    • Turn it back on while holding down the “Power” (End Call) and “Home” buttons
    • When you see “Triangle” icon, open the keyboard and press “Alt” and “L” simultaneously
    • When you see some yellow text, press “Alt” and “S” simultaneously
    • Follow the on-screen instructions
    • Press “Home” and “Back” buttons simultaneously when you’re done and ready to reboot
    • The G1 will reboot as it does its thing – let it do so.
  5. Enjoy Cupcake with on-screen keyboard and stereo Bluetooth support!

[Via: Phandroid]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • Jason

    Everything goes well until the yellow letters appear, they say cant open recovery com or something… Then when I press ALT and S, it starts to download but then its aborted, it says No such file or directory for update.zip… but thats exactly how I renamed it. What do I do?

  • JT

    Nice! Performed it, worked great. Suggest you add the following descriptions to upgrade steps:

    8. Screen will display “creating radio copy” or similar (so users don’t think it’s an error)
    9. On re-boot, will see memory chip icon + arrow

    Is it a good idea to have phone plugged in to maintain power during this upgrade process? Or is rollback good enough? I didn’t have it plugged in, but probably should have – it gave 15% low batt warning right on startup

    Keep up the good work on this blog ;)

  • Josh

    I had the same problem, but if you open up the sd card after you have put the update zip on there, make sure the file says “update” and not “update.zip” then check properties of the file and then check details and it should be called update.zip and then you will know you got it right. hope that makes sense and good luck

  • Joshua Luther

    Make sure you only rename it to update as to windows automatically adds the .zip at the end mine worked fine

    Installing from sd card
    finding update package
    opening update package
    verifying update package
    installing update
    formatting BOOT
    extracting radio image
    formatting SYSTEM
    copying files
    writing BOOT
    deleting files
    installation complete

    lets see now…lol

  • Joshua Luther

    just installed on a fellow co workers g1 and works well… just need to enable certain settings for ndroid keyboard

  • Joshua Luther

    cupcake kicks a$$$$$$$$$

  • Eddie

    the install worked but its still on the Android loading screen(sweet new load screen)… damn it takes long to load though

  • Eddie

    that was the longest load ever but the system does seem sharper though i think it altomatically signed me in msn messenger because i went to get a drink as it loaded and came back to find someone msging me lol

  • TB

    This is bullshit… the file they give to download is only 1 mb and it doesn’t install… It’s invalid. Nevermind the “have you checked the zip .zip…. trust me, this is bogus.

    • Robert

      Its not bogus. Follow the instructions exactly . Make sure your waiting when the phone does its thing. And. F.y.I. Im no computer nerd, this install was easy. Make sure you rename it ,update not update.zip.

  • Gyanu Shrestha

    Works Perfectly, I could not wait OTA. Thanks Guys for providing “cupcake.”

  • Karim Shaban

    To the people who are getting a file not found error:

    In Windows Explorer (the file exlorer thing), click on Tools | Folder Options.
    Then click on the View tab.
    UNCHECK “Hide extensions for known file types”.

    Now go back to your SD card folder, and I bet you will see that your update file was called “update.zip.zip”. Change it to “update.zip”, and follow the instructions starting from step 4.

  • Aria

    If i use this manual update, will i get future OTA updates?

  • detroit

    the update works just how Joshua Luther, JT Said i love the love cupcake

  • Robert

    Perfect instuctions.. I downloaded the zip file with my g-1 via wifi, the only part I used the computer was to do a fresh format with the memory card in the phone. I changed the name using discovery app in my phone. I’ve been using all day with no problems. The touch screen text works great. No more sliding open to text. Video works, cameras faster, better UI for multimedia searching, youtube uploads, send video in mms, auto screen flip in setting, Oh!, and the best.. copy and paste in web and find word in web page. Have fun texing and driving now..lol..j/k wait.. also has emoticons in messaging :)

  • John B

    Installing from sdcard
    finding update package
    opening update package
    verifying update package
    E: No Signature (453 files)
    E: Verification failed
    Installation aborted.

    :(
    what now?

    • Loh

      I have the same problem trying to upgrade my Singapore Singtel htc Dream
      How did you overcome the problem?
      Thanks

    • brandt

      Same thing happen to me :(

  • Robert

    Update : if your going to download the zip via the g-1 you need to download the app “download crutch lite” (its free) ,so that the phone can force download the zip file which the phone might not recognize. The app “download crutch lite”,runs in the background. When you download ,the app kicks in and let’s you download zips..

  • Slip

    Worked perfectly per your instructions. Thanks, this build is much smoother and faster.

  • Gal

    Yah….I’m just gonna wait for the OTA update. Too many of the above are having problems and I don’t want to frustrate myself. Patience is a virtue for me, so no problem waiting for it. I love my G1 already. Getting Cupcake will just be like Christmas.

  • andrew

    Like asked above.. will I get future ota updates if I manual update now?

    • Robert

      I’m not sure, but in the past tmobile has made a manual way to update. This updat is real, it looked just like the last update that I got OTA with the arrow pointing to the rom chip graphic when it was updating.. and besides this is the master of all updates I don’t mind waiting for ota on any future updates unless they make video phone..lol

  • joshb

    D00d, it’s 47 MB, and if you don’t know the difference between update.zip and update.zip.zip then you don’t deserve an android phone, much less a sneak peek at the schweet kickASH cupcake…

    i nominate you ppl who can’t get this to work for an EPIC FAIL.

    • Robert

      Lol!! I’m with you.. its so easy there skipping a step somewhere.. let them wait till christmas haha.!

  • Snoopy

    Cupcake is SWEET!!!

  • Robert

    Btw, I used the same…… update.zip file on memory card and used it in my wifes phone,g1, and it worked fine.

    • Robert

      One more tip. I used a spare microsd card with nothing on it but the file, update.zip. if all else fails just name it update to see if it works.

  • joekrivak

    Awesome!!! really easy and worked without any hitch, thanks

  • lance

    this didnt work for me. im goin to try it with another microSD. if this doesnt work then i’ll just stay with the JF 1.5 til the actual OTA update comes

  • JorgeFoesho

    will this mess up the phone in anyway??. i dont want to crash my g1 or it will be the end of life for me.

  • chris

    i downloaded it and it works great with one exception my touch screen keyboard will not work in landscape mode is anyone else having this problem? is there anyway i can fix this problem?

  • Jez

    idk if my phone is rooted or has a freshly formatted microSD…how do i find out? or do it?!

  • imonarock

    Follow instructions, use SDCard method. Flawless.

    Thanks again

  • frank

    does this work on a mac

  • Johnny Lingo

    MY marketplace downloads show that all my installed items are free rather than saying installed? Just wondering if i could fix this

  • mmetzner

    Um… looks like it worked, but now my phone won’t boot… it seems to be stuck in booting with a screen that says android in flashing letters (well not flashing but reflecting light).

    Any help???

  • Robert

    My keyboard works perfect,landscape or horizontal..I’ve been using cupcake for 4 days now with no problem at all. I just used the same sdcard and hooked up a buddy at work and his works.

  • Robert

    Opps meant to say portrair mode

    • Robert

      Lol. Portrait

  • free

    Somebody help me out. Umm when I clicked on the above url 2 download the cupcake iit keeps sayin can’t download. Is there sumthin wrong wit my phone or I’m I dooin sumthing wrong. I c all y’all done it wit ease. Damn I wanna touch screen keyboards 2 lol. Sumbody help!!!!

  • YANIRA

    IM DOING EXACTLY EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING TO DO.

    WHEN THE YELLOW WORDS APPEAR IT STARTS OF BY SAYING

    ANDROID SYSTEM RECOVERY UTILITY
    E:cAN’T OPEN /CACHE/RECOVERY/COMMAND

    THEN IT GIVES ME THE OPTIONS OF HOME+BACK ETC.

    SO I PRES ALT+S
    IT SAYS ISTALLING FROM SDCARD
    FINDING UPDATE PACKAGE…
    OPENING UPDATE PACKAGE…
    VERIFYING UPDATE PACKAGE…

    AND THEN IT GIVES ME THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE

    E:FAILURE AT LINE 1:ASSERT GETPROP(“RO.BUILD.FINGERPRINT”) == “TMOBILE/KILA/DREAM/TROUT:1.0/TC4-RC29/115247:USER/OTA-REL=KEYS” || GETPROP(“RO.BUILD.FINGERPRINT”) == “TMOBILE/KILA/DREAM/TROUT:1.0/TC4-RC28/114235:USER/OTA-REL-KEYS,RELEASE-KEYSINSTALLATION ABORTED.

    PRESS HOME+BACK TO REBOOT

    WHAT CAN I DOO TO GET MY CUPCAKEEEEE LOL

  • YANIRA

    BTW MY PHONE IS RUNNING ON RC33

  • Rob

    Followed instructions, except for using a formatted sdcard (none available). Everything worked perfectly.

  • Rob
    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MVZZFVJWLQDHBVAOTAQ5HBGA3Y Deep

      hi im deep i have g1 i have the same problem like u E:no signature (413 files)
      E:verification failed
      installation aborted.have u solved it o no
      if u solve it plzz reply me plzzzzzzzz

  • Alex

    Installing from sdcard
    finding update package
    opening update package
    E: can’t open /sdcard/update.zip(bad)
    Installation aborted.

    What’d I do wrong? =(

  • Cheryl

    This worked perfectly for me!! Thanks for posting this.. I should have done the update manually sooner lol

  • Jim C

    So – I followed said process -with no luck. Getting:
    ”
    opening update package
    Can’t open /sdcard/update.zip
    (bad)
    Installation aborted
    ”
    I assume that /sdcard is the std mount point for the sd filesystem.
    I am using an 8GB sd card. Has anyone successfully flashed from an 8GB card? I am (obviously) able to mount it through the android OS, as I got the file on the card. The root of sd file system is another issue. I did freshly format the card. The root of the card is the Windows root, – no?
    Thanks! – I want my cupcake!!!!

    • Jim C

      Quick Followup – I suspect that my problem is with the actual download. Could someone that actually got this to work tell the actual exact byte-size of the file is? Mine seems small for an OS.

      • Jim C

        Just for anyone else struggling with the endless 503 errors from Google, -hang in there, it finally worked for me. The correct size of the file is 47,341K. Starting the re-imaging process now! I’m feeling very giddy!

  • NewG1User

    so guys, I just got my G1 about a week ago and I followed the prompts to install android 1.5 and it works beautifully…no problems with install at all even for my first time…I first renamed the file update.zip and it said that it couldn’t find the file, then I realized that windows automatically labels it a .zip file so therefore I renamed it just “update” and it worked…so the people that named it update.zip and couldn’t get it to work, thats the reason why…good luck and rock on…

  • Josh

    To those who are having problems installing… so did I. Make sure the file that you download is 40+ MB. I say this because I have heard some people talking about 47MB but for some reason mine downloaded as 49MB. The first five times I tried downloading the file it came out to be 20 something MB and would return a (bad) error on trying to install. I don’t know why it will sometimes download only a partial of the file… but apparently it will. Once I downloaded the FULL file (to my Macbook Pro), copied it over, and followed the instructions again, it worked no problems. Please make sure you have the full version! On mac ctrl+click/get info or pc right click/properties will tell you the file size!

    Cupcake is BAD A$$. Love it and is so worth it!

    • Kirstie

      Ok, so basically I’m trying to update this from a rooted phone. I’m stuck on RC 29 and i have no idea what happened. I get an error saying the i cant open the /sdcard/update.zip (bad) I downloaded signed-kila-ota-148830, it was 95.8 MB. I’m working on an iMac and I know the issue isnt the name, its update.zip. Please help!

  • Rich

    I did the forced update and it works great. I wonder if it has any differences with the OTA update?

  • trav!s

    yeah also… hint: Tip: Use the SHA1 checksum shown to verify file integrity.

  • Amaan

    Hey guys i live in india and i got the adp (android dev phone) i really really want the cupcake update but i dunno how to get it? im kind off a newbie firstly wtf is rooting my phone? in english please! and i need to know how to manually install the cupcake update onto my phone ? pls help me out!!! and please u simple terms and does an adp need to be ‘rooted’?

  • johnny

    hmm, for some reason that OS update image didn’t work (failed authentication) so i had to get another one but other than that, worked like a charm. Thanks!

  • SLim

    alright im having similar problems got some questions:

    what format does the sdcard need to be?

    what version of firmware do you need? I currently had firmware 1.0 and rc29

  • rikkter

    does anyone have a mirror link to the file?
    i the link doesn’t work anymore…

  • kg

    hi i was tring to download the file but it keep saying file not found error how can i get pass that whats wrong with it anybody can help me thanks

  • chewiens

    is there anybody out there with a working link,im lookin for the zip file download…pliiiizz help..

  • Dheeraj

    Dear All,

    I want to upgrade my G1 phone to OS 1.5 but when I am clicking on the above mentioned link, I gets the below mentioned error:–

    The requested URL /updates/partner/signed-kila-ota-148830.de6a94ca.zip was not found on this server.

    Can anyone can help me on the same ASAP.

  • kk

    Chutya saleeeeeeeeeee

  • Reneskaseverin

    what do you need befor updating to 1.5?

  • Likezikky

    where can download android OS?

  • Shibmalyada

    awesome!!!!!!!!!!!11
     

  • Benardk4

    i want the Anroid cupcake OS v 1.5, whr can i get the OS?i want to download it

  • Yash Patel8668

    i want the Anroid cupcake OS v 1.5, whr can i get the OS?i want to download please  contact fast

  • Benjamin Acher Kyei