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CyanogenMod 12.1 For Galaxy Grand 2

Galaxy Grand 2 device was released by Samsung a year and half ago. The company promised to give the 4.4 update to the Galaxy Grand 2 which had 4.3 (Jellybean) when shipped. But developers haven't stopped pushing the limits of what's possible on the Grand 2. They've ported CyanogenMod for the Galaxy Grand 2, bringing Android 5.1 Lollipop to this device!

The Galaxy Grand 2 specs easily support Lollipop, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU with 1.5GB of RAM and a decent 8MP rear camera with 2MP front camera. The device also supports Dual SIM functionality.

Recently, Galaxy Grand 2 got an unofficial update by an XDA developer which brought the Dual SIM fix. This made the unofficial port completely stable for everyday use. There are no major bugs reported on this version.

CyanogenMod 12.1 Features

  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
  • Material Design throughout
  • Improved performance and battery life
  • Privacy Guard
  • Theme Engine
  • Dual SIM support (fixed)
  • Enhanced audio controls
  • Custom Quick Settings tiles

Prerequisites

  • Rooted Galaxy Grand 2 SM-G7102
  • Custom Recovery installed (TWRP recommended)
  • At least 60% battery charge
  • Full backup of your current ROM
  • Download CM 12.1 ROM and GApps package

Installation Steps

  1. Download CyanogenMod 12.1 for Galaxy Grand 2
  2. Download compatible GApps (ARM, 5.1, nano or pico recommended)
  3. Copy both zip files to your phone's internal storage
  4. Boot into TWRP Recovery (Power + Volume Up + Home)
  5. Create a full Nandroid backup first
  6. Go to Wipe and perform Factory Reset
  7. Wipe Cache and Dalvik Cache as well
  8. Go to Install and select the CM 12.1 zip file
  9. Swipe to flash
  10. After flashing, install GApps zip the same way
  11. Go back to main menu and Reboot System

Note: First boot may take 5-10 minutes. Be patient and do not interrupt the process.

Known Issues

As of the latest update, there are no major known issues. All hardware features including WiFi, Bluetooth, Camera, GPS, and both SIM cards are working properly.

Originally published on Apavayan World on November 18, 2015. This is an archived post from my old Android tech blog.