Cyanogenmod 11 (based on 4.4 KitKat) for the Motorola Defy+, using Linux

This is not a how-to, just notes I’m putting down for myself, post-op. That’s why I also make note of the version numbers I used, and it could be not all of the steps were/are necessary (haven’t tried streamlining the process yet), but this is somewhat how it worked out for me; YMMV.

First, a listing of everything to download.

  1. sbf_flash
  2. The SBF (System Binary File) of your existing system
  3. Framaroot
  4. 2nd Init
  5. TWRP Recovery for the Defy(+)
  6. update_recovery.zip
  7. CM11
  8. Gapps

Full notes:

  1. Get sbf_flash and the SBF (System Binary File) of your existing system. For me this was “Android 2.3.6 Blur_Version.45.0.2310.MB526.NordicsRetail.en.EU”, got it from Droid Developers. This is not strictly speaking necessary, but they will save your ass if and when you screw up and have no other means of reflashing the phone available anymore.
  2. Get Framaroot (1.9.1) and install it. It’s the first rooting app that actually worked for me, so naturally I also donated.
  3. Use Framaroot to root the device and install su on it.
  4. Get 2nd Init (2.3) and install it.
  5. Use the 2nd Init app to install 2nd Init recovery.
  6. Get TWRP Recovery for the Defy(+) (2.6.3.0), update_recovery.zip, CM11 (11-20140325-NIGHTLY-mb526.zip), fixed Gapps zip (kk4.4.2-minimal-no_wizard) and put them on the SD card.
  7. Shut down the phone, then boot it up and during boot, when the led flashes blue, press volume down. This gets you into custom recovery.
  8. Flash TWRP Recovery zip onto the phone. (Factory wipe? Reboot into recovery?)
  9. (Probably superfluous) Flash update_recovery.zip onto the phone (Reboot into recovery?).
  10. Flash CM11 onto the phone. (Wipe Dalvik & Data?)
  11. Boot into shiny new OS. Play around.
  12. (Optional) Reboot into recovery, flash Gapps onto the phone.
  13. (Optional) If you screw up, ungzip the sbf file, put the phone into bootloader mode (power off, then power on + volume up), hook it up with your computer via usb and do a `sudo sbf_flash ungzipped_sbf_file`. When it’s finished (takes a while), get to stock recovery (power + volume down to boot), do a factory reset, then start over from the beginning. (sbf_flash needs to be chmod +x.)