Samsung Galaxy S2 Jelly Bean: Install Very Light SlimBean Custom ROM [Android 4.1]

Here you go, another custom Jelly Bean Android 4.1 ROM has come out for the Samsung Galaxy S2 i9100, which has seen quite a handful of Jelly Bean custom ROMs already. SlimBean ROM is an Android 4.1 ROM and is special in that it brings you all the features of the latest version of Android – such as the smooth as butter interface, intuitive actionable notifications, smart offline voice typing, etc – in an extremely lightweight and small package, coming up at just around 80 MB.

Galaxy S2 I9100G owners can find custom Jelly Bean ROMs → here.

Keep in mind that the ROM may not be completely bug-free as it is not an official Samsung Jelly Bean ROM, so some things may not work the same as they work normally, some Samsung specific features will not be available, and apps like the camera or contacts app will be different from stock ROM as well.

Let’s see how SlimBean ROM can be installed on the Samsung Galaxy S2.

Compatibility

This firmware and the guide below are compatible only and only with Galaxy S2, model number I9100. It’s not compatible with the I9100G or any other device. Check your device’s model number in: Settings » About phone.

Warning!

The methods and procedures discussed here are considered risky and you should not attempt anything if you don’t know completely what it is. If any damage occurs to your device, we won’t be held liable.

How to Install SlimBean Jelly Bean ROM on Galaxy S2 I9100

  1. This procedure will wipe all your apps, data and settings (but it will NOT touch your SD cards, so don’t worry about those). Backup your Apps and important data — bookmarks, contacts, SMS, APNs (internet settings), etc. This Android backup guide would help you.
    NOTE: Don’t forget to at least note down your network’s APN settings, which are required to make mobile data work. Go into Settings » More » Mobile Networks, click on the APN that is in use, then note down the setting for each field. While APN settings should be automatically restored from network, you can enter them manually if needed to make mobile data work.
  2. [Important] Install the AOSP Jelly Bean JRO03H ROM by following the guide → here. This step is a must and is required before installing SlimBean ROM. If you are already on a Jelly Bean custom ROM, you can skip this step.
  3. Download Slim Bean ROM. You will need to download the following files:
    1. i9100.zip from here
    2. Common_2.*.zip from here (where * = the latest version number)
  4. Copy both the downloaded files to the internal SD card.
  5. Turn off the phone and boot into Clockworkmod recovery. For this, press and hold these 3 buttons together until the screen turns on: Volume UP + Home + Power. Phone will boot into CWM recovery.
    Use volume keys to scroll up and down between options and power key to select an option in recovery.
  6. Select wipe data/factory reset, then select Yes on next screen to confirm. Wait a while till the data wipe is complete.
  7. Select mounts and storage, then select format /system to format the system partition. Select Yes on next screen to confirm. Then, go back to the main recovery menu.
  8. Select install zip from sdcard, then select choose zip from sdcard. Scroll to the i9100.zip file on the SD card and select it. Confirm installation by selecting Yes on the next screen.
  9. If the i9100.zip file installation finishes too quickly, like in 5 seconds, repeat step 8 before going to the next step.
  10. After ROM installation completes, select choose zip from sdcard again, then select the Common_2.*.zip file. Confirm installation on next screen.
  11. After the installation is complete, go back to the main recovery menu and select reboot system now to reboot the tablet and boot up into Slim Bean ROM. The first boot will take some time, up to 5 minutes.

Installing ROM Addons

To install features such as Google Now (the voice recognition based Google Search app which also provides automatic info like weather, traffic info etc.) or the Face Unlock feature, perform the following steps after Slim Bean ROM has been installed and booted up.

  1. Download the Google Now and/or Face Unlock package from this link.
  2. Copy the downloaded file(s) to the internal SD card.
  3. Turn off the phone, then boot into ClockworkMod recovery (the same way you did in step 5 of main guide).
  4. Select install zip from sdcard, then select choose zip from sdcard. Scroll to the Google Now file on the SD card and select it. Confirm installation by selecting Yes on the next screen.
  5. Then repeat step 4 to install the Face Unlock file if you have downloaded that as well to install the face unlock feature.
  6. Then, go back to main recovery menu and reboot the phone. After it boots up, you’ll be able to use Google Now and Face Unlock.

SlimBean ROM based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now installed and running on your Samsung Galaxy S2. Visit the development page for more info and to get the latest updates on the ROM. Share your thoughts on the ROM in the comments.