HP TouchPad with CyanogenMod Alpha 3

Update: CM9 Alpha 0 is now available, making it possible to install an early, buggy build of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the HP TouchPad. 

The CyanogenMod team has released a new build of Google Android for the HP TouchPad. The tablet originally shipped with webOS 3.0 software, but last month a group of developers successfully ported Google Android to run on HP’s discontinued tablet.

CyanogenMod 7.1 Alpha 3 includes a number of updates and bug fixes, including:

  • The “sleep of death” problem which caused the tablet to fail to resume from sleep should be gone.
  • WiFi should work better.
  • There’s preliminary support for the HP TouchPad 4G.
  • The status bar should use fewer system resources when running full screen apps.

This is still an alpha build, and it’s still a bit rough around the edges. For instance, the camera has been improved, but it still doesn’t work very well when you’re running Android. Alpha 3 also seems to introduce a new bug: when you plug in headphones the tablet speaker will shut down, but you won’t be able to hear any audio in your headphones. So proceed with caution, and if you’re happy with Alpha 2 and really need working headphones, you might not want to update just yet.

If you’re installing CyanogenMod 7.1 Alpha 3 from scratch on a TouchPad tablet running webOS, you’ll want to grab the new ROM from the RootzWiki forum and then follow our step-by-step instructions. The latest ROM is called update-cm-7.1.0-tenderloin-a3-fullofbugs-signed.zip.

Things are much easier if you’re already running Alpha 1 or Alpha 2 on your tablet and you’ve made sure to install ClockworkMod Recovery. Here’s all you have to do:

  1. Download update-cm-7.1.0-tenderloin-a3-fullofbugs-signed.zip from the RootzWiki forum. You can either download it directly on your tablet or on your computer and then copy it to your tablet.
  2. Make sure the ZIP file is located on your SD card.
  3. While running Android on your TouchPad, press and hold the power button and then select the “reboot” option.
  4. Tap the option to “Reboot to Recovery.”
  5. Your tablet should reboot to ClockworkMod Recovery.
  6. Use the volume buttons to navigate to the option that says “install zip from sdcard.”
  7. Press the home button to select.
  8. Use the home button to select “choose zip from sdcard.”
  9. Use the volume keys to navigate to the file you want. If it’s in the root directory of your SD card, just scroll down until you find it and then press the home button. If not, navigate to the folder you want, press home to enter the folder, and then press home to select the update-cm-7.1.0-tenderloin-a3-fullofbugs-signed.zip file.
  10. Once you’ve selected the ZIP file, scroll down with the volume buttons until you get to “Yes.”
  11. Press the home button to apply the update.
  12. After Alpha 3 is finished installing, you can use the volume buttons to scroll down to “Go Back” and keep pressing it until you see the option to “reboot system now” and press the home button to reboot.

That’s it. Now you’re running CyanogenMod 7.1 Alpha 3 on the HP TouchPad. It should provide a much more stable experience.

You can also use the same ACMEInstaller tool you used to install Android on the TouchPad in the first place to install the update. Just follow our steps for installing Alpha 2, but use the new file instead. But really, there’s no reason not to just use ClockworkMod. It’s faster and easier, and you can do the whole thing without a computer.

You can also check out some of the other settings in ClockworkMod to do perform actions such as making a complete backup of your device (which can come in handy if anything goes wrong), or wiping the Dalvik cache (which is often a good idea before flashing a new ROM, but not entirely necessary when flashing an update like Alpha 3).

Some users have had problems with WiFi failing to work after upgrading from Alpha 2 to Alpha 3. The solution seems to be to remove your existing WiFi settings and reboot your device.

In other HP TouchPad Android news, developer fattire has started working to bring Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to HP’s tablet… but he says it will likely be a few months before it works well enough to release a public alpha.

Right now he can boot to a lock screen, but the touchscreen isn’t working, so there’s no way to unlock the device and use it yet.

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54 replies on “How to install CyanogenMod 7.1 Android Alpha 3 on the HP TouchPad”

  1. Good night, i have some questions to do. If i want or the Android does’t work i can revert this change? (If i can, how i do this?). The Bluetooth will work with a Android Phone? I will be able to install apps like, Picsel Smart Office? The Wi-fi will work fine? And to finish, this Android version has the language Portuguese of Brazil? I’m very interested in change my OS, so please, answer my questions. Since now, grateful!

  2. I was using Alpha 2, wireless doesn’t connect at all anymore.  It used to work with no issues, now it just hangs and the states Activity Wi-Fi settings is not responding. (you can force close or wait) I just upgraded to 3.5 and still have the same issue.  Any suggestions?  Please help.

    1. yes, I too have wifi stopping to work after a few seconds (then unresponsive need to force close), waiting for a fix 🙂

      1. sorry, there seems to be a solution already, read link above… Thank you!

    2. check your date and time settings make sure they’re not Jan 1970…update them and you should be back in business…

  3. hey i need some info got android on my tp but when i open the market it ask for a sign in so i press yes to add my account and it goes directly to home screen. it will not even let me add an account under settings either ANY HELP

    1. try checking the date and time in settings, it may say jan 1970.  update the info and you should be able to get into the market.

  5. i found under settings? there is something that prevents downloading anything outside google apps or? disable this setting to a point where it will let you download any software and your Wireless connectivity become 1000% more stable odd but thats how I beat my issue and its never had an issue from that point forward

    1. ok i wanted to look for this so you guys wouldnt think i was blowing smoke and to help the devs out with mybe finding the issue
      go to settings then to application settings the top option is Unknown sources Allow installation of non-market applications
      You want to check that box once you do the stability of your wireless is just about perfect. ummm just dont download anything outside the market 🙂 not that everything in there works on your tablet anyway 🙂

      Hope this helps you guys out let me know if it did.

  6. I never tried the headphones in previous alphas, but tried it after A3, doesn’t work. So i restore back to the previous alpha, and the headphones still do not work. Sometimes they do, but simultaneously with the speakers. Any suggestions??

  7. my TP is  saying unmounted sd card????  anyone have a fix??? it’s not in webos???

  9. Ok found out that my date and time constantly resets to like 1970 everytime my touchpad is turned off. Hopefully fixed in alpha4. Even if I put updates automatically its still messed up. Weird that the market place wont work if it thinks its 1970 ha.

    1. way easy, brad has instructions here to erase entire android partition and install ap1,2, or 3…

  12. This is some great work you guys have accomplished. My wife and I are very grateful. we each have a new Touch pad and both are working in the android platform flawlessly. I wanted to ask you, I installed Alpha 3 last night to both Touchpads and My wife’s is no longer able to open email attachments. The message is that it is “unable to save attachment” if I press save, and if I press open, it gives me a long message that implies that there is no sd card.

    Am I missing a patch?  do you have any recommendations?

    we appreciate your impressive work!

    Thanks 

    Rincon

    2. i did a full reset on the webos side, and it fixed the problem of the unmounted sd card on the android side.  read it on another forum…

  14. Big Thanks to the developers, it’s nice to have webOs and android dual boot action. Installed this on a whim and it runs great for an alpha. Again kudos. Hope ice cream isn’t too long away. Also this link might help people stuck on the install – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHoQM3KW1sU.

  15. I have two touch pads and I got it installed on 1 and working just fine. Did the exact same procedure on the second and it keeps getting stuck on the green loading screen. I have waited for 30 mins and it will not boot past it. I did the reset and used the uninstall app and tried again with the same issue. I have installed moboot, update-cwm_tenderloin-1012.zip and update-cm-7.1.0-tenderloin-a3-fullofbugs-signed.zip

    I have also tried it with the a2 full of bugs as well with the same result. I have looked around and can’t find anything that seems to work. Anyone have any ideas. I’ve tried it 5 times. I have cyanogen uninstalled and using the web os. Thanks in advance. I am running the latest update on the web os on both machines. 

    1. I’m not a pro so please keep that in mind, but I had the same problem I was using the universal installer then decided to use the 64 then the 32 and it finally worked so hope that helps.

      1. Adrian, Thanks for the info.  I’m only able to find the universal installer.  Were can I find the others?

  16. i will not update from 2 to 3, no real advantage. my tps in general don’t brick if i turn it off instead of waiting for it to autoshutdown..wifi is not automatic but easy workaround with airplane on/off.  no real issue with battery …
    as an aside, if i do update from 2 to 3, don’t i have to reinstall all apps and etc?
    (i know i will have to do it eventually)

      1. thx, i must have messed up..when i upgrade from a1 to a2,
        it lost all apps and settings…
        anyhoo..i found something funny…for all ye who still has problem with SOD…with rest of settings same, i found out if i changed my live wall paper to something different, that SOD dissappears or diminishes a LOT..i dunno if anyone else had this experience. the one that is currently the best and longest lasting is the live koi one..that tp has been up for weeks without SOD. the beach and the xmas tree craps out sometimes everytime tp is screenlocked to 1-2 days…
        i haven’t tried static wall papers…LOL

        and my wifi actually is getting better with usage. now it rarely crashes when trying to log onto know wifi. ans 50% of time, i turn on TPs and it found old hotspots instantly, other times, it’s as simple as turn on and off airplane mode.

        only minor issue is camera no work. but if i really need camera and a pic, there’s always webos reboot. LOL

  17. When you refer to “SD Card”, I’m assuming that CM7 sees the TP’s Hard Drive as if it’s an SD Card right? Or am I missing something?

    Also, is it safe to delete the Alpha 2 file after going to Alpha 3? Or does the backup file need it for just in case?

    I also read where once you do a backup via Clockwork Recovery, you can go in and rename it to keep track of when the backup was done. No need to keep multiple backups I wouldn’t think, because they are fairly large.

    Thanks!

  19. Updated to A3. No wifi issues, fixed headphone issue, but notice videos more pixelated in Rockplayer and Vplayer.

  20. Running the ACMEuninstaller and installing the Alpha 3 release was successful. I am finally up and running.

  21. Having wifi problems when changing to a differently location. Wifi freezes and can’t get into the settings. Touchpad will automatically restart after it goes to sleep and half time when you do turn it off it turns right back on. I think I had less problems with the alpha 2 release haha.

    2. my fix was similar…goto dspmanager..turn ON bass boost and the headphones work..but if i also turn ON equalizer, headphone stops working..strange..maybe you guys can try variations of on and off in different setups in dspmananger under headphones..

      i had to try A3 because 2.1 was becoming more unstable and having too many SOD..3.5 seems more unstable based on reviews..we’ll see how A3 works so far..

  23. interestingly after doing to update to version 3 the earphone plug doesnt work..sound comes through the speakers fine, but when plug in earphones – no sound??

    1. Did you make a backup with ClockworkMod? If so you can probably restore from backup and try again.

      If not, you might need to try using ACMEInstaller to push the update to your TouchPad from a PC.

      1. first of all i did it using acme installer on a mac now i have a windows and cannot figure out how to use acme installer

        1. Sound from speakers worked after reboot but as Big4uk stated -no sound on headphones.

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