For those of you who want “pure” ICS experience without all that ASUS bloatware, you might want to give AOKP ICS ROM for your rooted Transformer Prime.  AOKP, Android Open Kang Project, has been making “pure” ICS ROMs for many Android devices and it’s finally available for your Transformer Prime.

This ROM should give you better battery life, faster performance (1.6Ghz OC), and this is the ROM I am using right now, love it!

Give this ROM a go and let me know how it works for you.

Also, you will need the latest ClockworkMod Recovery 5.8.2.0 so don’t forget to install that before installing ROM otherwise you will end up in a bootloop (I found out).

Download ROM:

Download AOKP ICS ROM

Credits – XDA

Don’t know how to install ROM? Please see Transformer Prime Root Guide FIRST if you are new to all this.

Here’s how to install the latest ClockworkMod Recovery 5.8.2.0 on your Transformer Prime!

Step 1. Hold down Volume Down and Power button together until your Transformer Prime resets and show 3 lines in white characters.

Step 2. Hit Volume Down immediately.

Step 3. Hit Volume Down to select the USB icon then hit Volume Up button.

Step 4. Connect the ASUS cable from your Transformer Prime to your computer.

Step 5. Download TransformerPrimeRecoveryNew.zip, unzip and you should find all the files you will need for this tutorial.

Download TransformerPrimeRecoveryNew.zip

Step 6. Open up a command prompt and browse to the directory you unzipped the files to:

cd \TransformerPrimeRecoveryNew

Next type:

fastboot -i 0x0b05 flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.8.2.0-tf201.img

For Mac:

./fastboot-mac -i 0x0b05 flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.8.2.0-tf201.im

For Linux:

./fastboot-linux -i 0x0b05 flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.8.2.0-tf201.im

You can reboot into recovery by holding down Volume Down and Power button together until you see 3 lines of white characters then hit the Volume Up button.  You should now see ClockworkMod Recovery v.5.8.2.0 at top.

Want a custom ROM on your Transformer Prime? Well, stable custom ROMs are now available for your rooted Transformer Prime and I highly recommend the Virtuous Prime ROM, which is very similar to stock ICS ROM but you will get lots of goodies like better battery life, better performance, and even 1.6Ghz overclocking in performance mode.

Right now there’s not so many custom ROMs but if you want a custom ROM, you can’t go wrong with Virtuous Prime ROM for your rooted Transformer Prime.

So, go ahead and install this ROM and let me know how it goes for you.

Download ROM:

Download Virtuous Prime ROM

Installation Video:

Before you install new ROMs, you will need a rooted Transformer Prime, unlocked bootloader, and CWM recovery installed. Please follow our complete Transformer Prime Root Guide before trying to install a new ROM.

Credits – XDA

Before you can start installing new custom ROMs or doing things to your Transformer Prime out of ordinary, I HIGHLY ADVISE you to make at least one backup of your current ROM.

Backing up a whole ROM pretty much backups up EVERYTHING including your apps, settings, ROM, and kernel except the contents of your internal storage.

Step 1. First, hold down Volume Down and Power button together for about 10 seconds until you see the white letters appear at the top left of your screen.  When you see that, immediately let go of both buttons and press Volume Up button to ClockworkMod Recovery.

Step 2. Once in ClockworkMod Recovery, choose “backup and restore”.

Step 3. Next choose “backup”.

Step 4. This will start the backup process.

Step 5. Once it’s done, your backups are automatically timestamped and stored in your internal storage under the directory /clockworkmod/backup.  You are free to move this directory to your computer hard disk to save space and later copy it back to the same directory when you want to restore ROM.  You can also change the timestamped directory names to something more meaningful.

Step 6. To restore, simply get into the same “backup and restore” menu then choose “restore”.

Step 7. You will find all your backup folders timestamped.  Choose the folder you want to restore and it will start restoring your ROM.

For those of you who want to install, backup, and restore new ROMs on your newly rooted Transformer Prime, you will have to install ClockworkMod Recovery.

UPDATE: Please see the update method here instead!!!

To do this, you can use Android ADB tool. I’ve included ADB for Windows, Mac, and Linux in the following download.

Download TransformerPrimeCWM.zip

Step 1. Before we begin, go to your Transformer Prime then make sure USB Debugging is checked ON under Settings->Developer Options.

Step 2. Next, unzip the TransformerPrimeCWM.zip you downloaded earlier and you should find a bunch of files like shown below.

Step 3. Next, you will want to open up a command prompt for Windows or terminal for Mac or Linux.

Use the directory change command cd to change to the directory where you unzipped TransformerPrimeCWM.zip.

For Windows, should be something like:

cd \TransformerPrimeCWM 

And Linux/Mac:

cd /TransformerPrimeCWM

Step 4. Type the following to see if you have correct drivers installed:

For Windows:

adb devices

For Mac:

./adb-mac devices

For Linux:

./adb-linux devices

If you get some kind of letters and numbers and the word, “device”, that means you have correct drivers installed.  Keep going.  (For Mac/Linux, no drivers are needed.  For Windows, please see How to Install Transformer Prime USB Drivers on Windows.)

Step 5. Next type:

For Windows:

adb tfp_CWM5_androidroot.blob /data/local
adb shell

For Mac:

./adb-mac tfp_CWM5_androidroot.blob /data/local
./adb-mac shell

For Linux:

./adb-linux tfp_CWM5_androidroot.blob /data/local
./adb-linux shell

Step 6. Next type the following to gain superuser access:

su

Step 7. Then type:

dd if=/data/local/tfp_CWM5_androidroot.blob of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p4

Step 8. If you get no errors, congratulations, you’ve successfully installed ClockworkMod Recovery on your Transformer Prime!

If you want to get into ClockworkMod Recovery at any time, simply hold down Volume down and Power button together for around 10 seconds until you see white letters like below.  When you see if immediately let go of both buttons and press Volume Up and it will enter you into ClockworkMod Recovery.

Credits – XDA

For those of you who want to install new custom kernels, ROMs, and perhaps customize the heck out of your Transformer Prime, you will probably want to unlock the bootloader on your Transformer Prime.

Unlocking the bootloader on your Transformer Prime WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY, so please proceed after acknowledging that.

Step 1. Go to DownloadAndroid.com, choose “Transformer Prime”, then “root”, and then “UnLock_Device_App_V6.apk” Or Click Here if you are on your Transformer Prime.

Step 2. Click on “Click Here to Download”, and download should start.  When it’s done downloading, click on the downloaded file to open the file.  If you get the error “Install blocked”, choose “Settings”.

Step 3. Then hit on “Unknown sources” and hit “OK”.

Step 4. Hit the back button and hit the downloaded file again.

Step 5. Press “Install” to install the Unlock Device Tool.

Step 6. Then press “Open”.

Step 7. Scroll the EULA and press “OK”.

Step 8. Hit both “Agree” and “Press to unlock your device”.

Step 9. You might have to sign in with your Google account, sign in.

Step 10. Your Transformer Prime should reboot.

When it’s rebooted, your Transformer Prime is unlocked.  You can now go ahead and install custom ROMs, pat yourself on the back!

If you want to root your Transformer Prime on a Mac or Linux, no worries as I wrote a simple bash script that automates the process.

First, you will need a Mac or Linux computer/laptop.  For Windows, see How to Root Transformer Prime on Windows.

Step 1. Go to Settings->Developer Options and make sure USB Debugging is checked ON.  Connect your Transformer Prime to your Mac or Linux computer.

Step 2. Download TransformerPrimeRootICSMacLinux.zip and unzip to your desktop:

Transformer Prime ICS on 9.4.2.11 and later:

Download TransformerPrimeRootICSNew.zip

Transformer Prime ICS on 9.4.2.7 and earlier:

Download TransformerPrimeRootICSMacLinux.zip

Step 3. Open up a terminal.

Browse to the directory you unzipped the TransformerRootICSMacLinux.zip by typing:

cd Desktop/TransformerPrimeRootICSMacLinux

Then type:

For Mac:

./adb-mac devices

For Linux:

./adb-linux devices

If you get a combination of numbers and letters with “device”, you are ready to go.   If you don’t get this, double-check USB Debugging is checked ON and you have connected your Transformer Prime to your computer via the USB cable.

Next, type:

For Mac:

sh runmemac.sh

For Linux:

sh runmelinux.sh

This will start the rooting process.  You can go get some coffee or do some exercises for the next 5 minutes while the script roots your Transformer Prime.

Step 4. After 3 reboots, your Transformer Prime should be rooted.

Step 5. Verify that you have Superuser app on your rooted Transformer Prime.  If so, congratulations, you’ve just rooted your Transformer Prime.  Don’t forget to tell your friends about it and go celebrate at the bar.

Want to root your Transformer Prime Android tablet?

Why root your Transformer Prime Android tablet?

Rooting your tablet device gives you the power to do things like install rooted apps, backup/restore apps, backup/restore/install custom ROMs, and even overclock it.

For those of you on Windows, I made a simple batch script that automates the rooting process. For Mac or Linux, please see How to Root Transformer Prime on Mac or Linux instead.

Step 1. Before we begin, make sure you’ve installed USB drivers on your Windows computer. (See How to Install USB Drivers on Transformer Prime.)

Step 2. Connect your Transformer Prime to your Windows computer.

Step 3. Download TransformerPrimeRootICSNew.zip(9.4.2.11 or later) or TransformerPrimeRootICS.zip(9.4.2.7 and earlier) and unzip (uncompress).

Transformer Prime ICS on 9.4.2.11 and later:

Download TransformerPrimeRootICSNew.zip

Transformer Prime ICS on 9.4.2.7 and earlier:

Download TransformerPrimeRootICS.zip

You will find a bunch of files, double-click on “runme.bat” to start rooting your Transformer Prime.

Step 4. Press Enter to begin the rooting process.  You can go for a coffee break, take a smoke break, or etc…etc…

Step 5. Your Transformer should reboot 3 times and it should be rooted.

Step 6. Verify you have Superuser app on your Transformer Prime.  If so congratulations!  You’ve rooted your Transformer Prime in just about 5 minutes.

You can now run rooted apps and Superuser Request window will pop up.

Having trouble? Watch the YouTube video at the beginning of this post.

Credits:

Huge thanks to XDA user sparkym3 for the rooting code!

So, you want to root your Transformer Prime on a Windows computer?

Before you can do that, you will need to install Transformer Prime USB drivers.

First, download TransformerPrimeDriver.zip and unzip to your Desktop or somewhere you can find it easily:

Download TransformerPrimeDriver.zip

Step 1. Go to Settings->Developer Options and make sure USB Debugging is checked ON.

Step 2. Open up Device Manager under Control Panel->Hardware and Sound.  You will find a device called “ASUS Android Composite ADB Interface” with an exclamation mark.

Step 3. Right click on “ASUS Android Composite ADB Interface” and choose “Update driver”.  Browse to the directory where you unzipped the Transformer Prime driver files to and select “android_winusb.inf”.

Step 4. Choose “ASUS Android Composite ADB Interface”.

Step 5. If you get the following warning, just install the driver anyway.

Step 6. If you installed your Transformer Drivers correctly, is should look like below:

Now you are ready to root Transformer Prime!

Having trouble? Just watch the YouTube video at the top of this post.