# ROM upgrade on Asus Nexus 7 2013 (flo) I have an old Asus Nexus 7 2013 tablet (codename `flo`) which is still serving me well ten years on, but occasionally I decide I want to put a newer LineageOS ROM on it, or generally reflash it. Unfortunately, I do this sufficiently infrequently that I can't remember how to, so I wrote myself this guide. My device has previously had an additional Vendor partition created (so technically it's a `flox` device rather than `flo`). That means some more space has been made for some things, but it also means tools like [repit](https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/tool-unofficial-port-repit-for-nexus-7-2013-deb-flo.4237183/) won't work for adjusting the size of partitions (see this [XDA Developers](https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rom-flo-deb-unofficial-lineageos-19-1-2022-10-12.3569067/post-86620845) post for more on that). YMMV - that's mainly a note to me! See here for download links for the ROM I used (should be a zip file): [https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rom-flo-deb-unofficial-lineageos-19-1-2022-10-12.3569067/](https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rom-flo-deb-unofficial-lineageos-19-1-2022-10-12.3569067/) You'll also want to download OpenGApps (the Google App suite) from that post. You want the `pico` variant (nothing else will fit) and `arm` not `arm64`, for the corresponding Android version to the copy of Lineage you installed (so `aos12l` at the time of writing). If you want root access, you'll need a Magisk APK. The forum post where LineageOS came from should list suitable Magisk versions, but you'll need to download it from [https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases](https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases). Finally, assuming you've already installed TWRP recovery, you might as well go ahead and update that while you're here. Head to [https://twrp.me/asus/asusnexus72013wifi.html](https://twrp.me/asus/asusnexus72013wifi.html), scroll down to Download Links and choose a suitable mirror, then download the latest `.img` file. ## Copying the Files Once you've downloaded everything, go ahead and reboot the tablet into recovery by turning it off, then holding down the Power and Volume Down keys. Once it starts up, use the volume control to choose Recovery as an option, then push Power to boot. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1672522853708/9ef7e985-ee66-4c83-8e69-9c36d9b1a1ee.jpeg align="center") Connect the tablet to your computer: it should mount automatically in the usual way. Then go ahead and copy the files to the root of the tablet. ## Upgrading TWRP ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1672522060014/77783d63-2b2c-4a6d-b37b-54f63cfbe372.jpeg?height=450 align="center") 1. Select the Install button 2. Go to Install Image bottom-right 3. Select the `.img` file for TWRP 4. Choose Recovery as the partition to flash 5. Swipe to confirm flash 6. Go back to the main screen, select Reboot and then Recovery ## Installing LineageOS and OpenGApps 1. Select the Wipe button on the TWRP home screen 2. Swipe to Factory Reset 3. Go back to the Wipe screen, select Advanced Wipe 4. Select System, then swipe to wipe 5. Go back to the TWRP home screen 6. Select the Install button 7. Find the LineageOS zip file, select it 8. Swipe to install 9. Find the OpenGApps zip file, select it 10. Swipe to install 11. Reboot into the new system 12. When you're asked if you want to update Recovery with Lineage, don't tick the box: otherwise, it'll just overwrite TWRP for you, which is probably not what you want! ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1672522256966/b1547761-8248-44f5-91cb-92d5a49e79d0.jpeg?height=450 align="left") ## Installing Magisk Once booted and you've done the initial setup, find the Magisk APK you downloaded earlier using the Files app, and install it. Then you'll need to install Magisk itself, by following the instructions at https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html. Note that this device does *not* have a `vbmeta` partition (it'll save you a step). 1. Unzip the LineageOS zip file from earlier, to extract the `boot.img` file 2. Copy this to the tablet 3. Open the Magisk app, push the Install button 4. Leave the vbmeta option unchecked and push next 5. Choose Select and patch file, and find the `boot.img` file you copied in step 2 6. Push Let's Go 7. Shut down the tablet and reboot into recovery (power on with Power and Volume Down again) 8. Select Install, then Install Image 9. Find the `.img` file Magisk created in the Download folder and select it 10. Select Boot and swipe to confirm 11. Reboot system ## (Re) Flashing TWRP If you need to flash TWRP to start with or like me, you made a mistake and let LineageOS overwrite the recovery the first time, you need to run `fastboot flash recovery twrp.img` and then `fastboot reboot` (and then hold Power and Volume Down to get back to the bootloader and TWRP). If you have Docker and are on a Linux system, try these with the container at [https://github.com/mparker17/docker-fastboot](https://github.com/mparker17/docker-fastboot) to save mucking about installing the ADB tools.