How to Install CyanogenMod 7 (CM7) on Galaxy S [w/Video]

Cyanogen MOD 7 for Samsung Galaxy S

The most coveted of all the custom ROMS, the CyanogenMod ROM, has been available for Galaxy S for sometime.

Only couple of days before, a new version was released and I just tried it out and was completely amazed by the ROM, just like everybody who has ever tried it is.

Update: Installation instruction set updated. Old set removed.

ROM Info:

1. Official thread at CyanogenMod forums. (Check this page for latest version of the files with working links in case the link(s) given below — step 1.1 to 1.7 — don’t work)
2. XDA Thread
3. Based on Android 2.3.4
4. Galaxy S i9000 CM7 team: Codeworkx, coolya and guiper.

[info]Important: This guide is applicable only for Samsung Galaxy S International version (i9000) only. If yours is Vibrant/Captivate/Fascinate/Epic 4G/i9000M/i9000B/i9003 or any other Galaxy S variant, then this ROM — and the Guide — is not for you, and that’s for definite.[/info]

[warning]The methods and procedures discussed here are considered risky and you should not attempt anything mentioned here if you don’t know completely what it is. Plus, do this only if you’re capable of getting your phone back right, on your own. If any damage occurs to you or your device, we won’t be held responsible. You only will be responsible — you’ve been warned. Okay![/warning]

MAKE SURE YOU CAN ENTER INTO DOWNLOAD MODE (given in Step 3.2 below) before trying this guide, or in fact, any stuff on your phone.

Pre-Installation requirements:

1. Charge your phone’s battery to at least 50%. 
2. Disable the lagfix, if any. Go to recovery and select the lagfix option therein and select disable. Check this article for more info.
3. Remove the external SD Card from your phone and don’t put it back until the whole process is complete. (Why, so that you don’t get confused between the two sd cards.)

Here are the Installation instructions to get the CM7 on Galaxy S

[New Guide, completely re-written]

1. Download and Install XXJVS Android 2.3.5 firmware.
2. Root XXJVS. This will also install ClockWorkMod (CWM) recovery, which is needed to flash Cm7 rom. In simple terms, you cannot have CM7 without a custom recovery like CWM.
3. Download CyanogenMod ROM from here. Prefer latest version over other, although that’s not a requirement. It keeps updating hell lot of time — which is good. At the time of writing, latest CM7 version was “cm_galaxysmtd_full-181.zip” which I tried on my Galaxy S i9000 successfully.
4. Transfer the CM7 ROM file you just downloaded to phone’s sd card.
5. Go to recovery mode. For this, simply open the CWM app (you get it after step 2) and tap on ClockWorkMod to reboot phone into recovery mode. [Other way to reboot in recovery is to switch off phone and then press and hold 3 buttons together: VolumeUP+Home+Power till the Galaxy S logo shows up on screen]
6. In recovery, use Volume keys to scroll up and down between options and power key to select an option. Now, go to and select “install zip from sd card”.
7. Then, select “choose zip from sd card”. Browse through sd card and select the file CM7 ROM you downloaded in step 3 and transferred in step 4 above.
8. This will flash the required files on your phone and will reboot your phone into recovery again. This is a slightly different blue colored recovery now, btw — don’t panic on color change.
9. Select “install zip from sd card” again. Then, select “choose zip from sd card”. Now, browse through sd card and select the file CM7 ROM (again, yes!) you downloaded in step 3 and transferred in step 4 above.
10. This time, the CM7 ROM will be flashed actually and after it’s installed, your phone will be back on recovery. Select ‘go back’ and select ‘reboot system now’. When the phone restarts, you’ll have CyanogenMod 7 working coolly on your Galaxy S.
11. Enjoy the themes!

Some screenshots of CM7 settings screen:

Hope you have a good ride on CM7, Enjoy!