I purchased the G-Tablet (GT) from Woot at Amazon and just got my tablet. I opened the box, have plugged in the tablet to charge it, and I've been spending several hours on these and other forums reading and trying to learn as much as I can about the process of taking an "out of the box" GT and getting it to run one of the customized ROMs. I'm amazed at the talent and time being shared to help those of us looking for an Android tablet that really sizzles, but I'm overwhelmed by the amount of information out there.
I have a request that I don't think has been met (in my searches of the forums):
Does someone have a thorough step-by-step tutorial that will help a newbie user who just received a brand new GT in the mail? It seems most of the forum discussions assume the user has already done certain steps, etc. Are there any hold-your-hand tutorials that will go from opening the box to completing the process? (Thanks in advance.)
We (newbies like you and me) are in luck! There are some good tutorials over in the "G Tablet Android Development" section.
Here's a good starter:
Install ClockworkMod, a ROM, Flash Player, and the Market Fix
Thanks for the link to the instructions. Unfortunately, I've run into a problem...
I began with the instructions you referred to and get all the way up to the point where I had installed CWM and VEGAn-TAB Ginger Edition, and I realized in reading a related post that my version might have the 4349+ version with the locked bootloader. When I tried to run the ROM, it froze on the ViewSonic (three birds) screen.
I went to this thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1036956) and followed the instructions to install the "downgrade" file. This seemed to work well, and I confirmed after starting this downgraded ROM in the GTab's Settings that I was running Tap n Tap 3588.
I then proceeded to reinstall CWM, re-partition the SD card, install the new ROM, clear the data, clear the cached partitions, and clear the Dalvik cache. When I try to reboot to run the newly-installed ROM, I get frozen on the ViewSonic (3 birds) screen again.
Has anyone had this same problem and found a way to fix it? Please help!
Ok...I went back and tried the NVFlash method described here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=861950) and then followed the tutorial described here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245) with success using the VEGAn-TAB Ginger Edition RC1 ROM.
When using the NVFlash instructions, there are a couple of things that gave me trouble with the instructions. First, when it tells you to extract the zipped files to a folder on your PC (named NVFlash in the tutorial), you need to extract to a second level with the nvflash_gtablet_2010110500.zip file so that all of the files - not just the folder - are in the main NVFlash folder you create on your desktop. (If you extract the zipped file to that folder, it simply puts an unzipped folder in there instead of putting the actual files in there.)
The second problem I had was in reading the instructions for putting the G-Tablet into APX mode. It tells you to start up the tablet by pressing the power and volume - button. Since I had been using the Volume + button all night for CWM, I read over the negative sign and had trouble getting the tablet into APX mode. You need to press the power button and the volume down button (the negative side) to enter APX mode.
Once I successfully performed the NVFlash method, I followed the other instructions carefully and am now a happy - and very impressed - owner of a G-Tablet with VEGAn-TAB Ginger Edition RC1!
esmeet7xda said:
Ok...I went back and tried the NVFlash method described here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=861950) and then followed the tutorial described here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245) with success using the VEGAn-TAB Ginger Edition RC1 ROM.
When using the NVFlash instructions, there are a couple of things that gave me trouble with the instructions. First, when it tells you to extract the zipped files to a folder on your PC (named NVFlash in the tutorial), you need to extract to a second level with the nvflash_gtablet_2010110500.zip file so that all of the files - not just the folder - are in the main NVFlash folder you create on your desktop. (If you extract the zipped file to that folder, it simply puts an unzipped folder in there instead of putting the actual files in there.)
The second problem I had was in reading the instructions for putting the G-Tablet into APX mode. It tells you to start up the tablet by pressing the power and volume - button. Since I had been using the Volume + button all night for CWM, I read over the negative sign and had trouble getting the tablet into APX mode. You need to press the power button and the volume down button (the negative side) to enter APX mode.
Once I successfully performed the NVFlash method, I followed the other instructions carefully and am now a happy - and very impressed - owner of a G-Tablet with VEGAn-TAB Ginger Edition RC1!
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Click to collapse
congrats - super, isn't it ? thanks to its developers
Here's the video tutorial I used to nvflash in conjunction with the links (also shown in the tutorial) -
"G-Tablet Full Restore your Gtablet using nvflash - refresh to factory" by pensacolacomps on youtube - "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK2tgEBQRIU"
esmeet7xda said:
The second problem I had was in reading the instructions for putting the G-Tablet into APX mode. It tells you to start up the tablet by pressing the power and volume - button. Since I had been using the Volume + button all night for CWM, I read over the negative sign and had trouble getting the tablet into APX mode. You need to press the power button and the volume down button (the negative side) to enter APX mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that is exactly why I always use Volume Up and Volume Down when I write my instructions ;-) Congrats on getting it working.
Sadly +1, But is was worth it!
Don't feel badly. I did pretty much the same thing. Although a noob to android tab's, I'm pretty good in other tech areas. My real weakness is reading and following instructions correctly the first time!
But, in reality, the read, flash, soft-brick, reread, recover, reread, re-flash...BIG GRINS process has been most illuminating. I really feel pretty comfortable with the processes and the pain points.
This site and the great dev's are truly a wondrous resource. My thanks to all who have contributed to the knowledge base!!
Cheers,
Geary
Related
I'm new to Android, my first step was to research hardware and functionality. The choice, you guest it, gtab!
Now of to the good stuff. I ultimately want to root and update my Rom to vegan5.1. So far I have downloaded cwv08, upload downgrade and vegan. The problem is that when I try to restart using power + volume +, I do see the open box screen but then it just loads tnt and resumes boot. There has to be a step I must be missing here. Like I said I'm new to grab and android. Where do I start?
To my understanding, power with volume + without cwm install will run the command file in recovery folder. Preharps u are missing the file, preharps u are not naming the file correctly; too little details provided to tell..
try reading : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
same box with green arrow
I too have installed clockwork. Downgrade the bootloader then try to reboot into clockwork using the + and power. The tab acts like it is going to enter recovery says "Detect recover key press
Booting to recovery image"
Then it goes to that screen with he box with a green down arrow coming out of it and a progress bar. When it finishes it reboots. Still at stock rom, no joy at all.
A couple things I have tried. Copying a new update.zip to the root of the internal memory and the sd card, reboot with and without the sdcard inserted, rebooting normal then trying to get reboot recovery with + and power, copying the cwm update and recovery folder into root. No joy each time it it is the update box. I have not tried holding the recovery keys down in the dark while chanting xda but I think I missed my chance for that working last Friday.... when is the next Friday the 13th?
Thanks for any help or insight anyone can give us.
Bednab,I could not have explained any better. This is exactly what happens with mine. Today I encountered another challenge. My gtab will not connect to my-fy on open iphone. I have to figure this out before my road trip next month.
and there was much rejoicing
I kept at this and finally found a solution. A post pointed me to the answer on androidforums about the command file getting deleted out of the recovery folder after a successful update. I opened the recovery folter on the g tab and it was empty so I opened the one from cwm and edited it to this:
--update_package=SDCARD2:/update.zip
This way it points to my external card where I had a few custom roms. Copied it to the recovery folder in the root of the gtab, reboot into recovery mode and much joy!
Background info:
The G Tablet came with 1-1-3389 and I performed the OTA update to 1.1-3588 which went fine. I then rooted it with z4root and that went fine too.
1. I then side loaded ROM Manager and was able to install CWM Recovery and then was able to do a backup of my base ROM.
2. I then copied update-cm-7.0.3-Harmony-signed.zip and gapps-gb-20110307-signed.zip to the internal storage on my G Tablet.
3. In ROM Manager I chose to install ROM and I selected the gapps-gb-20110307-signed.zip and the tablet rebooted and came up in CWM Recovery. I watched it install 7.0.3 and then it rebooted on its own.
4. The tablet now will only come up to the Viewsonic screen with the birds on it and it just sits there.
5. I press the power button and hold it down to power off the tablet. I then press the + side on the volume rocker and press the power button. I get the "Recovery Key Detected" and then get a screen with a box on it with an arrow pointing down and a task bar underneath then it reboots and comes back up to the bird screen and just sits there.
I have read many threads about this but I am not sure just what my problem is exactly. The fact that I am unable to boot into recovery seems to be the biggest issue.
I have downloaded update-smb_a1002-3588-user.zip and update-smb_a1002-3389-user.zip and have went so far as to unzip the 3588 zip and copied its contents to my microSD card and inserted it and have booted it up while holding the + rocker down again...in another post on the subject I thought I should get "Recovery Image detected" due to the fact the microsd has the following on it...
data folder
META-INF folder
boot.img
bootloader.bin
recovery.img
system.img
Or did i totally misunderstand what I read?
Any ideas?
Maybe others can give a more specific answer, but:
If you're willing to completely reset your tablet, you can use nvFlash to get it back to factory condition.
Just Google:
nvFlash "g tablet" roebeet
And follows the steps that roebeet outlines to get your tablet up and running again. It looks rather complicated, because the instructions could be formatted more clearly, but in reality it's a pretty simple process.
Note that doing this WILL erase ANYTHING you have on there.
thanks for the reply....I do not mind losing anything to get it going again
I am back rocking again...thanks!
I have yet to find an answer for this. I have a Viewsonic G Tablet Rooted running Clockwork Recovery. I was having issues installing CM7 so I thought to downgrade the recovery version as I've had some success doing the same on my Evo. After several attempts, I mistakenly selected "Flash ClockworkMod Recovery" and selected one of the 4 devices it listed, none of which was a G Tablet. Tried each of the other 3 devices with no success. Ever since I have not been able to boot into recovery at all. Just behaves like it is about to, then seems to shut off. So I'm at a loss, I can't find any way to flash another recovery or even restore to defaults. Any ideas?
Are you using ROM manager from the marketplace? You should not. You may need to install recovery using nvflash or another method. Many ways to do this are outlined on the Stickies in the General and Dev sections here.
For the gTablet there are two versions of CWM to use. One is called CWM .08 (there are some other version numbers, but people reference it as CWM .08 around here). This "old" version works just fine, and is meant for the 1.1 bootloader. The 1.1 bootloader is what most ROM's on XDA use, and what the latest stock OTA update uses (3389).
The other is CWM_3.0.2.8 which is used for the 1.2 bootloader and requires a 1.2 friendly kernel. 1.2 based roms are mostly being worked on by roebeet over on the slatedroid forums. He has a TnT based rom, an Advent Vega (stock froyo-ish), and NI Adam/Eden/Froyo rom that are being phased out. The one being continued is a HCAdam/Vegacomb port to the gtab. Nearly any rom can run on 1.2 bootloader, it just needs to be installed in the right way.
No, I sideloaded a copy of Rom Manager 4x and did use CWM .08. But where I seem to have gotten myself is my tab shuts down when I boot into recovery. I get to the first splash while I continue to hold power+up and from there the device turns off. This problem conflicts with the fast majority of options I have tried, and ones you have listed. Closest I came was using Terminal but it would grant me SuperUser but then I would get fixrecovery.sh not found.
From Rom Manager, under 'Confirm Phone Model' I have Advent Vega selected. This is the list I seem to have gotten myself into trouble from. It was only after I selected something else that I lost access to recovery. I am assuming Vega is what I want since some guides I've come across seem to be interchangeable.
Sacrifusion said:
I get to the first splash while I continue to hold power+up and from there the device turns off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like you're going into APX mode (Power and Volume Down).
Try loading CWM via NVflash. My post does not delete the rom, but installs just the CWM. If you follow the instruction on the next post, you will overwrite the rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1058649
K J Rad said:
That sounds like you're going into APX mode (Power and Volume Down).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the gtab is a a little backwards for me since I am used to the volume up button being in the same direction as the power button from other devices. But I have definately been pressing vol up (and unless the buttons switch prior to boot, the button I am pressing for vol up does raise the vol in the TnT UI). For gits and shiggles I tried vol down as well but seems to behave in the same manner.
supergroverthm said:
Try loading CWM via NVflash. My post does not delete the rom, but installs just the CWM. If you follow the instruction on the next post, you will overwrite the rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1058649
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not a fan of the rom so long as I can get my recovery back. But I'll follow your guide and see if I can make some progress. Most have suggested against NVFlash, but it's not sounding like I have other options left.
Thanx guys
Do learn how to use NVFlash, it's saved me from many soft bricks and boot loops.
supergroverthm said:
Do learn how to use NVFlash, it's saved me from many soft bricks and boot loops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got hung up for a minute trying to get passed the ACCESS DENIED for the Tegra SDK till I realized I could just use the Vega drivers. After catching that folly, I followed your guide to a T creating the .bat file and all. Executed it, a terminal popped up for a split second and then was gone. I was hoping for a confirmation, but after waiting a moment and not seeing either device giving me any signs, I tried to boot the gtab into recovery and am back to square one. Still getting the same black screen much like the APX mode. In a sec here for gits and shiggles I'll see if my laptop recognizes as being in APX mode. But after 2 attempts to run the recovery + .bat, I am still pseudo bricked (and yes, I do consider TnT to be a bricked rom XD ).
Ok, I had a different result after I dumped the contents of the nvflash_windows folder into my NVFlash folder. Not sure if it's just me, but I read the instructions a few times and didn't quite see where it instructed to do that. But a wee bit of common sense told me the .bat file isn't going to do a whole lot if it can't see the nvflash.exe file. Think Robeet's post may have gotten caught up in hopping back and forth between the Win and Lin instructions. Currently I am looking at a black screen on my gtab with "Entering NvFlash recovery mode / Nv3p Server" and hasn't done a whole lot since. Been chilling like that for at least 8 min now. Not sure if it's just hard at work, or stopped all together. Will keep you all posted.
And we are in business// That did the trick. And I emphatically agree that NVFlash is an awesome tool. I thank you all for the assistance and hopefully my next post will be in the form of a contribution as opposed to a question.
I installed clockworkmod per instructions.
When I press the on and volume up buttons I get the appropriate message and then the system boots with the tap n tap (ugh) rom.
I never see a clockworkmod menu
What am I doing wrong?
I am having the same issue!!! I am beyond frustrated right now. I have downgraded to 1.1 and had success during one try and from now on trying to boot into Clockwork it won't let me. All it does is say booting from kernal image and then goes to the splash screen then to the box with the down arrow and continues until it goes right back to the viewsonic birds and boots to the normal rom again.
What the He!! am I doing wrong here? I have already done a factory reset with data wipe...
Instructional video
See if this helps.
How to install Clockwork mid and tnt lite - Pensacola computers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27oDBi-x760
argusvision said:
See if this helps.
How to install Clockwork mid and tnt lite - Pensacola computers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27oDBi-x760
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is exactly what I was watching and following when this happened to me. Any other ideas? I did however just return the other one after clearing the data and got another one so I am going to try and avoid doing that again.. I am going to try and tread slowly here so I can get things right....
I've had 100% success using the instructions here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=861950
Go to the first link (Dropbox) and, if Windows, download the 2 zipped files. I will say I bought a Viewsonic G tablet back in December and I had to used the older zipped file in the DEPRECATED folder. My latest Viewsonic G tablet works with the latest files.
Unzip the 2 files, combine into one folder, plug in the USB cable, and reboot by holding the POWER button *and* the Vol- button. You should see the initial boot screen but should quickly see a black screen. Run the .bat file (nvflash_gtablet.bat). If the computer doesn't see the tablet, read the above link on how to make sure you've installed the drivers for the tablet. Once the batch file ends, your tablet will automatically reboot. I would suggest powering off the tablet before it reboots as you can install CW_Mod via NVFlash, which is what I do. Grab CW_Mod 1.1 (not 1.2). Unzip the UPDATE.ZIP file and copy RECOVERY.IMG to the folder where you combined the 2 zipped files from Dropbox. Connect your tablet to your PC via the USB cable. Reboot the tablet again by pressing the POWER button while holding the Vol- button. Same thing--i.e. initial boot screen, then a black screen. Either create a batch file or run the following command (sorry cannot remember the thread where I found this, so I take no credit for this):
nvflash.exe --bl bootloader.bin --download 9 recovery.img
This is a quick process. Once the command finishes. Unplug your USB cable from your tablet and hold down the POWER button to turn off your tablet. You can either power it back on or power it back on and check to make sure CW_Mod is installed (recommended). For this, press the POWER button while holding down the Vol+ key until you see the line of text appear in the upper left hand corner of the screen.
Again, on one of my Viewsonic G tablets, I had to use the zipped file contained in the DEPRECATED folder on the Dropbox. I can't remember what the current files did (think soft-brick).
Good luck. As I've said, I've used these steps so many times as I went through every 1.1 ROM and 1.2 ROM trying to find the one I liked and the steps were perfect. At this point, though, while in CW_Mod, I would go through the process of partitioning your system and formatting stuff.
I have an issue where I am on 1.2 stock/unrooted 4349 and have had a horrible time trying to get CWM installed via internal microsd, external microsd and attempted to nvflash it but ran into an issue where no matter how long or short I pressed PWR+VOLup I got stuck on the 3 birds for the microsd procedures and no matter how long or short I pressed the buttons I've been unable to get APX mode to start up.
I have only a hazy idea on how to do this as I thought the process for this was not much different from my experience with a Galaxy S Fascinate or Galaxy 10.1 but after 4 hours of searching and ignorant attempts, reading through the dummies guide I am no closer to getting CWM installed.
In short, how do I install CWM on the latest bootloader having exhausted the sd card options and am having difficulties with going to APX mode?
These are the guides I have tried but failed miserably at most likely due to my ignorance. Also not sure if I am allowed to link other websites so x=h
xttp://viewsonic-gtablet-for-dummies.webs.com/clockworkmod.htm
xttp://viewsonic-gtablet-for-dummies.webs.com/nvflash.htm
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
Thank you in advance for any help or links you can provide.
I just realized I posted this in the wrong section. Is there any way to move it or should I delete and try again in the correct section?
CM7 runs on Bootloader 1.1, you'd need to NVFlash your device back to the a 1.1 BL since your are on 1.2....or you could use the CM7 that was hacked for the 1.2 bootloader in the dev section.
To get in to APX mode, it's volume - and not volume +. Hold Volume - and then turn on the tablet while still holding Volume - down. It'll flash the birds then drop to a black screen. Now you are in APX mode.
Volume + takes you to Recovery.
Go back to the gtabfordummies site and follow goodintentions' directions "to the letter" -- do not skip anything because you assume you already know what you are doing. If you follow his directions as instructed it is impossible to screw up.
Thank you very much. I don't know why I kept trying vol+ but as soon as I tried vol- everything worked out ok. Sorry again for taking up your time with a dumb question
koreanschoolkid said:
Thank you very much. I don't know why I kept trying vol+ but as soon as I tried vol- everything worked out ok. Sorry again for taking up your time with a dumb question
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are not the first nor will you be the last to make this mistake. I've taken the liberty of increasing the font and changing the color on my website to emphasize this.