[Q]Three-Button Recovery - Fascinate Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

For those of us using CM7 and other MTD roms, it's common knowledge that three-button recovery is useless to us after that first install from CWM4fixed. Try to use it again and you get the obvious mounting errors since it's hard-wired to boot to that BML recovery partition. Yep, of course you can only use the reboot menu or ADB to boot to the new MTD-based recovery partition that was created during that first CM7 install if you want to do anything.
I had a bootloop between CM7 nightlies tonight that has me questioning that logic, because, just for kicks before the inevitable Odin session, I interrupted the boot loop with three-button and (to my increasing disbelief) from BML recovery successfully reinstalled and booted CM7, rebooted to MTD recovery, and did a full nandroid restore. No Odin required. Unless I'm missing something though, this actually makes perfect sense.
When we use CWM4fixed to install CM7 over a BML rom, the CM7 install runs within that recovery and installs the new MTD recovery to a separate partition. This is why we're left with 2 different recoveries afterwards. But here's the catch: sure, the BML recovery can't interact with our new MTD file system, but the SD card holding our zips is still FAT32 and should thus remain readable by either recovery. Assuming I understand all of this correctly, what does this mean to us?
Simple: say you get a boot loop but there isn't a desktop with Odin or ADB handy. As long as you have a working SD card with an uncorrupted CM7 install zip and can access CWM4fixed via three-button, you should be able to get CM7 back up and running rather painlessly.
So here's my question: Am I correct? I've done it myself on my Fascinate, but that could have been a fluke and I'm mistakenly applying logic here that simply doesn't belong. It just seems to make sense though in retrospect. If this does in fact hold true, we've been avoiding a potentially useful and time-saving fix this whole time. If not, then this whole thing just makes me look stupid.

Jazz848 said:
For those of us using CM7 and other MTD roms, it's common knowledge that three-button recovery is useless to us after that first install from CWM4fixed. Try to use it again and you get the obvious mounting errors since it's hard-wired to boot to that BML recovery partition. Yep, of course you can only use the reboot menu or ADB to boot to the new MTD-based recovery partition that was created during that first CM7 install if you want to do anything.
I had a bootloop between CM7 nightlies tonight that has me questioning that logic, because, just for kicks before the inevitable Odin session, I interrupted the boot loop with three-button and (to my increasing disbelief) from BML recovery successfully reinstalled and booted CM7, rebooted to MTD recovery, and did a full nandroid restore. No Odin required. Unless I'm missing something though, this actually makes perfect sense.
When we use CWM4fixed to install CM7 over a BML rom, the CM7 install runs within that recovery and installs the new MTD recovery to a separate partition. This is why we're left with 2 different recoveries afterwards. But here's the catch: sure, the BML recovery can't interact with our new MTD file system, but the SD card holding our zips is still FAT32 and should thus remain readable by either recovery. Assuming I understand all of this correctly, what does this mean to us?
Simple: say you get a boot loop but there isn't a desktop with Odin or ADB handy. As long as you have a working SD card with an uncorrupted CM7 install zip and can access CWM4fixed via three-button, you should be able to get CM7 back up and running rather painlessly.
So here's my question: Am I correct? I've done it myself on my Fascinate, but that could have been a fluke and I'm mistakenly applying logic here that simply doesn't belong. It just seems to make sense though in retrospect. If this does in fact hold true, we've been avoiding a potentially useful and time-saving fix this whole time. If not, then this whole thing just makes me look stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whatever works for you man, but you know the saying "better to be safe than odining"
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Related

Want to install Vegan Ginerbread rc-1 rom after NV flash please help.

Son after first installing vegan 5.1 with no problems I tried to install gingerbread edition of vegan rc-1 and could not get past the boot screen. I was not sure how to NVflash but thanks to everyone here!!! Big Thanks!!! I was able to restore the tab and now it is running 1.1-3588.
Now I want to install vegan GE RC1 and was told I need to nvflash because it is a problem with partitioning. So if I go to the instructions on how to install it it says just like any other rom.
I just want to confirm because it seems counter intuitive to me.
I install ClockWork Mod .8 and then partition the tab at 2 and 0. Then copy the update file and install that like I would any other rom through clockwork?
Since I had already had the tab running vegan it was before I flashed it with GE RC1 partitioned in the same way. So why would I need to re-partition or do I simply install the mod and then re-partition??
I am a little confused can someone help me from this step.
I just do not want to be where I was at before.
Thanks again,
Robert
If you really nvflashed You should have no problem flashing to vegan ginger
Just install it as any other Tom's and remember after first reboot turn it off and reboot again
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
My question is do I install Clockwork mod and partition first and then install vegan or install vegan and then install clock work afterwards?>
Thanks for the help in advance!!
I got the rebooting part but I just want to be sure about cwm first and then install the vegan GE.
Rob
Just start over which means start by instally cwm 08, then do the whole flashing process, repartition,clear data,cache,delvik. Then install the vegan zip
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Djapatos said:
Just start over which means start by instally cwm 08, then do the whole flashing process, repartition,clear data,cache,delvik. Then install the vegan zip
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's 'the whole flashing process'?? I keep reding everywhere that I need to run NVFlash on my unit before I can run any Gingerbread based roms, however no one says what exactly I'm supposed to be do with nvflash. What am I flashing with it? Do I need to run a command line on the unit to prep the memory? Do I need to push a different rom image, like the nvflash_gtablet_2010110500.zip? Where can I find this answer?
I can install any of the stock roms without issue but it won't boot with any of the gingerbread based ones and I'm stuck.
The answer lies with this NVFLASH that needs to be done but I don't know what to flash. I'm sure it's easy enough once I figure out where to look.
Can anyone point me the right direction?
-Maj
Read the nvflash thread in development. The partitioning nvflash does to the internal file partition structure. On some tabs there are 2 reversed partitions which wont allow gb roms to boot. The partitioning done by clockwork is to the internal sdcard. 2Gb for the system and 14Gb for user files.
thebadfrog said:
Read the nvflash thread in development. The partitioning nvflash does to the internal file partition structure. On some tabs there are 2 reversed partitions which wont allow gb roms to boot. The partitioning done by clockwork is to the internal sdcard. 2Gb for the system and 14Gb for user files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh finally! Someone gives me a strait answer! lol Now if I may ask another to clarify...
My unit is brand new, no updates, no hacks, original out of the box image.
Should I still run the NVFLASH utility to put on the nvflash_gtablet_2010110500.zip image, then try to put the Gingerbread rom on using CWR?
-maj
**UPDATE**
OK here's what I did this time on a brand new, out of box unit:
Removed unit from box and powered on.
Installed CWR using SD method.
Booted to CWR and cleared all caches
Installed G-Harmony-G 2.3.3 rom and rebooted.
Machine powers on to the Viewsonic screen and that's it. So what am I missing here?
I realize ths seems lame but I appear to be missing something in this process.
I assume I have to put the original image back on so should I use the NVFLASH image now, then the above process?
-Maj
If it wont boot gingerbread roms then you will have to nvflash. If you dont care about gingerbread then dont nvflash
nv flash
after you nv flash to stock go to settings security and factory reset! then install clockworkmod through the factory recovery. you do this by simply downloading clockwork .8 extract to a micro sd card u should have 2 files recovery and update! insert the sd into the gtab power up by hold ing volume down and power together for a few seconds and that should flash clockwork. after done boot into recovery again the same way but this time the tab will boot cwm wipe data cache format boot,system,data,cache or download caulkins format all and flash! then install your favorite rom !

ROM bootup

I tried flashing Ken's GB ROM today and for some reason it would just load the AT&T screen then restart. I flashed the zips through CWM, what might I have done wrong?
which recovery did you use? did you wipe? and try to re-download it. you may have gotten a damaged file. it happens. this is why we have MD5 sums
I used rom manager, I wiped after (maybe I should have done it before?), and what's an mds sum?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I just used the new official CWM for Atrix (as opposed to tenfar's custom build) to flash navalynt's CherryBlur1.2 over my old 2.3.4HKTW ROM, which I had modified with navalynt's 1.8 rollup package.
I'm also bootlooping on the Atrix logo (instead of the Motorola logo; I think it was part of the theme included in the update package, and it'd be nice to be able to change it back to the stock somehow). I'd take your advice and try redownloading the .zip of the ROM, but, uh, I don't really know how to access my phone's internal storage without being able to boot it up.
Should I manually try flashing the .img files via fastboot interface, or what? I really picked a bad time to screw with my phone, because I'm expecting a call about a new job...
Obscene Topiary said:
I just used the new official CWM for Atrix (as opposed to tenfar's custom build) to flash navalynt's CherryBlur1.2 over my old 2.3.4HKTW ROM, which I had modified with navalynt's 1.8 rollup package.
I'm also bootlooping on the Atrix logo (instead of the Motorola logo; I think it was part of the theme included in the update package, and it'd be nice to be able to change it back to the stock somehow). I'd take your advice and try redownloading the .zip of the ROM, but, uh, I don't really know how to access my phone's internal storage without being able to boot it up.
Should I manually try flashing the .img files via fastboot interface, or what? I really picked a bad time to screw with my phone, because I'm expecting a call about a new job...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, if you didn't make a nandroid backup, you need to flash the image files of your previous rom
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Well, this is very strange. I restored the backup I had made, although I got an error from CWM about being unable to wipe /data... nonetheless it booted properly. I loaded a new download of the .zip, flashed it in CWM with no apparent errors, and now instead of bootlooping on the custom Atrix animation, it's bootlooping on the Motorola "dual core technology" screen (not the actual bootloader screen with "unlocked" in the corner, but after that). I'm really confounded by all of this.
Forum is full of similar threads.
Rom Manager doesn't successfully wipe. You need to run a fastboot -w or reinstall tenfar's CWM and wipe, then reinstall your ROM. This will resolve your bootloop.
EDIT: You're seeing the same problem...bootlooping. The ROM's just have different boot animations: Atrix logo vs. Default Moto.
quicklyspent said:
Forum is full of similar threads.
Rom Manager doesn't successfully wipe. You need to run a fastboot -w or reinstall tenfar's CWM and wipe, then reinstall your ROM. This will resolve your bootloop.
EDIT: You're seeing the same problem...bootlooping. The ROM's just have different boot animations: Atrix logo vs. Default Moto.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I just used fastboot to reflash the stock HKTW images, and of course it's fine now. I'd just like to be able to get CherryBlur to work properly.
Edit: Got it. The .zip installed properly using tenfar's CWM. Ironically enough, tenfar's custom implementation of CWM works better than ROM Manager's, although obnoxiously it's unable to mount the phone's internal SD storage, so an external SD card must be used for installing .zips. ROM Manager's CWM can mount the internal storage, but has other issues. Lol, so convoluted.
Obscene Topiary said:
Yes, I just used fastboot to reflash the stock HKTW images, and of course it's fine now. I'd just like to be able to get CherryBlur to work properly.
Edit: Got it. The .zip installed properly using tenfar's CWM. Ironically enough, tenfar's custom implementation of CWM works better than ROM Manager's, although obnoxiously it's unable to mount the phone's internal SD storage, so an external SD card must be used for installing .zips. ROM Manager's CWM can mount the internal storage, but has other issues. Lol, so convoluted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's just a matter of time before rom managers cwm works properly
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

[Q] Galaxy Player 5.0 Stuck In CWM Recovery

Ohai!
I have a Galaxy Player 5.0 USA (YP-G70), and a few days ago I installed Entropy512's kernel via the `dd` method. Everything worked nicely, until I decided to boot into ClockworkMod Recovery by holding the volume up key while booting. It booted into the recovery menu, and everything worked nice, but when I hit 'reboot' or 'shutdown', it booted right back into recovery (after seeing the SAMSUNG screen for about 5 seconds).
I've done pretty much everything I can think of. I've reflashed the kernel, flashed CM7 and CM9, and I tried flashing a stock ROM that I found. Flashing the kernel from the stock ROM causes my device to instead go into "Android System Recovery" rather than ClockworkMod Recovery, but I'm able to get back into CWM by flashing Entropy's kernel with heimdall.
I'm capable of getting root access with `adb shell`. I've wiped almost everything on the device (used the 'wipe data/factory reset' option and 'wipe cache partition' option) but still continues to boot into CWM recovery.
I'm not too interested in simply fixing the device so it's back to stock, as I *really* want CM9. I have a Droid X to keep me busy for now, so I found that my Galaxy Player has been just sitting there, collecting dust. If I can get it to run CM9, I'd have more use for it.
I apologize if I left out some important information. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
- Ben
Just an update, I tried an exitrecovery.zip, which did not help. I also extracted the exitrecovery.sh from the zip and executed the one command it had inside it manually in a root shell. Still stuck. Is my device bricked in some form? I'm pretty sure there is some bootflag that tells it to boot into recovery, even if everything is fine.
I would suggest to go ahead and flash CM9, because your problem may be caused by formatting/corrupting /system (the kernel has nothing to load, so it drops you into recovery).
Once you flash cm9, however, do not flash Entropy's kernel again.
Sent from my YP-G70
East gsstert
Mevordel said:
I would suggest to go ahead and flash CM9, because your problem may be caused by formatting/corrupting /system (the kernel has nothing to load, so it drops you into recovery).
Once you flash cm9, however, do not flash Entropy's kernel again.
Sent from my YP-G70
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I actually ended up trying so, and CM7 as well, to no avail. I also tried flashing stock, as I said in the post (I think, maybe I forgot to mention it) and it failed. (I used heimdall to flash stock)
I ended up giving up and replacing the device since it was under warranty, but I regret doing such as I *really* wanted to know why this happened in the first place. I'm anxious to get CM9 on it. Should I just put the device into download mode and use heimdall to flash CM9?
No. The safest way (and easiest, IMO) I think is to root it while on stock, install Entropy's kernel (extract the zip and dd it), and use CWM to wipe your device and install CM9, plus back up stock if you want to.
Sent from my 5.0 US with ICS
Mevordel said:
No. The safest way (and easiest, IMO) I think is to root it while on stock, install Entropy's kernel (extract the zip and dd it), and use CWM to wipe your device and install CM9, plus back up stock if you want to.
Sent from my 5.0 US with ICS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apologies for the late reply.
That is what I did last time. I actually got stuck in CWM before even trying to flash CM9 or anything. I just booted into recovery, and then instantly clicked on 'reboot'.
Hmmm... that's really interesting. Although I still have no idea why it would have this problem (I've never had it on Entropy's kernel - which version are you using?), I think I know what the problem is. When you tell android to "reboot recovery", it puts a file in the boot partition that the kernel sees after the reboot and tells it to enter recovery mode. Logically, that file gets deleted so the system boots normally next time. It seems that in your case that failed to happen. But I still am wondering why...
Sent from my 5.0 US with ICS
Mevordel said:
Hmmm... that's really interesting. Although I still have no idea why it would have this problem (I've never had it on Entropy's kernel - which version are you using?), I think I know what the problem is. When you tell android to "reboot recovery", it puts a file in the boot partition that the kernel sees after the reboot and tells it to enter recovery mode. Logically, that file gets deleted so the system boots normally next time. It seems that in your case that failed to happen. But I still am wondering why...
Sent from my 5.0 US with ICS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, seems to be probably what happened. I actually ended up trying again on the new Galaxy Player, and things went swimmingly. I am now happily running CM9 on this device. However, I am scared to even think about booting into recovery again. (I only went into recovery to flash the kernel, and wipe the data partition)

Looking for some technical information about the boot process

I just tried to flash a ROM and it ended up strangly. As a disclaimer: this is not a "MY PHONE IS BROKEN PLZ HELP ME!" post. I managed to get around this somehow, but I want to realize what technically happened in order to deepen my knowlage about the Android boot process. I come from a background of a Linux PC developer, but I didn't develop anything for Android yet.
So this is the boot process as I understand it, please correct me where I'm wrong:
When you turn on the device, the first thing that happens is that the CPU executes the Radio. The Radio allows the software to preform basic communication with the hardware, and is similar to the PC's BIOS. The Radio can be replaced, but if replaced with a problematic Radio, there's nothing you can do with home equipment to restore it (meaning a full brick).
Once loaded, the Radio executes the boot loader from the flash memory. The boot loader is like GRUB on a PC Linux system. It is the one that traps magic keys like "Volume up + Home" and decides, whether to boot the ROM, the recovery console or just "boot itself".
Both the ROM and the recovery software reside in differents partitions, and the bootloader chooses which partition to boot from.
In normal boot, the bootloader chooses to load the Linux kernel from the system partition and pass the execution to it. The Linux kernel loads Java, which loads the launcher, etc etc...
As I understand, a normal boot process doesn't involve the recovery software at all, and each ROM comes with its own custom-compiled Linux kernel.
The recovery software is like another operating system, which allows you replace the operating system in the system partition (AKA the ROM). Is the recovery software based on the Linux kernel too, or is it an independed software written in C/Assembly? If it is based on the Linux kernel, does it share a kernel with the ROM, or does it have its own version of the Linux kernel?
Now, this is what happened when I tried to flash Cyanogenmod 10 into a Galaxy S device running Cyanogenmod 7. I booted into recovery, backed up and wiped. To my understanding, backup means creating images of the system and data partition, storing these image files in the SD card and sign them with MD5.
When I tried to install the ROM, it warned me that my current partition layout won't fit to the new ROM, and I need to install again to confirm.
Now, when installing an OS in a PC, you can alter the partitions because the OS installation runs from a CD or a DOK, but if the recovery software runs from the disk too, how can it alter the partition table?
Anyways, once I confirmed, the phoned crashed and entered a boot loop. As I understood, flashing a ROM doesn't do anything to the recovery partition, so in any case I can always boot back to recovery and restore the backup. I was probably wrong, because when I tried to boot into recovery I found out that I have a different recovery software (The previous one had the Clockwork icon and a black background, and the new one had gray background and the Android Logo. I tried to restore the backup using the new recovery software but it failed, complaining that it can't format the system partition and that there's a problem with "MTD" (What's that?). I tried to reformat the system partition from the recovery software, but doing so caused it just to return to the main recovery screen without preforming anything or complaining about errors. Same thing when I tried to preform factory reset.
After some failed attemps, what I tried is to flash the old CM7 ROM, not from a backup, but from a clean zip. The recovery console claimed that it succeeded, but it did it too fast to be true, and there were almost no prompts beside the one that says that it succeeded.
I tried to restart, and got into a boot-loop again. This time, however, in each boot I could see my prevoius Clockwork recovery software for a second before the phone restarted again. I booted again into recovery mode to find my previous old recovery software. I tried to restore the backup and it succeeded. Now, I don't really understand what happened:
1. How come flashing ROMs changed the recovery software? I though that I zip containing a ROM contains only a ROM (A Linux kernel, Java JVM etc etc...), not a recovery software.
2. After I tried to flash CM7 back I could see the recovery screen in the boot-loop. Why did I see that screen if I didn't choose explicitly to boot into recovery?
3. How can the recovery software change the partition layout of the memory that it resides on by itself?
4. How come that the previous recovery software managed to restore that backup? As I understood, I ruined the partition layout, so what magic did the old recovery software that the new one couldn't do?
Thanks for the help
r.darwish said:
I just tried to flash a ROM and it ended up strangly. As a disclaimer: this is not a "MY PHONE IS BROKEN PLZ HELP ME!" post. I managed to get around this somehow, but I want to realize what technically happened in order to deepen my knowlage about the Android boot process. I come from a background of a Linux PC developer, but I didn't develop anything for Android yet.
So this is the boot process as I understand it, please correct me where I'm wrong:
When you turn on the device, the first thing that happens is that the CPU executes the Radio. The Radio allows the software to preform basic communication with the hardware, and is similar to the PC's BIOS. The Radio can be replaced, but if replaced with a problematic Radio, there's nothing you can do with home equipment to restore it (meaning a full brick).
Once loaded, the Radio executes the boot loader from the flash memory. The boot loader is like GRUB on a PC Linux system. It is the one that traps magic keys like "Volume up + Home" and decides, whether to boot the ROM, the recovery console or just "boot itself".
Both the ROM and the recovery software reside in differents partitions, and the bootloader chooses which partition to boot from.
In normal boot, the bootloader chooses to load the Linux kernel from the system partition and pass the execution to it. The Linux kernel loads Java, which loads the launcher, etc etc...
As I understand, a normal boot process doesn't involve the recovery software at all, and each ROM comes with its own custom-compiled Linux kernel.
The recovery software is like another operating system, which allows you replace the operating system in the system partition (AKA the ROM). Is the recovery software based on the Linux kernel too, or is it an independed software written in C/Assembly? If it is based on the Linux kernel, does it share a kernel with the ROM, or does it have its own version of the Linux kernel?
Now, this is what happened when I tried to flash Cyanogenmod 10 into a Galaxy S device running Cyanogenmod 7. I booted into recovery, backed up and wiped. To my understanding, backup means creating images of the system and data partition, storing these image files in the SD card and sign them with MD5.
When I tried to install the ROM, it warned me that my current partition layout won't fit to the new ROM, and I need to install again to confirm.
Now, when installing an OS in a PC, you can alter the partitions because the OS installation runs from a CD or a DOK, but if the recovery software runs from the disk too, how can it alter the partition table?
Anyways, once I confirmed, the phoned crashed and entered a boot loop. As I understood, flashing a ROM doesn't do anything to the recovery partition, so in any case I can always boot back to recovery and restore the backup. I was probably wrong, because when I tried to boot into recovery I found out that I have a different recovery software (The previous one had the Clockwork icon and a black background, and the new one had gray background and the Android Logo. I tried to restore the backup using the new recovery software but it failed, complaining that it can't format the system partition and that there's a problem with "MTD" (What's that?). I tried to reformat the system partition from the recovery software, but doing so caused it just to return to the main recovery screen without preforming anything or complaining about errors. Same thing when I tried to preform factory reset.
After some failed attemps, what I tried is to flash the old CM7 ROM, not from a backup, but from a clean zip. The recovery console claimed that it succeeded, but it did it too fast to be true, and there were almost no prompts beside the one that says that it succeeded.
I tried to restart, and got into a boot-loop again. This time, however, in each boot I could see my prevoius Clockwork recovery software for a second before the phone restarted again. I booted again into recovery mode to find my previous old recovery software. I tried to restore the backup and it succeeded. Now, I don't really understand what happened:
1. How come flashing ROMs changed the recovery software? I though that I zip containing a ROM contains only a ROM (A Linux kernel, Java JVM etc etc...), not a recovery software.
2. After I tried to flash CM7 back I could see the recovery screen in the boot-loop. Why did I see that screen if I didn't choose explicitly to boot into recovery?
3. How can the recovery software change the partition layout of the memory that it resides on by itself?
4. How come that the previous recovery software managed to restore that backup? As I understood, I ruined the partition layout, so what magic did the old recovery software that the new one couldn't do?
Thanks for the help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.A recovery could have been packaged in the zip (i use zips to install recoveries too).
2.Im not sure about this but it could be that your bootloader got messed up and didn know what to load.
3.I think this is possible since recovery loads itself into ram and works from there allowing the partition to be changed.
4. I don't know about this one
Also the recovery has it's own kernel it doesn't share it with the rom one(ex. if touch doesnt work in a rom due to its kernel it can work in recovery)
Sent from my LG-P350 using xda premium
nerot said:
1.A recovery could have been packaged in the zip (i use zips to install recoveries too).
2.Im not sure about this but it could be that your bootloader got messed up and didn know what to load.
3.I think this is possible since recovery loads itself into ram and works from there allowing the partition to be changed.
4. I don't know about this one
Also the recovery has it's own kernel it doesn't share it with the rom one(ex. if touch doesnt work in a rom due to its kernel it can work in recovery)
Sent from my LG-P350 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the answer
Maybe someone can confirm if Cyanogenmod is shipped with a recovery software?
r.darwish said:
Thank you for the answer
Maybe someone can confirm if Cyanogenmod is shipped with a recovery software?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Official builds do not contain the recovery.
Sent from my LG-P350 using xda premium
oneovo establish
I used official builds for both 10 and 7.

[Q] Atrix has multiple Android Recoveries

Okay my Atrix 4g has unlocked bootloader, Android 2.3.6, and I flashed CWM recovery the other day, and it worked fine except whenever I plugged in my phone to wall charger, it would boot AUTOMATCALLY into that recovery. Followed this guide: LINK
I then installed CWM recovery 5.0.2.3 from here: LINK
Now again when I plug usb into wall to charge, it boots into the first recovery I installed. I can't see the battery charge symbol.
Now I downloaded this ROM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1836674 and tried to boot into recovery from using the volume down button until "Android recovery" but that takes me to the stock 4 option crap.
So I tried to flash the MROM from ROM manager in the os, and it says restarting into recovery, AGAIN that takes me to the triangle exclamation point crap.
SO MY QUESTION is if I do a disk clear, format from the recovery, would my phone still work with T-mobile afterwards, and I can install the CWM again, and flash the new ROM?? I don't care about losing data, I have only few apps.
Here's a crazy idea - did you by any chance install the recovery image on the BOOT partition instead of the RECOVERY partition?
If you can't do it manually, there is no point in trying with ROM manager, since it can't do anything you can't do yourself.
ravilov said:
Here's a crazy idea - did you by any chance install the recovery image on the BOOT partition instead of the RECOVERY partition?
If you can't do it manually, there is no point in trying with ROM manager, since it can't do anything you can't do yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a crazier idea - do you mind explaining things in more detail, since I am a noob and this is a help forum.
--
When I install the the recovery, it just says hit yes to continue. Please help, rather than telling me that I am an idiot.
Apologies, didn't mean to imply you're stupid or anything. I said "crazy" because it is very unlikely but your symptoms kinda point to exactly that. This can easily happen actually - both the boot image and the recovery image are of the exact same structure (kernel + ramdisk) and the partitions that hold them are both exactly the same size (8 MB). The only difference is, with recovery the ramdisk launches an user interface and never leaves it, while with boot the ramdisk chains to booting your normaly system. Never tried it, but I believe if one flashes recovery on the boot partition, the end result would be that the phone boots into recovery every time you'd expect it to boot normally.
How exactly did you flash recovery? Don't link me to a thread or a procedure but rather describe what you did, what commands you issued and what was the response.
ravilov said:
Apologies, didn't mean to imply you're stupid or anything. I said "crazy" because it is very unlikely but your symptoms kinda point to exactly that. This can easily happen actually - both the boot image and the recovery image are of the exact same structure (kernel + ramdisk) and the partitions that hold them are both exactly the same size (8 MB). The only difference is, with recovery the ramdisk launches an user interface and never leaves it, while with boot the ramdisk chains to booting your normaly system. Never tried it, but I believe if one flashes recovery on the boot partition, the end result would be that the phone boots into recovery every time you'd expect it to boot normally.
How exactly did you flash recovery? Don't link me to a thread or a procedure but rather describe what you did, what commands you issued and what was the response.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem mate.
Well I guess I could tell you what I did, but I did exactly what the guides said:
downloaded the .zip archive, placed contents anyplace, and started cmd from that folder and entered:
adb install MOTOA4_Bootstrap_0408_1720-signed.apk
Then I opened up that app "System Recovery" and hit Install recovery, then I hit recovery mode from the app, and was told to connect the usb to the wall charger, not pc. And that was it for the first recovery. I then noticed that this specific recovery was missing some functions in the actual recovery so I installed 5.0.2.3 later.
I downloaded the .zip from the site and placed inside phone internal SD, the second link from OP here, turned on phone and went into Android recovery and it opened up the one I installed just a minute ago, and hit install zip from sdcard, I hit internal, and selected the .zip I downloaded from that site. I hit reboot recovery and it booted into that recovery, 5.0.2.3, the real one.
To go to this new one, I insert wall usb to phone and it boots in the first recovery, and I hit, reboot recovery, and it takes me to the new one.
NOW whenever I plug in usb to wall to charge, it boots in the old recovery, and I don't see charge symbol. I have calibrated my battery 3 times, and it is still CRAP (brand new 1800mah battery for mb860).
Anyways, I thought to ask here if I did a wipe data from the new recovery, or old, would it get rid of this whole mess?
Hmm ok.
I told you this before but here goes again. I'd give up on random guides from random sites. Everything you need is right here on this forum.
Not to mention, the recovery in that ZIP is slightly older, there is a newer one available.
Here's what I'd do if I were you.
Do you have fastboot installed? If not, search for it on the forum for moto-fastboot, it's just one .exe file (no installation). Also make sure you have Motorola USB drivers installed.
Download RomRacer's recovery from here (I linked you this before btw). Make sure to select the IMG version, not the ZIP. Choose whatever color you want.
Place the downloaded IMG into the same folder where moto-fastboot is, and rename it into something simple, say recovery.img.
Power off your phone and power it back on while holding Vol(-), make sure it says Fastboot on the screen, then confirm with Vol(+).
Start the command prompt and go into the folder with moto-fastboot, then connect the phone with the computer and enter this command:
Code:
moto-fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
Done. Reboot with Power+Vol(-) but this time select Android recovery (use Vol(-) to move the selection). You should enter the newly installed recovery.
The ZIP you downloaded seems fine, but it's somewhat likely your boot is also messed up too. If all this goes well, you can try finding the T-Mobile fruitcake (go over to the Atrix Reboot Project thread) and flashing it from the recovery. Be aware though that you might lose all data in doing this.
Once again, I told you all this before (not in as much detail though), hopefully this time you'll actually listen.
ravilov said:
Here's what I'd do if I were you.
Do you have fastboot installed? If not, search for it on the forum for moto-fastboot, it's just one .exe file (no installation). Also make sure you have Motorola USB drivers installed.
Download RomRacer's recovery from here (I linked you this before btw). Make sure to select the IMG version, not the ZIP. Choose whatever color you want.
Place the downloaded IMG into the same folder where moto-fastboot is, and rename it into something simple, say recovery.img.
Power off your phone and power it back on while holding Vol(-), make sure it says Fastboot on the screen, then confirm with Vol(+).
Start the command prompt and go into the folder with moto-fastboot, then connect the phone with the computer and enter this command:
Code:
moto-fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
Done. Reboot with Power+Vol(-) but this time select Android recovery (use Vol(-) to move the selection). You should enter the newly installed recovery.
Once again, I told you all this before (not in as much detail though), hopefully this time you'll actually listen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ALRIGHT thanks for this actual guide.
It installed fine, works fine, AND AGAIN whenever I plug the wall charger in when the phone is off, it boots into the OLD OLD recovery, from the first link.
I still can't see the battery.
Please stop throwing sass at me. :crying:
Sorry, sorry.
Anyway, I'm thinking your recovery is fine, but I think somewhere down the line your boot partition got messed up. That's why I said you should try installing the T-Mobile fruitcake. (Fruitcakes are ROMs just like any other but contain the pure untouched stock firmware.)
When my phone is off and I plug it in, I get the boot logo and then the full-screen battery appears, just like it should be. However I'm not sure what this depends on. I always thought this graphics is contained within the bootloader (and thus no amount of messing around with flashing can interfere), but I could be wrong...
ravilov said:
Sorry, sorry.
Anyway, I'm thinking your recovery is fine, but I think somewhere down the line your boot partition got messed up. That's why I said you should try installing the T-Mobile fruitcake. (Fruitcakes are ROMs just like any other but contain the pure untouched stock firmware.)
When my phone is off and I plug it in, I get the boot logo and then the full-screen battery appears, just like it should be. However I'm not sure what this depends on. I always thought this graphics is contained within the bootloader (and thus no amount of messing around with flashing can interfere), but I could be wrong...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can only find this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1163009
I downloaded the 2.3.6 ROM from the backup thread. Says nothing about T-mobile.So do I just install this from the new CWM?
Is there just no way of getting rid of CWM recovery so I can install it just once, rather than you keep telling me to install this and that?
Wait, I'm confused. You want to get rid of CWM?
The point of my previous post was to make sure you have the latest RomRacer's CWM installed fully and properly. Now that you have it installed there is no need to install it again.
Not sure what's your final goal though...?
This is the thread for the Atrix Reboot Project: http://cleanimport.xda/index.php?threads/1805666/
I think the AT&T 2.3.6 ROM should work on T-Mobile too, but in all honesty, I'm not sure. I think it'd be best if someone else answers this part.
ravilov said:
Wait, I'm confused. You want to get rid of CWM?
The point of my previous post was to make sure you have the latest RomRacer's CWM installed fully and properly. Now that you have it installed there is no need to install it again.
Not sure what's your final goal though...?
This is the thread for the Atrix Reboot Project: http://cleanimport.xda/index.php?threads/1805666/
I think the AT&T 2.3.6 ROM should work on T-Mobile too, but in all honesty, I'm not sure. I think it'd be best if someone else answers this part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES!!! Because everytime I connect the damn charger it boots cwm. AND EVERYTIME I hit ANDROID RECOVERY I boot into the OLD OLD OLD OLD Recovery.
why is that hard to understand? I want to uninstall ALL the cwms, and install the one you sent me just to have that one, rather having 3 different cwms I have right now.
Also that thread is just a bunch of people talking about nothing really. HAS ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with T-mobile whatsoever.
I just want to make sure that this AT&T phone will still work with my t mobile sim card after I install ROMs!!!!
---
And for the love of all that is holy, don't reply with: "why won't it?"
BECAUSE THAT IS WHY I AM ASKING. I have never done this, that is why I ASK!!!!!
It is hard to understand because I don't know how is it even possible to have multiple recoveries installed.
At this point I would suggest you just go ahead and install the 2.3.6 fruitcake you downloaded. Make sure to boot into the CWM you just installed. (Man, even this last sentence feels weird... More than one recovery?!)
ravilov said:
It is hard to understand because I don't know how is it even possible to have multiple recoveries installed.
At this point I would suggest you just go ahead and install the 2.3.6 fruitcake you downloaded. Make sure to boot into the CWM you just installed. (Man, even this last sentence feels weird... More than one recovery?!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SO there is NO WAY to remove CWM recoveries?????
LOL THIS IS FUNNY! Now when I plug charger in, it just boots into OS, and when I hit android recovery with VOL buttons, it shows the white triangle.
Still don't get what that rom did. Installed it, and nothing, except for losing all my data.
This forum made things worse.
Thank you.
EDIT: OKAY NOW it shows the battery when plugged in but still the white triangle crap in the recovery.
You must have SOME recovery. You can install TWRP if you like that better, but you must have SOMETHING. By following the procedure I described you properly installed RomRacer's CWM so that part is fine. Now, why are you still sometimes getting the stock 4-option recovery - only heaven knows.
I don't think there's a way to install the stock Motorola recovery other than installing the full SBF, however SBFs are VERY dangerous and nobody is going to recommend that.
I really can't imagine what you've done with your phone. The mere fact you have multiple recoveries raises a big red flag right there. I tried to help the best way I can, but since obviously it's not doing much good, I'm going to refrain from further comments and let someone else take over. Good luck.
Ravilov has said it all but its pretty spread out trying to figure out what happened so I'm hoping I can tie it all together.
If you attempt to boot into recovery and get the old android recovery but booting normally puts you into CWM Recovery then somehow you have flashed the BOOT partition with CWM image. To fix this just download the correct fruitcake and flash the BOOT.IMG to the BOOT partition using the moto-fastboot tool and reboot. I would recommend erasing the BOOT partition first just in case.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Thanks for your patience and help Ravilov
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

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