Uhmmm question? - Motorola Droid RAZR

I keep seeing posts about not being able to come back from ICS to GB I want to know why? I'm not dumb and I have looked but don't really understand why you couldn't come back from a leak? There are methods of completely wiping the operating system from the phone I've done it could you not do this after installing a leak?
Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using XDA
Oops I don't know how to delete a post just logged in with my PC and seen the new Q&A section didn't see that on my phone mods can delete if needed or move it if possible!!!

Because 4.0.4 leaks update the bootloader and since the bootloader is locked you can't revert it back to an older one. If I understand it right.

daniel644 said:
Because 4.0.4 leaks update the bootloader and since the bootloader is locked you can't revert it back to an older one. If I understand it right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is correct. And fastbooting doesn't / can't flash bootloaders. So that's why were stuck.
Sent from my XT912 using XDA

OK
So a bootloader is like the bios of a motherboard? But locked or not if you erase everything I don't know did the bootloader not change with the first leaks?

Not quite.
The bootloader can be upgraded (this happens usually with a OTA) but cannot be downgraded.
Sent from my XT910 using xda premium

OK see what I'm saying if the bootloader gets upgraded with a OTA it can not be wiped? So not all the leaks have the bootloader upgrade within them then? This is why I'm having these questions when I upgraded flashed to the first leak I had a few problems with it and didn't fully know how to get it back off and back to stock I installed bootstrap and played with it all of about 2minutes before I had completely erased everything on my phone and could not go anywhere and had to fastboot with fastboot file. What I'm saying is if the upgrades come with a updated bootloader sometimes then formatting the internal memory can delete everything and you can apfastboot back to another stock rom right? I would belive this could work you just need a way to get to a custom recovery mode to be able to format the internal memory? I may be confusing more people than I want but wanted to understand this better!
Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using XDA

xgshortbus25 said:
OK see what I'm saying if the bootloader gets upgraded with a OTA it can not be wiped? So not all the leaks have the bootloader upgrade within them then? This is why I'm having these questions when I upgraded flashed to the first leak I had a few problems with it and didn't fully know how to get it back off and back to stock I installed bootstrap and played with it all of about 2minutes before I had completely erased everything on my phone and could not go anywhere and had to fastboot with fastboot file. What I'm saying is if the upgrades come with a updated bootloader sometimes then formatting the internal memory can delete everything and you can apfastboot back to another stock rom right? I would belive this could work you just need a way to get to a custom recovery mode to be able to format the internal memory? I may be confusing more people than I want but wanted to understand this better!
Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume it is because the phones BIOS will allow upgrades to the bootstrap code, but not downgrades. It's probably tied to the revision string value.
The .79 leak is (I'm pretty sure) the latest leak that doesn't upgrade the bootstrap code (aka bootloader), so reverting to GB is possible from .79 or earlier leaks. I re-flashed GB from .79 last week, so I can confirm that it does actually work. I'm on .181, waiting for an OTA release of .912190282762628 from Motonverizola.
Motorola may know a trick to force a bootstrap downgrade, but I do not.

The bootloader is not the only problem, it can be downgraded without a problem (e.g. from 0A.74 to 0A.6C). The reason that we cannot downgrade from ICS to GB is the signature on each partition. The partitions are getting signed. For example the boot (kernel) partition gets a higher secure number when updated. Now, when we want to flash another boot.img, its secure number has to match with that one from the boot partition, otherwise there will come up an signature verification error. And the same thing applies to the another partitions (except /system which is unsigned). The bootloader is responsible for the signature checks. If it were unlocked the signatur checks could be turned off and we were able to flash anything to the device.
But there are some tricks possible to perform a downgrade. But this would be a lot of work (patching fastboot files to the ICS-matching secure versions or signatures. Decrypting of Motos signature is nearly impossible, so we would have to patch already signed files - too much work and not really needed)
And official ICS will come now and with it we will get a lot of nice things. We will be able to bypass the bootloader for booting custom kernels, we will get full working custom roms and we will be able to use the full power of our Razr.

I hate to be that guy but seriously:
3. Post only using a clear subject and message.
You're most likely to receive a helpful answer to your question if you use a short subject title that describes your problem and a message that explains in detail what your problem is and what you've tried to solve it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

OK got it now!
Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using XDA

I think we should start something like a community project to guess n hack the bootloader encryption. Heck, I could leave my lappy on 24x7 n use brute force.

cheekrox said:
I think we should start something like a community project to guess n hack the bootloader encryption. Heck, I could leave my lappy on 24x7 n use brute force.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We could use a cloud based array to crack it XD
BUT i don't think setting up this system is worth the work. Some dev are hinting that after the ics ota we will don't need the unlocked bootloader. So just wait and hope for the best

It's likely the encryption key is nigh on unbreakable even with a cloud based array it would take years, by which time we will no longer have our Razrs so it would be a waste of time.
Guide to AES encryption:
http://www.moserware.com/2009/09/stick-figure-guide-to-advanced.html

Related

[Q] Atrix: Bootloader unlocked? What can I do with that?

So I've had my Atrix for a few months now, and it's mostly awesome. I'm coming from having owned an iPhone before, and it's just fantastic. I've stayed away from modding it too much however, since I knew the bootloader was locked and not a lot could really be done. But, according to several posts I see here, the bootloader seems to have been unlocked recently. Yay?
So, I ask that you forgive my ignorance. What does this mean? Does a given ROM need to be modified to work with every model of phone? If so, which ones presently work with the Atrix? Any? (It looks like the unlock was found very recently.) How does that process work exactly? Is there any way to ensure a recovery path if something were to go wrong, so that I don't brick my phone?
I'm just curious here. Presently, my phone is on the stock firmware without any upgrades at all, and I've simply rooted it and installed the webtop mod so I could play games on my TV. Other than that, it's been lots of Android Market for me. I'd like to branch out, and I don't even know where to begin.
There aren't any custom rom's for this yet, there's work being done, so it's just a matter of time. However, there is a developer build from Asia that can be flashed. There are a few issues with it, so if you are averse to troubleshooting or dealing with issues then just wait a few days.
One of the good things you can do right now though is to Unlock it, and then install the Clockwork Mod recovery port in the developer's section. You can use that to make full system backup that you can flash.
Can I flash the UK Firmware on a unlocked ATT Atrix now?
Pretty sure you can at least fastboot flash the CG from the SBF (need system and boot) not sure about flashing the whole SBF. You can try though.
schlupp88 said:
Can I flash the UK Firmware on a unlocked ATT Atrix now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
_Dennis_ said:
Pretty sure you can at least fastboot flash the CG from the SBF (need system and boot) not sure about flashing the whole SBF. You can try though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
_Dennis_ is right. You should sbf_flash -x to extract the UK firmware and use fastboot to flash just boot.img (CG56 in Froyo) and system.img (CG57 in Froyo). If you want to flash the radio, use a custom .sbf (for AT&T) with only the radio. We don't yet know whether you can replace your bootloader with a UK bootloader. We still flashed a signed bootloader to our phone. In the worst case, if you flash a UK signed bootloader and your boot ROM is looking to find an AT&T signature in your bootloader: BAD! It is fairly unclear that the unlock ALSO tells boot ROM not to care about signatures, it may very well still care. And the order of RSD: erase,write,verify is a little dangerous...
I as well, don't know much about this... but as far as I know, this will mean that developers will be able to create real operating systems for the phone and not have to wait for att/moto to do that...
in the past it was an OS from att/moto, and all the "roms" in xda were actually the same OS but with some skins and mods added to them...
Yes, if you look at the development forums for just about any other android phone, you will see full customized ROMs that can be installed. That's where we are headed.
_Dennis_ said:
Pretty sure you can at least fastboot flash the CG from the SBF (need system and boot) not sure about flashing the whole SBF. You can try though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did a test with this.
I flashed 1.8.3 SBF over my unlocked bootloader to see if I could use moto-fastboot to flash over a 'stock' bootloader. It works to flash system (since it is still technically unlocked) but fails to flash boot.
So DO NOT TRY TO SBF FLASH A INTERNATIONAL VERSION unless you want to be stuck on the version with no way to get your phone back off.
I also would not flash the boot.img of a international version for the same reason.
beatphreek said:
One of the good things you can do right now though is to Unlock it, and then install the Clockwork Mod recovery port in the developer's section. You can use that to make full system backup that you can flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just finished unlocking and installed the new CWM recovery, just waiting for some roms! About the full system backup with CWM, does is deposit a folder to the SD card I can remove for safe keeping like TIBu? I never used CWM to backup or restore.
climo said:
I just finished unlocking and installed the new CWM recovery, just waiting for some roms! About the full system backup with CWM, does is deposit a folder to the SD card I can remove for safe keeping like TIBu? I never used CWM to backup or restore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that the backup will be found in a Clockwork folder on your sd card. I also think that when you do the backup you will get to choose the destination. Either sd or external sd.
I haven't used the bl unlock or the new ClockworkMod (Just waiting on a nice rom). But that is how it went for me on the previous CWM that didn't require the unlocked bootloader.
Maybe someone who has this newer stuff can shed a little more light on it.
beatphreek said:
One of the good things you can do right now though is to Unlock it, and then install the Clockwork Mod recovery port in the developer's section. You can use that to make full system backup that you can flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this essentially create an image of your device? Or does it just back up the firmware?
When CWM backs up ur files it creates a image file of
Boot.img
Cache.img
Data.img
recovery.img
system.img
so yes it does use a image.
Y'all talking about custom ROM's and such, no one seems to care about overcloking.. no one seems to realize what a beast a 1.4ghz Atrix would be.
Viamonte said:
Y'all talking about custom ROM's and such, no one seems to care about overcloking.. no one seems to realize what a beast a 1.4ghz Atrix would be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1.
ROMs will sometimes require you to have the custom kernel associated with them. CM7 for the Captivate comes to mind. With custom kernels, the Captivate was a beast. We had the VooDoo lagfix, which actually made the device usable on bootup. We were able to convert all partitions to ext4, and kind-of make the GPS work.
Overclocking is a possibility too. There's so much that is able to be done. It's a bit difficult coming from an iPhone where customization was limited, even with jailbreaking. But you'll soon get the hang of it.
GPS. Nice point too, but Moto itself promisses improvements on the 2.3.4 OTA. This is the most sorely needed fix for me, since my gps SUCKS. It can take anywhere up to 30 minutos to find my locations. Yes, you read that right.
Viamonte said:
GPS. Nice point too, but Moto itself promisses improvements on the 2.3.4 OTA. This is the most sorely needed fix for me, since my gps SUCKS. It can take anywhere up to 30 minutos to find my locations. Yes, you read that right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine works great. You may have a hardware issue?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
JayRolla said:
Mine works great. You may have a hardware issue?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+2
It shouldn't take that long to lock on. Mine locks on instantly.

[Q] how to unlock boot loader and install roms (2.3.6)

im already rooted (used the old fashion command way)
i also need a good recovery (someone recommend the best one) ( i need to be able to do nan droid backups )
im going for jokers ICS rom ^.^
so please i need walk throughs that work with my version of atrix
system version = 4.5.141.mb860.att.en.us
model= mb860
android version=2.3.6
baseband = n_01.77.37p
webtop (not that i care) =wt-1.2.0-110_oly-6
kernel=2.6.32.9 [email protected] #2
build#=4.5.141
i appreciate the help!
also what is the downside to this? would i not be able to use the official ICS update?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1154600
This is a great thread for new users. I suggest you read it thoroughly. If you have questions ask after you have read up on the process that you are asking about.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Well I did read that ,actually if you look in my signature I already have a backflop running 2.3.4 on cm7. I am looking for what people think is best for the atrix. and the process for the new 2.3.6 update that caused some upset.
*EDIT* I'm sorry I did realize this wasn't posted from my computer
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
if ur on at&t !!
the best way to unlock is to use the automatic bootloader unlocker !!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1182871&highlight=automatic
for how to do it, here's a youtube video describing the same !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6a0BWquqAc
also do some research before doing it !!
and be sure, never flash sbf files or use rsd lite after unlocking the bootloader !!!
i unlocked my bootloader using the automatic unlocker (but i was on 2.3.4[4.5.91]) !!!
Well i need to unlock that to load custom roms right?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
It has been a while since I rooted/unlocked the bootloader of my phone, but if I remember correctly, I followed similar steps as these.
Currently, I am using CWMs Touch Recovery, can be downloaded from their site, then flashed to the recovery partition using fastboot, I'm sure you know how to do this if you rooted the phone via command prompt. Do a google search, otherwise and current recovery image will do find for what you need, but read the reviews before flashing, some fail hard.
Once that is all done, you pretty much are all set, CWM Touch allows for backups to be completed, flashes to occure and wipes to happen.
I would also suggest that instead of just sticking with just jokersax, I would also suggest to check out turls, also available from jokers site. I personaly find turls to be a little more stable, and I seem to have minimal issues with turls, but everytime I see an update is available, I still jump to that one just to see what is up, then I may or may not jump back down, only because I can
After using turls and jokers ICS images, I haven't seen any downsides compared to stock, CM7, or any variants of the like, I love me my ICS. As far as official updates go, I wouldn't be too concerned about that, unless if somewhere else documented, I don't think the ATRIX will be seeing any official updates, but if something does show up, there is a script available on this site to resotre back to stock, then updates should work just fine. This tool seems to do the trick, I've used it personaly myself, got me right back to the stock moto install.
Stock ics from moto is official for q3 its on there site ^.^. But i want is sooner. Im just worried the new 2.3.6 update might of changed something
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
You have to flash an SBF File to your phone Via RSDLite your phone will reboot a few times don't be scared
Then go to command prompt and type in command
fastboot oem unlock
Will give you Unique ID
Then type in
fastboot OEM unlock ############ unique ID
Then bam Unlocked bootloader
Make sure you use the correct SBF File for AT&T
And make sure you have A fastboot.exe file in your android sdk
To flash CWM flash it through the app first then flash it to your phone via Command Prompt
On command prompt type
fastboot flash recovery recovery press shift should auto correct make sure it is in the same folder as your Fastboot.exe
CM9 Bell Atrix using XDA App
thank you so much! how hard is it to reverse this? ( the boot loader unlock) say if i need to RMA it to AT&T or something...also what do you guys use as a recovery and or what do you recommend?
Once you unlock your bootloader - you cannot reverse it - its permanent... you can never re-lock it.
so no more OTA updates?
Not easily - it can be done.... Most NEW Roms are built off the OTA's and are better than the stock releases..... OTA's are not really a big deal. Biggest issue with unlocking your bootloader is that it instantly voids any/all warranties.
*sigh* i know but mine is up as far as i know and i am already two years with the phone....so im just waiting for quad cores...
i was able to return my unlocked Atrix to AT&T by flashing the stock 2.3.4 blah.blah.91 sbf. This does not re-lock it but gets rid of the Unlocked msg at boot screen
thank you ! that's what i needed to know!
so can i install a new recovery before i unlock the boot loader? which would you recommend? as i need to do a nandroid >.< , i did all this on my moto backflip...a while ago..and well....it didnt need an unlock..
ianwardell said:
*sigh* i know but mine is up as far as i know and i am already two years with the phone....so im just waiting for quad cores...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Atrix 4G has only been out for a year a and a few days..... lol.
They gave me an upgrade ......that's odd
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Wrong Version?
I am sure you guys are trying to help out, but most are missing an important fact in his request. I noticed this because I am looking for the same answer for the same version as the OP. 2.3.6
The solutions posted so far all refer to 2.3.4 and do not work with 2.3.6. The one updated thread with a link to a site that claims to work on 2.3.6, does not list the Atrix MB860 with 2.3.6, it does list it with 2.3.4.
This does not work, it gets an dialog box error "failed to chmod file: /data/local/tmp", then another that says "failed to get shell root"
The one thread that users claim it does work with 4.5.141.MB880.ATT.en.US, but that's not an option in the script. And they don't give a clue as to what steps they followed.
EDIT: Took a leap of faith, man that turned my stomach ( this is my wife's phone, I don't want to brick it ). I can confirm that the latest link past page 85 of http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1182871&highlight=automatic is valid as of 03/01/2012 and it is what I used. Followed the OP instructions and then then followed the prompts in the script. It did unlock, then I rooted and flashed CWM, option two.
Its the same as the 2.3.4 way. I figured it out an now have ics jokers rom
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

[Q] Why do I need fastboot?

Hi All -
New to this phone obviously (RAZR MAXX). Trying to get a grasp on it, as it's way more complicated than HTC and Samsung phones. I've rooted and installed 100s of custom ROMs with those brands before. This is my 1st Motorola since the Motorola V120c if anyone is old enough to remember that dinosaur. On nTelos' network nonetheless.
I have some questions that I would like answered and I hope someone will do me the honor as the content is really sporadic.
What is Fastboot for this device, what does it do?
Safestrap & Bootstrap? What's the difference? Which is better?
Can I flash ROMS through CWM like I have in the past?
What purpose does RSD Lite serve other than to flash Fasboot files?
Why would I want to flash fastboot? (Redundant question I think)
Thanks to anyone that takes the time to help me out.
I rooted and flash the crap out of my last phone which was Samsung. This phone seems really complex. I'm really on my toes, don't want to brick my phone. But I do want to root to get rid of the bloatware and test out some roms. The stock OS is laggy at times.
Honestly I really like the Stock OS as is. It does seem laggy at times, but nothing worse than I've run into on HTC or Samsung phones.
HTC Sense UI was/is terrible since it's so bloated and Samsung couldn't make a GPS radio capable of locating a mall let alone provide directions to anywhere. Terrible phones.
So far this phone is awesome, really bought it for the battery life honestly.
I too would like to DELETE the garbage that Verizon has installed on this thing. In terms of bloat, Verizon takes it to a whole new level. Just wow.
I'm in the same boat. Only had the phone for 2 days so far. I've already rooted it, but haven't gone any farther. But in some of my reading, I thought I saw that removing the bloatware can cause OTA updates to not happen. Hopefully someone can shed some more light on that issue.
midas69 said:
I'm in the same boat. Only had the phone for 2 days so far. I've already rooted it, but haven't gone any farther. But in some of my reading, I thought I saw that removing the bloatware can cause OTA updates to not happen. Hopefully someone can shed some more light on that issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rooted mine 5 mins after activating it haha. As far a bloat, just use titanium pro and freeze it. Very simple. I froze around 35 apps and haven't had any issues associated w it. Should an ota come I should be prompted still. Just unfreeze all apps. Accept ota, reroot. If it breaks root completly then eventually it will get root again. I actually Ind, e system to run very well but honestly have no idea how just stock runs as I froze these apps instantly. I did not safe strap or bootstrap but I had previous knowledge of things I should be able to freeze and not and I figured it out myself
I find this phone so easy. There YouTube videos on everything.
To Get bootstrap, all you need to do is press one button, this phone has to be the easiest I've been on. The only people that struggle are the desperate ones that cba to search the forums And YouTube
Ask us any Android Related Question @FeraLabsDevs on Twitter
IdowhatIwant said:
Hi All -
What is Fastboot for this device, what does it do?
Safestrap & Bootstrap? What's the difference? Which is better?
Can I flash ROMS through CWM like I have in the past?
What purpose does RSD Lite serve other than to flash Fasboot files?
Why would I want to flash fastboot? (Redundant question I think)
Thanks to anyone that takes the time to help me out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Fastboot: its just the stock bootloader, can flash moto updates/factory reset/wipe cache. it also lets you into AP fastboot, which is where u recover stock with rsd.
- Safestrap/bootstrap: bootstrap is currently our only way of CWM on the gsm phones, i understand safestrap is pretty much like dualbooting except its not(only its not completely compatible with gsm)
- can you flash with cwm: YES!
- another purpose for rsd: i have only used it for recovering after ics, so idk.
- why flash a fastboot image?: if you mess up badly or get a bootloop you can recover back to stock
midas69 said:
I'm in the same boat. Only had the phone for 2 days so far. I've already rooted it, but haven't gone any farther. But in some of my reading, I thought I saw that removing the bloatware can cause OTA updates to not happen. Hopefully someone can shed some more light on that issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
removing bloatware will cause you to be unable to get ota's (freezing and then unfreezing with TiB before ota update works fine, as long as you don't uninstall).
but i think its enough to just flash a fastboot with rsd (fully return to stock), then you can get the ota
Look here:
aashrey99razr.wordpress.com
Helped me out a lot!
Gesendet von meinem XT910 mit Tapatalk
Addictd said:
removing bloatware will cause you to be unable to get ota's (freezing and then unfreezing with TiB before ota update works fine, as long as you don't uninstall).
but i think its enough to just flash a fastboot with rsd (fully return to stock), then you can get the ota
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm afraid I deleted one app before I was aware of this. TiB shows that I made a backup of it, but doesn't give me the option to restore it. Guess I'm screwed.
hehe, probably not
did you make a cwm backup prior to uninstalling the app(s)?
then you could just restore that
if not the titanium backup file should be on your internal sdcard in /mnt/sdcard/TitaniumBackup as a gzipped .apk with a kinda cryptic filename
you could try ungzipping it and installing with a file explorer.
or you could just backup with cwm and flash the correct fastbootimage for your phone from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1362956
usind rsd lite
and that should do it
but why not just flash a fastboot and isntall arctic 3.0.5?
Addictd said:
hehe, probably not
did you make a cwm backup prior to uninstalling the app(s)?
then you could just restore that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course not, that would be too easy
if not the titanium backup file should be on your internal sdcard in /mnt/sdcard/TitaniumBackup as a gzipped .apk with a kinda cryptic filename
you could try ungzipping it and installing with a file explorer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a file there, but it doesn't have an .apk. There's a gzip file, inside that is a tar file. In there are imbedded data directories, but no actual files.
or you could just backup with cwm and flash the correct fastbootimage for your phone from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1362956
usind rsd lite
and that should do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might take that route when the next update is ready.
But why not just flash a fastboot and isntall arctic 3.0.5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, as I said, I only got the phone Saturday, and I work weekends.
But I've got an issue hooking up to my work email account. I was unable to get it working on my Touchpad using CM7 or CM9. I originally bought a Galaxy Nexus and had no luck with that either, thus I bought the Razr. I still can't get the native apps to work, but at least Touchdown semi-works (no Activesync). So I'm actually a little gun shy about trying new things.
Addictd said:
- Safestrap/bootstrap: bootstrap is currently our only way of CWM on the gsm phones, i understand safestrap is pretty much like dualbooting except its not(only its not completely compatible with gsm)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does that mean that we can't use ROM Manager or do we just need to use Bootstrap to install CWM and than use ROM Manager like we otherwise would? I got used to that app on my old phone.
I got a GSM RAZR and I have just rooted, the root script pushed in my phone some app called Bionic Bootstrapper, which gives me options Bootstrap Recovery and Reboot Recovery, what does each of them do? I don't plan on changing ROMs for now, but I definitely need to be able to recover the system.
It appears there isn't any real root on this device since the bootloader is locked. Samsung and HTC devices have their BLs unlocked so it's easier to make a permanent Recovery that will persist on reboot. I'm speculating of course, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Reboot recovery should reboot the phone to a ClockworkMod style "DOS" menu that allows you to preform functions like Back up, install zip files or even a new ROM.
When I did it, it rebooted a triangle and exclamation point, with an android guy on it. I was worried at that point. I hit the power button and the Recovery loaded instantly. Not sure if that's normal, but it's quite shakey compared to other devices out there.
I love this phone, so don't me wrong. It's just going to take some getting used to.
i dont think all of rom managers functions will work :/
bootstrap recovery: installs recovery (you only have to do this once)
reboot recovery: reboots your phone into cwm
the thing is the bootloader is locked, so we cant put cwm into the stock fastboot.
there is however a little workaround made by J.Y.Daddy that starts cwm everytime you boot, but this is installed in your rom, not in the stock fastboot, so you have to reinstall it when you flash a new rom :/
onboot cwm link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1385283
Addictd said:
i dont think all of rom managers functions will work :/
bootstrap recovery: installs recovery (you only have to do this once)
reboot recovery: reboots your phone into cwm
the thing is the bootloader is locked, so we cant put cwm into the stock fastboot.
there is however a little workaround made by J.Y.Daddy that starts cwm everytime you boot, but this is installed in your rom, not in the stock fastboot, so you have to reinstall it when you flash a new rom :/
onboot cwm link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1385283
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there some way to otherwise boot into CWM enviroment, some combination of keys or something like on other phones? Not much use for CWM if you brick your phone and can't boot into it. Also, is installed CWM not going to cause a problem for regular OTA updates and do we need to reinstall it afterwards?
From what I understood, Motorola has put some sort of recovery environment on this phone already, but I don't know what it can be used for.
And I have GSM version, bootloader is not locked, so I don't have to worry about that.
laserburn said:
Is there some way to otherwise boot into CWM enviroment, some combination of keys or something like on other phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there's a workaround by J.Y.Darry that makes it boot into cwm on every boot.
there is no keycombo for cwm booting. but you can boot into fastboot with both volumekeys + power
where you can go into stock "recovery" and AP fastboot
you will use AP fastboot in combination with RSD lite to flash back to stock if u mess up, there are also more options in fastboot, but i have never used them.
laserburn said:
Not much use for CWM if you brick your phone and can't boot into it. Also, is installed CWM not going to cause a problem for regular OTA updates and do we need to reinstall it afterwards?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you will use cwm to flash custom roms and make backups
then if you mess up and want to recover a backup you have to
- set phone in ap fastboot mode
- connect razr to computer
- use rsd lite(or an alternative flashtool) to flash the fastbootfile for your phone
- root and install bootstrapper
- reboot into cwm and restore backup
i dont think cwm in itself will cause any problems for OTA's. but if you install a custom rom its a different story
as long as you have the bootstrapper app installed on your phone, you should be able to bootstrap recovery and boot into cwm
laserburn said:
From what I understood, Motorola has put some sort of recovery environment on this phone already, but I don't know what it can be used for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes they have put a rudimentary recovery in it. but you can only use it to apply updates from sdcard (to manually download ota and install), wipe and factory reset. (someone correct me if i'm wrong here)
laserburn said:
And I have GSM version, bootloader is not locked, so I don't have to worry about that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry to be the bringer of bad news. but i have gsm too. mine is locked, so i'm pretty solid your bl is too
troollolotorola -.-
Damn, how I miss my old phone where rooting was 1 click on the app and you could swap ROMs as easy as swapping socks.
How could I check if the bootloader is locked and what consequences does it have?
laserburn said:
Damn, how I miss my old phone where rooting was 1 click on the app and you could swap ROMs as easy as swapping socks.
How could I check if the bootloader is locked and what consequences does it have?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I agree with you. Rooting, flashing, CWM all 100 times easier on HTC and Samsung phones.
Don't get wrong though, I Love my RAZR Maxx, and the default OS is actually OK. Which is good because it seems that there is little to zero developement for the CDMA version of the droid RAZR/MAXX at the moment, if at all.
they're all over on the HTC/Sammy forums =D
laserburn said:
Damn, how I miss my old phone where rooting was 1 click on the app and you could swap ROMs as easy as swapping socks.
How could I check if the bootloader is locked and what consequences does it have?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if/when we get the BL unlocked this phone will be a dream
there is this utility made by mattlgrof u can use to check bl lock
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1486718
IdowhatIwant said:
Yeah I agree with you. Rooting, flashing, CWM all 100 times easier on HTC and Samsung phones.
Don't get wrong though, I Love my RAZR Maxx, and the default OS is actually OK. Which is good because it seems that there is little to zero developement for the CDMA version of the droid RAZR/MAXX at the moment, if at all.
they're all over on the HTC/Sammy forums =D
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ain't no agruing with that, but they don't make as sweet looking and solid phones i hope motorola pull their head out of their ass soon...
Development for the cdma version is found mostly on droidrzr.com (plenty of beta/alpha ICS and some GB roms) but they are missing some parts, so we have to wait till motorola release ics be4 they will be complete.
http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/index
for all you non-cdma users out there, u should check out the cdma to gsm patch
http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/topic/1233-cdma-port-cm9aokp-givesomelovetogsm/

unsure 2.3.4 user - root or upgrade questions

I have a 2.3.4 (45.3.6.MB855.Sprint.en.US) Photon 4g. After reading a bunch of threads, I still want to ask some questions to make sure I'm understanding this all correctly, so I can best decide what I want to do.
I had been putting off rooting, but now I've got this annoying nag screen about upgrading to 2.3.5, and it seems the only way to get rid of the nag screen is to be rooted, right? [EDIT: it's a good month later now. i've actually forgotten what I did to get rid of the nag screen, but it involved finding a file on the part of the system files that gets revealed when you root the phone, and then changing some value in a file from 1 to 0 or vice-versa.]
If I only want to root to have access to the full internal file structure of my phone, I don't need to rom flash, right?[EDIT: right]
Once rooted, I can unroot and upgrade at a later time if some future version comes out that I do want to update to, right? Do I even need to unroot to upgrade if I'm comfortable with never rooting* again and I haven't rom flashed but only rooted? For example, would a 2.3.5 upgrade hurt a rooted 2.3.4 phone or just unroot it?
Rooting will delete everything** and cause me to have to reinstall every app, right? [EDIT: no, it doesn't; bootloader unlocking could though.] If that's true, can I make a backup first that would make reloading apps easy?
What about eFuse? No one's mentioning it as a problem though this older article says it should be.
Type "bad-news-root-crew-the-droid-3-has-a-locked-bootloader" into Google, b/c I can't post hyperlinks as a new user.[EDIT: I dont' know about efuse, but having rooted now, I never ran into a problem caused by it.]
*Actually, the below copy-pasted reply from another thread makes it sound like even after upgrading to 2.3.5, the device can still be rooted, presumably using the photon torpedo method.
"My opinion is do not do the update right now .. It will lock your bootloader.. yes you can root your phone again but thats basically it.. You wont be able the flash any unlocked custom roms"
**This youtube video seems to suggest so: "deleting all yo ****" Go to youtube for qbking77's "How to root the Motorola Photon 4G and get Free Wifi Wireless Hotspot"
If you update to 2.35 you should be able to root. Rooting should not wipe your device. You won't be able to unlock your bootloader. So don't do it. If you must update to 2.35, root first and see if you can find a version of it on these forums with a bootloader that won't permanently lock yours. I think I read a post somewhere about that. Google is your friend.
Sent from my MB855 using xda premium
Really depends on how you intend to use the phone. If you ever want to flash custom kernels as of right now you need to unlock the bootloader. With the update to 2.3.5. right now you cannot unlock your bootloader. The update to 2.3.5. brings really negligible upgrades to the phone and in my opinion the update is really only meant to lock the phone down further.
Rooting does not delete any system files(apps and such) the AIO root seen in the video by QBKing77 prints out deleting all yo ****, shabbypenguin intended this as a joke I think. You can unroot by flashing one of the sbf images floating around.
Hope this helps some.
Thanks for the input JohnH4 and mof9336. My paranoia about the phone getting wiped comes from...
"Warning: Unlocking your phone’s bootloader voids its warranty. It also completely wipes (formats) your Android phone’s internal memory including applications, contacts, SMS and MMS messages etc."
from googling "what-is-bootloader-and-how-to-unlock-bootloader-on-android-phones-complete-guide"
...though I guess "unlocking your phone's bootloader" is not the same thing as rooting.
Exactly. They're two seperate critters.
Sent from my Magical MoPho using xda premium

[Q] Downgrading from JB to ICS

Hi Guys,
I've skimmed around this forum for the last few days and gone through some of the posts regarding getting JB on my TF201 and after a couple of days using it and being really unsatisfied with it I've decided I really want to downgrade back to ICS.
I've searched but the scenarios regarding downgrades don't really seem to match my own circumstances. My device isn't unlocked, was rooted through "DebugfsRoot" and then updated to JB using the guides from the forums.
I've attempted putting "WW_epad-user-9.4.2.28" on the root of my MicroSD card to use the "!" triangle method. JB does recognise this as an attempt to downgrade and warns me approriately about losing everything on the tablet which isn't an issue. The downgrade seems to proceed, Andy whirs away and various progress bars complete. Upon rebooting though there is no change to the device whatsoever and JB is still on there.
I've tried copying the blob from that zip onto the device itself and using Terminal Emulator to force the tablet to downgrade to that on the next reboot. The same process happens and there's no change to the tablet upon rebooting.
Has anyone tried this successfully yet? Or will I perhaps have to attempt unlocking the device to get a new ROM on there? I don't know if I'm overlooking something simple but any help would be greatly appreciated!
Lolatron said:
Hi Guys,
I've skimmed around this forum for the last few days and gone through some of the posts regarding getting JB on my TF201 and after a couple of days using it and being really unsatisfied with it I've decided I really want to downgrade back to ICS.
I've searched but the scenarios regarding downgrades don't really seem to match my own circumstances. My device isn't unlocked, was rooted through "DebugfsRoot" and then updated to JB using the guides from the forums.
I've attempted putting "WW_epad-user-9.4.2.28" on the root of my MicroSD card to use the "!" triangle method. JB does recognise this as an attempt to downgrade and warns me approriately about losing everything on the tablet which isn't an issue. The downgrade seems to proceed, Andy whirs away and various progress bars complete. Upon rebooting though there is no change to the device whatsoever and JB is still on there.
I've tried copying the blob from that zip onto the device itself and using Terminal Emulator to force the tablet to downgrade to that on the next reboot. The same process happens and there's no change to the tablet upon rebooting.
Has anyone tried this successfully yet? Or will I perhaps have to attempt unlocking the device to get a new ROM on there? I don't know if I'm overlooking something simple but any help would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had the same experience and it's very frustrating. My devices is even unlocked and that doesn't help.
@skaforey
if your device is unlocked you should be able to change the recovery system and then use the new recovery to load any image you want onto the device.
@Lolatron
yeah, I've been reading and trying various things the last few days too, but it seems there is no way to downgrade from JB back to ICS with a locked device.
There are a few things I enjoy on JB (like the fixed IO problems of the dock that make the sdcard slot finally useable), but I'm really missing my root acess that got wiped with JB. I'll probably unlock it if we can't find a way to regain root in the next few weeks.
Root access wasn't an issue for me, even after numerous wipes and resets I've kept that and have carried on as normal.
For me it's sluggishness (after a factory reset) on the launcher, huge frame rate drops on games, my Chrome bookmarks no longer syncing and absolutely horrible touch screen keyboard response. Overall it's a huge step down from the previous update, it's just a poor user experience.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
dopef1sh said:
@skaforey
if your device is unlocked you should be able to change the recovery system and then use the new recovery to load any image you want onto the device.
@Lolatron
yeah, I've been reading and trying various things the last few days too, but it seems there is no way to downgrade from JB back to ICS with a locked device.
There are a few things I enjoy on JB (like the fixed IO problems of the dock that make the sdcard slot finally useable), but I'm really missing my root acess that got wiped with JB. I'll probably unlock it if we can't find a way to regain root in the next few weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You cant revert back to the ICS bootloader once you have flashed the newer JB bootloader, unless of course you have done your NVFlash backups.
Danny-B- said:
You cant revert back to the ICS bootloader once you have flashed the newer JB bootloader, unless of course you have done your NVFlash backups.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awww man, I feel foolish for not knowing what NVFlash is... safe to assume I haven't done that! Ahh well... hopefully time might bring a solution along, gotta put up with this for the time being then. Thanks for the info!

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