[Q] Allwinner A13 - stuck in CWM-recovery loop - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi Android experts!
I need some assistance fixing a problem I caused & am now stuck in a recovery boot loop.
- bought a Thomson QM734-8G tablet (Allwinner A13b clone), running Jellybean 4.2.2;
- PC interface worked fine in MTP and large storage modes;
- setup Android SDK & Java JDK on PC and communicate with tablet via ADB;
All OK so far
After a couple of days, I decided to replace stock recovery with ClockworkMod Recovery, so I could start messing about with the tablet.
I found the CWM 6.0.2.8 mod supposed to work with these tablets and, following instructions, determined it was indeed running on sun5i hardware and had 10 partitions (nandj) and downloaded the appropriate version.
I used ADB sideload to install CWM and everything appeared to work OK ... until I rebooted and found myself stuck in a never-ending cycle of CWM-based recovery bootloop
All I get is the CWM recovery console, with a few lines of error & the tablet will go no further.
E:can't mount /cache/recovery/command
E:cant mount /cache/recovery/log
E:cant open /cache/recovery/log
E:cant mount /cache/recovery/last_log
E:cant open /cache/recovery/last_log
Also, pretty much none of the CWM functions work properly and nothing will mount through the 'Mounts and Storage' section, although sideload mode still seems to work.
Attempts to use ADB sideload to install a different CWM or other recovery image have all failed, and LiveSuit and PhoenixSuit both have issues detecting the tablet (despite trying various versions of each & following instructions precisely), so I can't flash a replacement ROM to fix things.
At the moment, I just want to rip CWM out and go back to factory recovery mode and have a working tablet again!
Any suggestions on how to resolve this problem would be greatly appreciated
P.S. I think the Bootloader is locked and the tablet is unrooted. Superuser or SuperSU don't want to install properly. However, using ADB, it looks like I can get root access in shell (#).

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Oh No!
I have the same problem! I was trying to sort the tablet out for a friends kid as it was acting up, tried to root using the Allwinner A13 generic android tablet 4.0.4 root method
but now I am stuck in a bootloop like you..
I have seen one other post about this from Jan 2013 and nobody has replied to it...I am imagining probably not many people have this tablet and basically, there is no solution...:crying:
I have a Samsung Galaxy S i9000 and it was simple to reinstall everything through CWM..On a Samsung Galaxy Young recently, it wasn't as easy as that but I made it through..but there doesn't seem to be download mode neither kernels for this device (since I guess it's not popular)..I hope we haven't ended up with a brick!! :crying::crying::crying:

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Success! I have managed to sort it out y using LiveSuit 1.09 and Manta ROM 4.2.2
I think the problem either was that I was pressing + instead of - to enter adb recovery mode, thou I think it didn't make a difference perhaps...but I think the real problem was not finding the right ROM and Live Suit combo. Sometimes I would get a 0x162 error which is meant to mean an incompatible ROM (thou it did this on ROM that was advertised as stock!)
I think this Manta ROM works for a lot of people however, you may have problems with the touchscreen drivers for which you can have a look at [MOD] FaaastJB v2.5 A13 Allwinner with Jelly Bean 4.2.2 by Toxicro for trying the various touchscreen drivers. It worked for with no probs so I don't need to mess around with them but they are easy enought to install. Just click the run.bat file (usually) and it should do everything for u.
Good Luck!

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bootloop allways STuck in cwm mode after inSTALL CWM RECOVERY
was trying to install CWM RECOVERY on my A13 tablet n now i think its BRICKED!!!
every time i turn it on it goes back to the stupid recovery mode n hangs there.can't use volume keys to navigate so i can format it coz its just stuck!
LIVESUIT pack freezes is soon as i plug in the tablet!!!!! HAIMDALL & ODIN can't find the device!!!
am out of options.....if someone knows the solution to this problem then PLEASE HELP ME.
thanx in advance

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rusman_id said:
was trying to install CWM RECOVERY on my A13 tablet n now i think its BRICKED!!!
every time i turn it on it goes back to the stupid recovery mode n hangs there.can't use volume keys to navigate so i can format it coz its just stuck!
LIVESUIT pack freezes is soon as i plug in the tablet!!!!! HAIMDALL & ODIN can't find the device!!!
am out of options.....if someone knows the solution to this problem then PLEASE HELP ME.
thanx in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have the same problem too with my A13 device when i tried to upgrade the CMW, i installed wrong CMW, i forgot to look for the partition. and now i can't boot in bootloader using ADB, i also can't use fastboot... i try to flash with livesuit but only 3% in flashing and not continued. i hope somebody help to this problem.. thanks in advance..

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generic a13 tablet jb 4.2.2 cwm boot loop
i have a zeepad 7.0 (generic a13 allwinner) I have managed to root it. when trying to install cwm 6.0.2.8 I get cwm boot loop. I followed instructions to the T. used correct version for my device. but still seem to get boot loop with can't load cache errors. is there any way to fix this issue. or another way I can install custom rom without cwm? it is already running jb 4.2.2 just looking for a rom with improvements.

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gonzo2fast69 said:
i have a zeepad 7.0 (generic a13 allwinner) I have managed to root it. when trying to install cwm 6.0.2.8 I get cwm boot loop. I followed instructions to the T. used correct version for my device. but still seem to get boot loop with can't load cache errors. is there any way to fix this issue. or another way I can install custom rom without cwm? it is already running jb 4.2.2 just looking for a rom with improvements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you are describing is basically the same flawed procedure I found myself in initially.
DO NOT INSTALL ANY NEW CWM FROM A CWM FLASH LIKE IN OTHER ANDROID DEVICES!!!
99% of the time it does not work and deletes your partition information and messes up your tablet. The ONLY way to rescue it is to find the ORIGINAL ROM for your tablet (or one that is compatible). This will take LOTS of trial and error if you can't find the exact one and have to try to install other A13 tablet ROMS through LiveSuit
LIVESUIT IS THE ONLY WAY TO UPDATE ROMS ON A10/A13 DEVICES NOT THROUGH CWM LIKE OTHER ANDROID PHONES!
HERE is the firmware and instructions for flashing your Zeepad 7.0 back to the stock ROM.
The hardest part is to get it into the FLASH MODE - which when activated, NOTHING will come up on the screen but it will be recognised by LiveSuit.
To get into FLASH MODE:
FIRST - load the ROM into LIVESUIT and get to the bit where it asks about connecting into FLASH MODE
Turn the tablet off/press the reset button on the back with a pointed object
Immediately HOLD the VOLUME + (If any boot screen shows up then you have to start again)
Whilst holding the VOLUME +, plug in the USB cable and then HOLD the POWER KEY
Now let go of the POWER KEY for a second then PRESS IT QUICKLY 10 TIMES
Livesuit should now disappear on the PC and a dialog box will come up about doing a full or normal format (For CWM corruption it is best to do a FULL)
Livesuit will disappear to the taskbar so click it and see if it is flashing. If there is an 0x164 (i think but not sure that is the exact one) error then that means that the ROM WAS INCORRECT (even though you may say you have gotten it from the manufacturers website and it is meant to be the correct one - You have to basically find another that works)
IF THE VERSION OF LIVESUIT DOESN'T RESULT IN A SUCCESSFUL FLASH THEN TRY ANOTHER! THERE ARE ABOUT 3 VERSIONS AND PROBABLY MORE - v1.07, v1.09, v1.11. SOME VERSIONS HAVE SOME ISSUES BUT MAY BE MORE SUITABLE FOR YOUR TABLET. THE MOST STABLE SEEMS TO BE V1.09 BUT TRY THEM ALL TO SEE WHICH ONE WORKS OR NOT.
I hope that helps and if you are really stuck then I recommend you join TechKnow forums as they are way more helpful and specialised than XDA for A13 tablets.

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thanks for the advice. I can install stock firmware no problem just looking for something better.

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Ah..well then forget CyanogenMod as it not officially supported for this tablet and thus things won't be working 100%. The 2 main ROMs that most people are using for A13 are CookedROM & FaaastJB.
I can recommend both, perhaps FaaastJB has more features but CookedROM is better supported as the creator is one of the mods on TechKnow and gets back to u about ur problems within a day or two with detailed advice. The only issue with these is that the touchscreen drivers don't work out of the vox and u need to patch ones specific to ur tablet to make it work. Sometimes the TS does work but it may be offset or inverted so u have to play around with editing config files out of specific patches with tools provided. In my experience, I had 2 apparent exact ta let's but only 1 would work with any TS patch. The other never worked no matter what I tried, from creating my own patches to extracting drivers from the stock ROM & editing manually - a big learnjng curve and if u have no technical knowledge if how computer languages work then everything will look like gobbledygook and be very time consuming. I preferred the look of Faaast JB but of wouldn't install right so I had to stick with cookedrom in 1 tablet and a stock ROM that I nodded slightly for the other as it wouldn take anything else. These tablets can be really troublesome!
I recommended u install Uberizer as its a huge toolbox of useful stuff for ur A13 and it is recommended to backup ur working stock ROM using it before trying any modifications. U should also get a printout/screen grab of the working ROMs drivers in order to know what TS patches u need for the custom ROMs.there is a world of information on TechKnow forums about this..I can't really help more than this since I do not own an A13 tablet anymore.

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D0MINO said:
Ah..well then forget CyanogenMod as it not officially supported for this tablet and thus things won't be working 100%. The 2 main ROMs that most people are using for A13 are CookedROM & FaaastJB.
I can recommend both, perhaps FaaastJB has more features but CookedROM is better supported as the creator is one of the mods on TechKnow and gets back to u about ur problems within a day or two with detailed advice. The only issue with these is that the touchscreen drivers don't work out of the vox and u need to patch ones specific to ur tablet to make it work. Sometimes the TS does work but it may be offset or inverted so u have to play around with editing config files out of specific patches with tools provided. In my experience, I had 2 apparent exact ta let's but only 1 would work with any TS patch. The other never worked no matter what I tried, from creating my own patches to extracting drivers from the stock ROM & editing manually - a big learnjng curve and if u have no technical knowledge if how computer languages work then everything will look like gobbledygook and be very time consuming. I preferred the look of Faaast JB but of wouldn't install right so I had to stick with cookedrom in 1 tablet and a stock ROM that I nodded slightly for the other as it wouldn take anything else. These tablets can be really troublesome!
I recommended u install Uberizer as its a huge toolbox of useful stuff for ur A13 and it is recommended to backup ur working stock ROM using it before trying any modifications. U should also get a printout/screen grab of the working ROMs drivers in order to know what TS patches u need for the custom ROMs.there is a world of information on TechKnow forums about this..I can't really help more than this since I do not own an A13 tablet anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the stock rom and can flash it back no problem. I have tried all versions of faaastjb but could not get it to install through livesuit. keep getting error message upgrade fails 0x162. I don't know what that means. I will try cooked rom and see if any luck. as far messing with rom drivers I have no clue in that department. guess its time to learn if I want to keep messing with these tablets lol.

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gonzo2fast69 said:
I have the stock rom and can flash it back no problem. I have tried all versions of faaastjb but could not get it to install through livesuit. keep getting error message upgrade fails 0x162. I don't know what that means. I will try cooked rom and see if any luck. as far messing with rom drivers I have no clue in that department. guess its time to learn if I want to keep messing with these tablets lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
0x162 means that the ROM is not compatible with your tablet and will never flash. It may flash using other versions of Livesuit or even with the 'only try in a last case scenario' Phoenixcard software..but I have (fortunately) never had to use that. Despite the A13 tablets being 'unbrickable', I read that Phoenixcard CAN brick ur phone although I came across people who had tried it after Livesuit fails and had no problems.
If FaaastJB doesn't work then I highly recommend CookedROM. If that doesn't work then I have no idea what to suggest except Phoenixcard - if you are prepared to accept the risk that it may get bricked. You could also try a search on TechKnow for your particular tablet, post under the FaaastJB/CookedROM posts or create a new thread in the forums (but I think you will get a similar response to this).

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D0MINO said:
0x162 means that the ROM is not compatible with your tablet and will never flash. It may flash using other versions of Livesuit or even with the 'only try in a last case scenario' Phoenixcard software..but I have (fortunately) never had to use that. Despite the A13 tablets being 'unbrickable', I read that Phoenixcard CAN brick ur phone although I came across people who had tried it after Livesuit fails and had no problems.
If FaaastJB doesn't work then I highly recommend CookedROM. If that doesn't work then I have no idea what to suggest except Phoenixcard - if you are prepared to accept the risk that it may get bricked. You could also try a search on TechKnow for your particular tablet, post under the FaaastJB/CookedROM posts or create a new thread in the forums (but I think you will get a similar response to this).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have tried every program and only img file that will work is the stock img. guess that's all that's meant to be for it. oh well that's what I get for getting cheap tablets get what you pay for.

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i had same problem with my ampe a85 (alwinner a13) .i used livesuit..it was sucess...it will not work if u have used any softwre for rooting like kingo one click root.so try on another system,it will not work on windows 8 too.

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gonzo2fast69 said:
i have tried every program and only img file that will work is the stock img. guess that's all that's meant to be for it. oh well that's what I get for getting cheap tablets get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes unfortunately these tablets are designed with many different configurations by different companies so finding a ROM that matches can prove hit and miss. You may even have 2 of the same tablet bought at the same time from the same company and only one of them works with a ROM or particular touchscreen driver and the other doesn't. I had this problem and could not solve it despite getting the actual hardware configuration from the Android system itself. As you say, you get what you pay for with these tablets.

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when you flash a incorrect recovery it will load an incorrect kernel. doing a cat /proc/partitions from the recovery you can notice the kernel see a different partition layout.
on mine original kernel has nanda to nandj so 10 partitions.
the incorrect recovery show nanda to nandg.
when you exit from recovery the recovery executable write somewhere to make a clean boot, but it write it on a wrong partition, so this is cause the bootloop
to recover the situation one has to find a working recovery for the device and the correct number of the ORIGINAL PARTITIONS from here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2189640) then overwrite the bad recovery using dd
1st) start an adb shell and find what is the recovery partition as the bad kernel see it, recovery partition usually is 32mb
my bad recovery seen the recovery partition as nande (while i knew my original recovery was on nandg)
2nd) adb push the correct recovery on the / (adb push recovery.img /)
3th) from the adb shell, dd if=/recovery.img of=/dev/block/nande
4th) reboot
it will start again on the recovery, but this time with the correct partition layout, when you choose reboot it will restart as usual.

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Hi I Also have this issue on my tablet
trying to use this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2189640 to install cwm I ended up having CWM Bootloop mine's also allwinner a13b running 4.2.2 JB, will I be able to fix this using the Faastjb rom? but its only working on A13 and not for A13b??

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shutt1e said:
when you flash a incorrect recovery it will load an incorrect kernel. doing a cat /proc/partitions from the recovery you can notice the kernel see a different partition layout.
on mine original kernel has nanda to nandj so 10 partitions.
the incorrect recovery show nanda to nandg.
when you exit from recovery the recovery executable write somewhere to make a clean boot, but it write it on a wrong partition, so this is cause the bootloop
to recover the situation one has to find a working recovery for the device and the correct number of the ORIGINAL PARTITIONS from here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2189640) then overwrite the bad recovery using dd
1st) start an adb shell and find what is the recovery partition as the bad kernel see it, recovery partition usually is 32mb
my bad recovery seen the recovery partition as nande (while i knew my original recovery was on nandg)
2nd) adb push the correct recovery on the / (adb push recovery.img /)
3th) from the adb shell, dd if=/recovery.img of=/dev/block/nande
4th) reboot
it will start again on the recovery, but this time with the correct partition layout, when you choose reboot it will restart as usual.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sir will this work with an allwinner a13b processor with 10partitions, running jb 4.2.2??

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NotthedroidIwaslookingfor said:
Hi Android experts!
I need some assistance fixing a problem I caused & am now stuck in a recovery boot loop.
- bought a Thomson QM734-8G tablet (Allwinner A13b clone), running Jellybean 4.2.2;
- PC interface worked fine in MTP and large storage modes;
- setup Android SDK & Java JDK on PC and communicate with tablet via ADB;
All OK so far
After a couple of days, I decided to replace stock recovery with ClockworkMod Recovery, so I could start messing about with the tablet.
I found the CWM 6.0.2.8 mod supposed to work with these tablets and, following instructions, determined it was indeed running on sun5i hardware and had 10 partitions (nandj) and downloaded the appropriate version.
I used ADB sideload to install CWM and everything appeared to work OK ... until I rebooted and found myself stuck in a never-ending cycle of CWM-based recovery bootloop
All I get is the CWM recovery console, with a few lines of error & the tablet will go no further.
E:can't mount /cache/recovery/command
E:cant mount /cache/recovery/log
E:cant open /cache/recovery/log
E:cant mount /cache/recovery/last_log
E:cant open /cache/recovery/last_log
Also, pretty much none of the CWM functions work properly and nothing will mount through the 'Mounts and Storage' section, although sideload mode still seems to work.
Attempts to use ADB sideload to install a different CWM or other recovery image have all failed, and LiveSuit and PhoenixSuit both have issues detecting the tablet (despite trying various versions of each & following instructions precisely), so I can't flash a replacement ROM to fix things.
At the moment, I just want to rip CWM out and go back to factory recovery mode and have a working tablet again!
Any suggestions on how to resolve this problem would be greatly appreciated
P.S. I think the Bootloader is locked and the tablet is unrooted. Superuser or SuperSU don't want to install properly. However, using ADB, it looks like I can get root access in shell (#).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same problem with
ubislate 7c+
no solutions
i try lots of from here but nothing..........

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aasifnasim said:
same problem with
ubislate 7c+
no solutions
i try lots of from here but nothing..........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive modded cwm recovery for the a13 10 partitions just tested on my tablet works find all partitions mount and no boot loop if any one wants it let me know icould probably mod the other partitions but would need a rom dump to do it

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Hey guys,
If you want to end the bootloop, the only solution is to flash it with a working rom.
now for the reason of this bootloop:
i hope you all are using cwm 6.0.*.*... Just download the zip according to your partitions and hardware.
Then from your running android device copy the nand.ko file.
it can be found in modules folder
then extract the downloaded cwm zip file adn then the recovery.img and go to the system folder and replace the nand.ko file with yours.
then install the recovery using adb and bingo you're done!