Hello, fellow gTablet users!
I'm kinda newbie here, so first of all my apologies to everyone if that was already asked, 'cause I did some research on the matter and couldn't find all the necessary info for solving my particular issue.
Ok, so here's the deal. I was using my gTab for about half-year now. When I received it, I installed VeganTab-7 Ginger Edition on it (thanks for the devs - very nice ROM!) and it worked flawlessly until yesterday. But then something not good happened and the tablet stopped booting. Now it starts from birds screen, goes on to G-Tabdevs screen, after which VeganTab GingerEd boot screen appears, it has flashing letters for a couple of seconds and then tablet goes black and tries to boot again. I guess it's a boot loop so it's kinda soft brick and I'll have to do wipe data/factory reset through CWM to solve the issue. So this isn't the biggest problem - I've already found all the instructions.
The real problem is that I didn't make backup of my data (guilty!), but I don't want to lose some of it, especially the browser data. I was using Opera Mobile, so I guess that its data should be on /data partition. So I'll need an advice on how I can dump the necessary data before doing factory reset!
I've already tried connecting to desktop, using guide from this (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1010943) thread (third method from it), but it didn't work, at least on my Win7 Pro x64 SP1: the tablet shows as removable disk, but I can't access it. I tried to mount /data or /sdcard partitions through CWM recovery menu, but it tells me that it can't find /dev/block/... - I guess that's block device, associated with those partitions. So what are my best options of backuping data?
And the last question: I'll probably install some other ROM just to try something different, but unfortunately I don't remember what loader I have. I'm nearly sure that I installed VeganTab for 1.1, 'cause I did it back in May 2011 and there wasn't one available for 1.2 yet. But just to make sure: how can I find my loader version before I do reset? Or maybe I just have to do the reset and look for it when back on stock ROM?
Seriously, guys, doesn't anybody know how to solve these problems?
Boot into CWM first, then try mounting both /data and /sdcard using the CWM menu. Note down the exact error message displayed in each case. Then connect the USB cable and run these ADB commands on your PC:
Code:
C:\> [B]adb shell dmesg >dmesg.txt[/B]
C:\> [B]adb shell fdisk -l /dev/block/mmcblk3 > fdisk.txt[/B]
C:\> [B]adb shell fdisk -l /dev/block/mmcblk2 >> fdisk.txt[/B]
Post the error messages and those 2 .txt files here.
Thank you for reply, rajeevvp.
When I'm trying to mount /data and /sdcard it says respectively:
Code:
E:Can't mount /dev/block/mmcblk3p2
(No such file or directory)
Error mounting DATA:!
E:Can't mount /dev/block/mmcblk3p1 (or /dev/block/mmcblk2p1)
(No such file or directory)
Error mounting SDCARD:!
Unfortunately I didn't have ADB installed. Now I'm trying to use the guide from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=902860, but fail on step 4, cause there is nothing like "Nvidia harmony" appearing under other devices in my dev manager, just "Nvidia Tegra 2 USB Device" under Disk Drives and "USB Mass Storage Device" under Universal Serial Bus Controllers. I guess these devices are gTablet's internal memory presented as disk drive...
I'll try to install ADB and then write back how it worked.
Interesting error messages. Now I really have to see those text files.
If you're having problems installing ADB on Windows, try using Linux.
Ok, thanks you very much! I'll try that, but unfortunately tomorrow, as it's already too late here.
Btw, I read your post about linux - you're suggesting Knoppix Live CD there. Is it mandatory to use it? I mean I already have PartedMagic live CD burned, maybe I could use it instead...
anary said:
I mean I already have PartedMagic live CD burned, maybe I could use it instead...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If sudo and adb work, then no problem.
rajeevvp said:
Boot into CWM first, then try mounting both /data and /sdcard using the CWM menu. Note down the exact error message displayed in each case. Then connect the USB cable and run these ADB commands on your PC:
Code:
C:\> [B]adb shell dmesg >dmesg.txt[/B]
C:\> [B]adb shell fdisk -l /dev/block/mmcblk3 > fdisk.txt[/B]
C:\> [B]adb shell fdisk -l /dev/block/mmcblk2 >> fdisk.txt[/B]
Post the error messages and those 2 .txt files here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I finally managed to do it. Sorry for the delay.
The files are attached. Did everything how you told me.
Actually I don't think that I understand too much in Android inner mechanics But having looked through these files, I thought that inner sdcard device (mmcblk3) doesn't seem to produce any strange behavior...
Btw, thanks a lot for your advice about using Knoppix - it's really very easy and handy!
anary said:
But having looked through these files, I thought that inner sdcard device (mmcblk3) doesn't seem to produce any strange behavior...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have lost your /data partition altogether. You are supposed to have 2 partitions on that internal SD card: a 14GB FAT32 partition and a 2GB ext3 partition. You only have a single FAT32 partition spanning the entire SD card now.
I may be able to help you get both partitions back if you give me these details:
1. How and when did this happen?
2. Current ROM.
3. Current version of CWM.
4. Did you try to repartition the (internal) SD card recently?
5. Have you ever repartitioned the internal SD card? If yes, then using which version of CWM?
6. After you noticed the problem what steps did you take to fix the problem?
Yeah, I remember I was curious where it stores OS's kernel if all it has is FAT32 partition - now I get it...
Ok, here are the details:
1. I don't really know what has happened, but I guess that it happened when I tried to use tablet like cardreader for microsd card. During that I sort of formatted external sd - maybe that actually was internal memory? I checked through file manager though, and all the files seemed intact...
2. VeganTab GingerEd from this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1031250. I'm pretty sure that I didn't install anything except for it.
3. Don't know. But it says ClockworkMod Recovery v2.5.1.1-bekit-0.8 in recovery menu, so I guess its version is maybe 0.8.
4. No I didn't, at least intentionally.
5. I think I did it just once, when installing the ROM. I'm pretty much sure that I used this instructions for repartitioning: http://viewsonic-gtablet-for-dummies.webs.com/repartition.htm (not exactly this, but I did the same as it's written there). To install the ROM I used the instructions from the ROM thread, mentioned above. I didn't whant to do a lot of modding, just wanted the device to work at least better than with stock ROM, so didn't try to change any other low-level things.
6. I just tried to mount partitions through CWM recovery and I tried wiping out cache partition and Dalvik cache. Nothing else.
anary said:
Yeah, I remember I was curious where it stores OS's kernel if all it has is FAT32 partition - now I get it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OS kernel is not stored on the SD cards. They're stored on a "boot" partition on the NAND flash. And, if the OS was messed up you would get hung up on the initial splash screen (the one with the 3 birds)--you wouldn't go into a boot loop.
1. I don't really know what has happened, but I guess that it happened when I tried to use tablet like cardreader for microsd card. During that I sort of formatted external sd - maybe that actually was internal memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what caused this problem. CWM-2.5.1.1-bekit-0.8 does not work on the external SD card (but, CWM-2.5.1.3 and CWM-4.0.1.5 do).
Did you format the internal SD card using CWM?
I checked through file manager though, and all the files seemed intact...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Files where? The internal SD card or the external one? And, how did you check this? After formatting the internal SD card, the very next boot into the ROM would've put you into a boot-loop because the /data partition is missing.
I think I may be able to get stuff from /data, but, everything on /sdcard is most likely gone. (Actually, the files are most likely all there, but, without direct access to the tablet, it's very difficult to get the retrieve any of them.) Just don't touch the tablet until I've figured out the commands you will have to use.
That's what caused this problem. CWM-2.5.1.1-bekit-0.8 does not work on the external SD card (but, CWM-2.5.1.3 and CWM-4.0.1.5 do).
Did you format the internal SD card using CWM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I was going to format external SD card and I tried to do it through Android (or maybe VeganTab) menu. I think that doing this, I could accidentally format internal SD, but I'm not sure this could be done from within the OS. During the same logon session I checked files on internal SD with file manager and all of them were where they should have been. So I thought that all was ok. But when I rebooted next time, it wasn't booting... That's why I told you that maybe it was because of formatting.
And just to be clear: I didn't do anything using CWM after it stopped booting, apart from wiping system and Dalvik caches.
Do you have a large capacity micro SD card (anything larger than the maximum amount of data that's currently on the internal SD card) that you can use to save retrieved data into?
rajeevvp said:
Do you have a large capacity micro SD card (anything larger than the maximum amount of data that's currently on the internal SD card) that you can use to save retrieved data into?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Won't be any problem.
anary said:
Yep. Won't be any problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK. Format that micro SD to contain a single DOS partition; then we'll proceed.
rajeevvp said:
OK. Format that micro SD to contain a single DOS partition; then we'll proceed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. That's done.
Boot into CWM, go into the "mounts and storage" menu, unmount all mounted partitions, connect the USB cable, and run these commands using ADB--do not back out of that "mounts and storage" menu while we're fixing this. We're trying to see if the data on the current /sdcard partition can be retrieved.
Code:
$ [B]adb shell[/B]
~ # [B]mount -r /dev/block/mmcblk3p1 /sdcard[/B]
~ # [B]ls -l /sdcard[/B]
If the ls listing looks OK, then we force a filesystem check before copying the data to the external micro SD card:
Code:
~ # [B]mount -r /system[/B]
~ # [B]umount /sdcard[/B]
~ # [B]/system/bin/fsck_msdos -f -y /dev/block/mmcblk3p1[/B]
If the listing doesn't look OK, then the data on /sdcard is lost.
Post the exact output of each command.
Ok, mount says this:
Code:
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk3p1 on /sdcard failed: Invalid argument
and ls after that gives no output - I think it shouldn't give any, 'cause I didn't mount anything...
Does this mean I'm screwed?
Try this mount command:
Code:
~ # [B]mount -r -t vfat /dev/block/mmcblk3p1 /sdcard[/B]
The same result.
Hi all.
I recently went about updating my tablet, and in the back of my mind I was under the impression that TWRP would backup the internal sdcard's files during the normal backup, so I thought nothing of wiping the internal sdcard. Whoops. It, of course, didn't, and now I find myself with a whole slew of stuff gone. Not much else was written to the internal sdcard (which is on an ext4 filesystem), so I suspect that a good bit of my stuff can still be sitting there in the data graveyard. Hopefully.
Since I'm on Linux and can't mount the sdcard directly (since for some odd reason Linux has issues with MTP), all I've been able to do was this:
I booted the tablet into recovery mode and opened up adb, and ran the following command through the adb shell:
Code:
~ # dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p8 of=/dev/block/mmcblk1p1
Where mmcblk0p8 is the internal sdcard with the lost data, and mmcblk1p1 is an external sdcard. I thought that by running that command, I could create a carbon copy of each and every little thing on the old sdcard, write it onto something my computer could read, and then go through the normal recovery process. In this case I planned to use a Linux tool called "extundelete."
Here's where I get stuck. The sdcard appeared to have cloned correctly, given that the entire thing is now filled up and reads as an ext4 filesystem on gparted (when it was previously fat32), but now I can't mount it. And if I can't mount it, I can't restore anything. Here's what I get when I try to mount it:
Code:
Error mounting /dev/sdb at /media/user/57f8f4bc-abf4-655f-bf67-946fc0f9f25b: Command-line `mount -t "ext4" -o "uhelper=udisks2,nodev,nosuid" "/dev/sdb" "/media/user/57f8f4bc-abf4-655f-bf67-946fc0f9f25b"' exited with non-zero exit status 32: mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sdb,
missing codepage or helper program, or other error
In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
dmesg | tail or so
So to sum it up, I accidentally wiped my tablet's internal sdcard using TWRP 2.3.3.0, and now I want to recover what was lost during the wipe. Not that it matters, my tablet is a Transformer Infinity in case anyone asks. Though I don't think that's really relevant here.
If anyone knows how to help me, or knows of a better way I should go about getting my data back, that would be, for a lack of better words, super awesome.
Thanks!
BJSerpas said:
Error mounting /dev/sdb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems you tried to mount /dev/sdb, not /dev/sdb1.
Also, did you make the SDcard partition the same size as the source partition? And what did dmesg say?
Also, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1994705 might be of some help..
kuisma said:
Seems you tried to mount /dev/sdb, not /dev/sdb1.
Also, did you make the SDcard partition the same size as the source partition? And what did dmesg say?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I plugged it in, Linux automatically mounted it to sdb and not sdb1. And the external SD card was the same size as the internal one, 32gb. Currently not home so I can't run dmesg at the moment.
And thank you bodh, that looks very useful and is more or less what I was trying to do. I'll have to get on a windows PC it seems, but no issue there. In the meantime, is there a way to write protect the internal SD from the android terminal emulator until I get home? I don't want my old files accidentally overwritten. Or I could just not use the tablet if that's the better option here.
Thanks guys!
I'm not sure you could write protect the internal sd. I've tried changing permissions on it and get errors. You're best bet is probably to go without the tablet use for now.
BJSerpas said:
When I plugged it in, Linux automatically mounted it to sdb and not sdb1. And the external SD card was the same size as the internal one, 32gb. Currently not home so I can't run dmesg at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm talking about the number of blocks exactly, not "32gb" or so. And mount /dev/sdb1 manually, don't rely on Gnome failing to mount /dev/sdb.
Hello everyone, I'm in desperate need; any hint would be highly appreciated:
My GT-I9100 got drenched in a thunderstorm I encountered on my vacation. Unfortunately, I saved all of my pictures to the internal SD which is now inaccessible. :crying:
What the Phone does:
- When I start the phone it gets stuck at the "Samsung-screen"
- When I try to enter Recovery I get the CWM logo and the message "CWM-based Recovery v6.0.3.2". However the phone will restart after a few minutes and not actually go into recovery
- I can go into Odin Mode (Download Mode)
- I can connect on adb while recovery is supposedly loading (before the phone restarts) --> I can't mount the internal SD card (assuming from fstab that it is /dev/block/mmcblk1p1 or /dev/block/mmcblk0p11; both files seem to have a size of 0 KB); "mount -a" via adb shell freezes the phone.
What I tried/hope for:
My primary goal is to recover the pictures from the internal SD, not to get the phone running again.
- I tried to access the files via ADB. However, my understanding of the partitioning/file system is quite limited. The file system I can see via adb does not include the files I was used to find with my file explorer on the phone. From /etc/fstab I assumed, that the internal memory (that contains the DCIM folder with the pictures) is actually mounted from a file in /dev/block/ called mmcblk1p1. Trying to mount it gives me the following error:
"mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk1p1 on /sdcard failed: No such file or directory"
Using adb shell (ls -s) I realized that all files in /dev/block seem to have a size of 0.
- I tried to reflash CWM using ODIN --> Odin on my Computer force closed (both v1.85 and v3.x)
Is there any hope to recover my data? Please share your opinion; any help is highly appreciated!
When these phones get wet chances are 0% mate sorry
andrewwright said:
When these phones get wet chances are 0% mate sorry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not even a chance to access the memory chip?
You have tried and the phone has failed you.
SOLVED! See 2nd Post
Hi,
Galaxy S II 16GB 2.5 Years old.
I friend came to me with a problem : Waze can't start because it complains no access to sdcard (internal, no external present)
A bit fiddling and I see /storage/sdcard0 is mounted as RO!
I remount as RW, and I can now start waze, but as soon as I use the phone further, the mount reverts to RO.
I try to format it via recovery (philz) but it fails deleted odd named files in DCIM/Camera/cache.
So I try to delete the files myself but it fails.
Next up, I mount usb storage in recovery, and run windows Checkdisk, it finishes while fixing some stuff, the format still doesn't work.
Eventually using Minitool I am able to format it. BUT, now, when I boot android, it says the internal storage is damange, and attempt to format it via Android fails always.
Still, when I boot into philz, and mount usb storage, i can browse it via my W7 PC, copy and delete files freely. So I guess something is not mounted or formatted correctly. I decide to reinstall stock rom with Odin + repartition.
So I take pit file from a thread that aims to increase /data at the expense of internal storage, and I find the stock pit there and use it.
Rom flashes fully, but sdcard still not working.
What I want to do is :
Boot into Recovery and use Android commands to properly mount/map this so the phone recognizes it.
I have linux knowledge, I know how to get around a linux shell and use VI and permissions etc. I also messed sometimes with fstab on a pc to set up mount points, so I am not a complete stranger. I am rooted and need help
Any help would be appreciated.
So, I searched the net for quite a few hours, and found this post :
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2147315&p=-1&#bottom
Which solved my problem
I registered on that forum to thank the dude!
This command solve my problem :
newfs_msdos /dev/block/vold/259:3
I knew it will work the moment I saw the 259:3 which I saw in logcat that android cannot format.
Good work finding a fix yourself Hopefully other people in the same situation will find it useful
Hi all, I've got brand new Samsung Galaxy S5 mini (SM-G800F), which I rooted already. Also used an app to fix permissions to ext SD card (I've got Android Kitkat). Everything was fine but I didn't have full access to ext SD card. Found online that I need to make one more change in "platform.xml" file. Using ADB I pulled file and after modification changed permissions, had read-only message, to push file back on place (used command below to get permission).
su
mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
chmod 755 /system/app
What happened after these operations:
1) I lost access to all cards (internal and external) through mobile phone. SD cards are "invisible", pictures in gallery disappeared and when I use camera to take a new one it shows file is saved and then pic disappears. Used ADB to find out what's on card and directory /sdcard/dcim/camera has all pics I had before but newly taken are not saved.
2) I've got pop up messages saying "Unfortunately, (name of app) has stopped." Once I press OK, after few seconds new message pops up for another app. Many apps don't work but not all of them.
3) Kies can't connect with my phone. Can't find the device.
4) When phone is connected to PC I can access it but there is no files (empty folder). Files can be accessed with ADB only.
What I've done trying to solve the problem:
1) Restored original copy of "platform.xml". Didn't help so I...
2) Downloaded copy of my sys (G800FXXU1ANL1) from samsung-update website.
3) Unrooted, but all above didn't help so I...
4) Rooted again, installed TWRP recovery and installed sys again. It didn't help so...
I'm here to ask for your help How to restore sys or what should I do to get it back to normal?
Gemini