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How can I update to the latest 2.1.27 update on my Nabi 2? The Nabi is rooted and has TWRP as the recovery. Any help would be good! I have tried to flash a couple different Nabi 2 roms and they all fail. Thanks
toby1978 said:
How can I update to the latest 2.1.27 update on my Nabi 2? The Nabi is rooted and has TWRP as the recovery. Any help would be good! I have tried to flash a couple different Nabi 2 roms and they all fail. Thanks
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Click to collapse
I've got the same question. I know I'm an idiot that shouldn't have installed Gapps without having a clue, but unfortunately I did. I used the Victoria Antonio youtube video that says it does not root but does install Gapps about 4 months ago--May 2013. I'm now trying to figure out how to get the OTA update to 2.1, but I'm just lost, since it's been a while. I tried fooling around in TWRP, but again, didn't have any luck. Then idiotic me touched the square button in the upper right hand side of TWRP, and it is now stuck after saying:
*Verifying filesystem. . .
*Verifying partition sizes. . .
I know this is my own fault and I apologize, but I would really appreciate some help! Thanks so very much!
abbienormal said:
Then idiotic me touched the square button in the upper right hand side of TWRP, and it is now stuck after saying:
*Verifying filesystem. . .
*Verifying partition sizes. . .
I know this is my own fault and I apologize, but I would really appreciate some help! Thanks so very much!
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Click to collapse
That's just the log. You didn't do anything bad. Next time just press the button again and it will hide the log.
For both of you we need some more info, what have you tried so far? What methods and files are you trying to use to get to 2.1.27?
Thanks and sorry!
aicjofs said:
That's just the log. You didn't do anything bad. Next time just press the button again and it will hide the log.
For both of you we need some more info, what have you tried so far? What methods and files are you trying to use to get to 2.1.27?
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Click to collapse
Thanks so much for the reassurance. I did actually try to push the button aagin, but it wouldn't do anything, and after thinking I had bricked it for about a hour, I finally held down the volume -/+ and power buttons and got back to familiar territory. Sorry, again, for the completely idiotic question.
I haven't tried anything besides the standard order of operations suggested by Nabi. I downloaded the Nabi OTA software update (which took forever with our pokey internet), then clicked okay as it verified things, then it automatically rebooted with the little green Android guy with his chest open, then, unexpectedly, he's on his back dead with a red triangle sign above his chest. The tablet reboots by itself normally, and there are no changes from what I had before--none of the OTA update has taken effect. And, as a matter of fact, when I check for an update, again, (because it's still at the 2.0 release keys), low-and-behold, it detects an update and wants to download again.
I went through the process 4 times before giving up and checking with the Nabi support on FB. After troubleshooting a couple of things, they wanted to know if my Nabi 2 had ever been rooted. I shut-up then because I didn't want to be scolded, and because, of course, it's no longer under warranty if it's been rooted.
However, I got it second-hand, so I've got no warranty anyway, plus, according to the Victoria Antonio youtube video I followed, I didn't actually root it. With the teensy bit of knowledge I've got now, I'm kinda skeptical of that particular claim, but nevertheless, I still can't get it to update with the fancy new Nabi software, which I've been lusting after.
Any ideas? Obviously I'm clueless about tech lingo, so I would greatly appreciate a very simple explanation. Thanks so much for your time!!
abbienormal said:
Thanks so much for the reassurance. I did actually try to push the button aagin, but it wouldn't do anything, and after thinking I had bricked it for about a hour, I finally held down the volume -/+ and power buttons and got back to familiar territory. Sorry, again, for the completely idiotic question.
I haven't tried anything besides the standard order of operations suggested by Nabi. I downloaded the Nabi OTA software update (which took forever with our pokey internet), then clicked okay as it verified things, then it automatically rebooted with the little green Android guy with his chest open, then, unexpectedly, he's on his back dead with a red triangle sign above his chest. The tablet reboots by itself normally, and there are no changes from what I had before--none of the OTA update has taken effect. And, as a matter of fact, when I check for an update, again, (because it's still at the 2.0 release keys), low-and-behold, it detects an update and wants to download again.
I went through the process 4 times before giving up and checking with the Nabi support on FB. After troubleshooting a couple of things, they wanted to know if my Nabi 2 had ever been rooted. I shut-up then because I didn't want to be scolded, and because, of course, it's no longer under warranty if it's been rooted.
However, I got it second-hand, so I've got no warranty anyway, plus, according to the Victoria Antonio youtube video I followed, I didn't actually root it. With the teensy bit of knowledge I've got now, I'm kinda skeptical of that particular claim, but nevertheless, I still can't get it to update with the fancy new Nabi software, which I've been lusting after.
Any ideas? Obviously I'm clueless about tech lingo, so I would greatly appreciate a very simple explanation. Thanks so much for your time!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you followed any of the guides out there then you likely have gapps on your tablet(Google Play Store). If that is the case then it has modified/removed some system files. When the Nabi OTA does its thing in the "Android guy" screen(aka stock recovery) it finds files missing or modified and halts the OTA.
You have 2 options. 1) Use a modified OTA(that ignores those files), or
2) restore your backup you made during the Victoria video that has unmodified/removed files then do the OTA.
There is a caveat. The new 2.1.27 OTA uses up almost all the room on the system partition. Without removing something you cannot have a tablet with full gapps package and full Nabi 2.1.27 something will have to be deleted.
Start reading from post #1597 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1905674&highlight=nabi&page=160 it will make some more sense.
Update Nabi 2
I have no idea how I rooted the Nabi 2 tablet originally, but I know I did it because I wanted the Google Play store. I am now unable to get the update and the people at Nabi are asking if I have the Play store - I'm pretty sure they are asking this because there is some sort of issue with the update and rooted tablet. If anyone is willing to explain and work with me on this, I would greatly appreciate it!
rozibaby84 said:
I have no idea how I rooted the Nabi 2 tablet originally, but I know I did it because I wanted the Google Play store. I am now unable to get the update and the people at Nabi are asking if I have the Play store - I'm pretty sure they are asking this because there is some sort of issue with the update and rooted tablet. If anyone is willing to explain and work with me on this, I would greatly appreciate it!
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Assuming you are on 2.0 right now?(2.0.5)? I'm going to base my description on that, if it's 1.9.37 or less there would be other steps.
If so you have a couple of options. I don't know which method you used to get playstore so it's a bit harder. There are 2 questions that you need to answer for yourself. Do you want Wings or the Playstore? Because as of right now it's difficult to fit them both on, and while we kind of have a method using symlinks it's not perfect yet.
So if you want to update and keep the playstore the first thing you need to do is figure out if you have TWRP installed(probably best to have version 2.6.1.0). WIth tablet powered off press and hold the vol+ and power key, navigate with the vol- key to recovery kernel and vol+ to select. If it boots to TWRP you can go on, if it boots to an Android guy you need to install TWRP. Once you have TWRP. MAKE A BACKUP! You can delete it later if you choose but make one now so you can get back to where you are if something goes wrong. I would use external SD for all of this because these are some big files.
After you have done that you can try to do this:
Download these
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B024tOntNFbbaFJHcFRBRjVMUXc/edit?usp=sharing
http://home.comcast.net/~aicjofs/205to210libfix.zip
Copy them to the Nabi.
Boot in to TWRP and "install" both of these. You should be at 2.1 with Playstore and no Wings(You will still have one Wings app)
OR
You can restore a stock 2.1 if the above doesn't work
Download this:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B024tOntNFbbX1liUGN5eVU4UU0/edit?usp=sharing
Extract boot.emmc.win, system.ext4.win from the zip in to the TWRP folder on the device to internal storage(may not have room)
TWRP/BACKUPS/%serial%/2127
Or external SDcard
TWRP/BACKUPS/%serial%/2127
you will have to create the 2127 folder, and possibly the others(if you made a backup some of this will exist already) %serial% = whatever your device serial number is it's different for everyone.
Then boot to TWRP and "restore" checking boot and system only. Don't select data(it shouldn't be an option if you didn't copy data.ext4.win from the zip anyway)
This would leave you at 2.1.27 with Wings but no playstore. You can root it at that point but not install the Playstore unless you then deleted Wings.
The Product Version on the Nabi 2 tablet is 1.9.37. I am assuming that is what you were referring to when you asked if I was on 2.0 right now. I don't really care if I have the Play store or not anymore. At this point, I just want to be able to get the Nabi update and see if it addresses some of the other issues that I am having. I think that I made a huge mistake in doing all of this since I do not actually know what I am doing. I think the only reason why I got the Play store was for one specific game and I don't even remember what that game was anymore, so she will be ok without it.
I do not really understand what TWRP or anything like that is. Is there an easy way to just get rid of everything and pretty much start from scratch so that I can get the updates like normal? I know that the factory reset doesn't get rid of the rooting, unfortunately.
I am really grateful for your help! Thank you!
Error in /external_sdcard/...
I am not sure why I am getting his but I have tried every version of the Nabi2 ROM stock and custom 2.0.5 and above. It seems that I can only install previous versions to 2.0.5.
I have TWRP v2.3.3.0 installed and I am trying to get the latest 2127OTA build installed. If I revert back to stock ROM it boots fine but there a few odd going ons. One it always defaults to Mommy Mode even though I select Daddy Mode. WiFi never works even with WiFi fix. Tap sound does not turn off even though I selected to turn it off.
At this point I am fine going back to a full working stock mode as long as I will be able to get the latest OTA of the web or a working 2127OTA build.
Please advise,
Niles
Hi, I have a similar upgrading problem with the Fuhu Nabi .
I am on version "1.9.37-release-keys" with TWRP 2.6 installed.
I am happy with the process of booting into TWRP, adb push etc
I just cannot get any of the updates to succeed, at the moment they all fail at the start of installation with a "assert failed: apply_patch_check("/system/app/ApplicationsProvider.apk", [and then what I'm guessing is a checksum]").
I guess this means I'm trying to apply the patch to the wrong version of current system.
I wonder if someone would be able to spell out a recommended upgrade path from 19.37 to 2.10 (possibly this would require upgrading to 2.05 as a an intermediate step)
Marcus
marcusbaw said:
Hi, I have a similar upgrading problem with the Fuhu Nabi .
I am on version "1.9.37-release-keys" with TWRP 2.6 installed.
I am happy with the process of booting into TWRP, adb push etc
I just cannot get any of the updates to succeed, at the moment they all fail at the start of installation with a "assert failed: apply_patch_check("/system/app/ApplicationsProvider.apk", [and then what I'm guessing is a checksum]").
I guess this means I'm trying to apply the patch to the wrong version of current system.
I wonder if someone would be able to spell out a recommended upgrade path from 19.37 to 2.10 (possibly this would require upgrading to 2.05 as a an intermediate step)
Marcus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have upgraded to the latest TWRP, 2.7, on my Nabi2 and was able to upgrade to 2.05, but I am still not able to upgrade to 2.10. Same error. Obviously some one was successful or they would not post the 2.10 file. Please advise.
Not sure if it will work for everyone, but....
Not sure if it will work for everyone, but after much fooling around with TWRP and the OTA update not working, I restored the backup I had made when I first rooted the nabi earlier this year, once it was done it booted into the standard nabi mode, when I logged into Daddy mode the Play store and all my root apps were gone, but I was able to install the 2.1 update that brings Wings university, and once that was installed, I then searched for updates again and it showed nabi 2 Over-the-Air Update v.2.3 (Part 1) which officially adds the Play store to the nabi 2, after that installed, I again went into Daddy mode and searched once more for updates and found nabi 2 Over-The-Air Update v.2.3 (Part 2) (which add Google Services (bloatware, honestly) and upgrades the OS to 4.1 Jelly Bean), and installed that as well. I haven't decided whether or not to re-root it, but I don't think I will, simply because there's really no need to root it anymore, since the Google Apps are there officially now. I hope this helps alot of people, since I wasn't able to find any info myself on the process, and discovered it through trial-and-error:highfive:.
How to Restore Backup?
78cherokeechief said:
Not sure if it will work for everyone, but after much fooling around with TWRP and the OTA update not working, I restored the backup I had made when I first rooted the nabi earlier this year, once it was done it booted into the standard nabi mode, when I logged into Daddy mode the Play store and all my root apps were gone, but I was able to install the 2.1 update that brings Wings university, and once that was installed, I then searched for updates again and it showed nabi 2 Over-the-Air Update v.2.3 (Part 1) which officially adds the Play store to the nabi 2, after that installed, I again went into Daddy mode and searched once more for updates and found nabi 2 Over-The-Air Update v.2.3 (Part 2) (which add Google Services (bloatware, honestly) and upgrades the OS to 4.1 Jelly Bean), and installed that as well. I haven't decided whether or not to re-root it, but I don't think I will, simply because there's really no need to root it anymore, since the Google Apps are there officially now. I hope this helps alot of people, since I wasn't able to find any info myself on the process, and discovered it through trial-and-error:highfive:.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I locate the backup file to restore it? I am hoping that I saved everything on my computer at home. I really just want to get rid of everything that I did to get access to the Google Play Store. I regret ever messing with it to begin with. I am trying to update my daughter's tablet, but it won't let me bc of whatever I did to get the Google Play Store about a year ago. I am almost 100% sure that I used the video by Victoria Antonio to root the tablet originally. If you are able to explain this process to me to fix it, I would greatly appreciate it. I like to think of myself as being pretty computer intelligent, but this was a big mistake!
I have a ZTE Avail 2 which I recently managed to root with Cydia Impactor. Afterwards I managed to screw it up by removing too many stock apps with Titanium. I did it carefully, one by one, and for a few days everything seemed to work fine. But then apps started force-closing, '<name of app here> has stopped working', etc. Factory reset doesnt help, it just restores me to the same screwed up state I'm in now. I already know why, it's because I removed some of the stock apps, which I now realize it needs. I'm currently stuck on the AT&T logo when powering on, it never gets any further. But even while it was messed up it was still halfway-operable, and now this. This device's subforum on Android Forums is all but non-existent, and XDA doesnt seem to have anything for it.
What I need is a 100% stock ROM (pre-rooted if possible) that I can flash, along with instructions on how to flash it. I have some experience flashing ASUS devices and Samsung devices, mainly the Transformer pad, and the Note 2, but have also rooted miscellaneous other devices in the past without alot of issues. But I have no experience with ZTE. I've already checked the manaufacturer's website for some kind of recovery software I can use to restore it, there doesnt seem to be anything.
Thanks for any help!
Stephen Wayne Hamilton said:
I have a ZTE Avail 2 which I recently managed to root with Cydia Impactor. Afterwards I managed to screw it up by removing too many stock apps with Titanium. I did it carefully, one by one, and for a few days everything seemed to work fine. But then apps started force-closing, '<name of app here> has stopped working', etc. Factory reset doesnt help, it just restores me to the same screwed up state I'm in now. I already know why, it's because I removed some of the stock apps, which I now realize it needs. I'm currently stuck on the AT&T logo when powering on, it never gets any further. But even while it was messed up it was still halfway-operable, and now this. This device's subforum on Android Forums is all but non-existent, and XDA doesnt seem to have anything for it.
What I need is a 100% stock ROM (pre-rooted if possible) that I can flash, along with instructions on how to flash it. I have some experience flashing ASUS devices and Samsung devices, mainly the Transformer pad, and the Note 2, but have also rooted miscellaneous other devices in the past without alot of issues. But I have no experience with ZTE. I've already checked the manaufacturer's website for some kind of recovery software I can use to restore it, there doesnt seem to be anything.
Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just out of curiosity you ever figure out a solution? I have the AIO branded version of it.
drago10029 said:
Just out of curiosity you ever figure out a solution? I have the AIO branded version of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If needed, I could back up my /system folder and send it to you.
Simba.7 said:
If needed, I could back up my /system folder and send it to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's alright man. someone on android forums has already made a custom ROM. so the ball is rolling on out weak old device :laugh:
build.prop?
Simba.7 said:
If needed, I could back up my /system folder and send it to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you ever get around to doing this? there is supposedly a stock image on androidforums but when I opened the Zip, all it had was the stock apps, no build.prop, which I think I blew away with xblast (xposed plugin). now I hang on the boot screen image. there is a stock Rom for the z993 our there, which I suppose I could use, because they are supposed to be the same phone, just different carriers... but then I need to get the at&t apn's and it is just a PITA. so if you could post /system backup or just a stock build.prop, that would be great!
(I'd post links to these rooms but I guess I'm too new of a member... I can provide them if needed.)
I'm way late on this, but just thought I'd post to say that I no longer have the device, and I was never able to fix it.In any case, I hope the rest of you guys get it fixed. It seemed to be a halfway decent phone, although a bit sluggish at times. But beyond that, with all the bloat removed, I'd say it ran pretty well for the duration of time that I had it (less than a month). I currently have a GNote 3 (T-Mobile) and a GNote Pro 12.2" now and it's just awesome, I'm really loving them.
Sorry, accidental double-post (can't figure out how to delete this post, the "Edit/Delete" button doesnt appear to have any option to entirely delete a post).
Just like "AnonVendetta83" messed up using Titanium.
Now desperately looking for Stock ROM or any working custom ROM to bring phone back to life.:crying:
alirezayami said:
Just like "AnonVendetta83" messed up using Titanium.
Now desperately looking for Stock ROM or any working custom ROM to bring phone back to life.:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a working custom Rom for the z993 (identical hardware, different customized software for AIO, another cell provider). All you will need to do is change/update the data provider stuff so you can still use 3g and mms's. Plenty of info on this online on what needs to be changed.
You can get this Rom over at androidforums.com
http://androidforums.com/prelude-all-things-root/792279-zte-prelude-z993-stock-unrooted-rom-aio.html
There is also a cwm recovery there that works on this phone, and a partial /system backup by someone else for the z992... it is just apps and what not.
If they aren't available anymore, let me know and ill see if I still have them saved somewhere for you.
Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk
AlexZap said:
There is a working custom Rom for the z993 (identical hardware, different customized software for AIO, another cell provider). All you will need to do is change/update the data provider stuff so you can still use 3g and mms's. Plenty of info on this online on what needs to be changed.
You can get this Rom over at androidforums.com
http://androidforums.com/prelude-all-things-root/792279-zte-prelude-z993-stock-unrooted-rom-aio.html
There is also a cwm recovery there that works on this phone, and a partial /system backup by someone else for the z992... it is just apps and what not.
If they aren't available anymore, let me know and ill see if I still have them saved somewhere for you.
Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so very much Alex
I was wondering if I can just simply place the rom zip on the root of your sdcard and continue without doing "Install CWM - ZTE Prelude (Z993) Root&Recovery" step???
Honestly I have absolutely no idea how to do CWM steps as they come so complicated to me.
alirezayami said:
Thank you so very much Alex
I was wondering if I can just simply place the rom zip on the root of your sdcard and continue without doing "Install CWM - ZTE Prelude (Z993) Root&Recovery" step???
Honestly I have absolutely no idea how to do CWM steps as they come so complicated to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to install the custom recovery... It is the only way to install the zip file. If you just have the zip and go into the stock recovery I don't think you can select which zip to install
Sent from my N9002 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
AlexZap said:
There is a working custom Rom for the z993 (identical hardware, different customized software for AIO, another cell provider). All you will need to do is change/update the data provider stuff so you can still use 3g and mms's. Plenty of info on this online on what needs to be changed.
You can get this Rom over at androidforums.com
http://androidforums.com/prelude-all-things-root/792279-zte-prelude-z993-stock-unrooted-rom-aio.html
There is also a cwm recovery there that works on this phone, and a partial /system backup by someone else for the z992... it is just apps and what not.
If they aren't available anymore, let me know and ill see if I still have them saved somewhere for you.
Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AlexZap said:
You need to install the custom recovery... It is the only way to install the zip file. If you just have the zip and go into the stock recovery I don't think you can select which zip to install
Sent from my N9002 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thnx Alex
I would highly appreciate if anyone tell me what ADB Driver I should use for ZTE Z992. I almost understood all the procedure in the links but now the problem is despite I tried different ADB Drivers, but still ADB reboot-bootloader boots phone again in Normal bootloader.
Also Fastboot devices command does not see the phone, while ADB Devices command see it.
Seems bootloader is locked. Right? What should I do?
This is the method I used when I rooted my avail2 :
http://androidforums.com/zte-avail-2-zte-prelude/821217-how-root-zte-avail-2-z992-guide.html
The author (and I) just used the included drivers from zte that come with the phone. From what I remember, fastboot worked fine. Just hold the volume down button then turn the phone on. It will seem to lock on the start screen, but this is the bootloader. Then connect your cable and try your fastboot commands.
If you are already rooted, you can just download the package here
http://androidforums.com/prelude-all-things-root/797487-cwm-recovery-installer-zte-prelude.html
And skip the middle section, using the impactor to root (13 and 14).
Depending on what's wrong with your phone, you could also try just using the stock recovery and doing a system reset there. It will wipe any bad custom settings, but if the rom is still viable it might get you up and running again. It got me out of a bootloop without re-romming the whole thing. And with titanium backup or system app mover you can reinstall anything you need in the system partition.
*edit - Damn kindle auto correct
Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk
A bit to much fiddling resulted in disaster
Hello XDA forum users,
I'm about ready to toss this phone in the trash. I have an AT&T Avail 2 with model number z992, which is apparently manufactured by a company called ZTE. First I think it would be helpful to explain what I've done to the phone and perhaps others out there can tell me if I've destroyed the phone or if it can be fixed.
A friend of mine sold me the phone for 10 bucks, its in great condition which is why its such a shame that it seems perma-bricked. I have no need for the phone aspect of the device, I simply wanted to "convert" it to a handheld media/application player, like an ipod or tablet for example. The phone comes with several bundled software applications that I find completely useless and wanted them removed, EX. AT&T Navigator and other AT&T software, plus a bunch of google applications.
The first thing I did when I decided to try and customize it was to use Kango's root tool which worked and rooted the phone. I was all excited that it worked and continued by installing the Super User application which allowed me to gain full control over the device. (I should have stopped there.) After the successful phone root I then installed a 3rd party app called NoBloat and used its uninstall options to remove a lot of stuff. I couldn't tell you exactly what all was removed but looking back, it must have been more important than I realized at the time. I know I took out all the AT&T software, then all the Google stuff to, which destroyed the play store. I didn't take out anything that seemed like a system file but apparently the Google stuff is the system files. The phone still worked in this state but it was erratic and things like Contacts would crash even if it was not running. So I considered that a failed attempt and commenced to do a factory reset using the recovery menu (Vol Up + Menu Key + Power button) but the factory reset didn't work, well not like it was supposed to. I had used the restore option before and it made the phone work like it was brand new. Now when the phone is powered on it will boot to the initial setup and ask me to choose a language, then it will get as far as the wireless connection screen (sometime not even that far) and the phone reports that "Unfortunately, Setup Wizard has stopped." and then I tap OK and the setup wizard restarts at the language screen. This is the state it is in now and I do not know how to fix it, I'm beginning to think there currently is no method to fix this.
Things I've tried so far include installing minimal ADB-Fastboot to try and sideload various ROM images, the ones I found here and other places. The phone is not recognized by Windows 7 though and the ADB does not work like it did on a motorola phone I did this to before. I've also purchased an inexpensive 8GB microSD chip with an adapter so I could put the ROM info on that and tried the "Update from external storage option" and that seems like it would work but none of the ROM's I've used will install. I guess because there is some kind of security feature built into the phones hardware which checks the data files for specific tags/sizes and therefore won't accept any of the ROMS I've tried.
There is no means to access the old file system anymore like most guides show, I do not have any CWM's installed nor any backup data whatsoever. It's been reset and now it seems the data it used to restore itself is, while not completely missing, damaged and will not reload anymore. All the guides I've read or watched usually show the user in the operating system or using software on a PC to type out commands. None of that works on this phone though, the phone as I just described it is basically bricked. Is there anything that can fix this, or is the phone a paper weight now? A functional ROM image from AT&T seems unlikely as they have absolutely no relevant information about this on the commercial website and the help and support seems like it's setup for old people who don't understand technology at all. If anyone out there has experience with issues like this then by all means let me know. If more information is necessary then I will be glad to provide it if available.
Alright I did manage to figure out how to make the computer see the phone as an ADB device and the minimal ADB interface shows the device now when I type ADB devices at the command prompt. Though this ADB thing seems irrelevant considering I can do the same thing by using the SD card adapter. So I don't know if this was useful or not. The ADB prompt shows a device number of P752A15.
Before I was unable to make the device show up at all in the ADB list. The problem now is how to make the phone accept a ROM, at this point I don't even care if the ROM is the default factory ROM or some random ROM made by a devoted user. The issue I encounter each time is that the built in recovery option to restore from an SD card will not accept the ROM's I've tried so far, and my research on this seems to indicate that I need a custom recovery option. This is apparently called the ClockWorkMod but as to how I install that without a functional operating system on the device is a mystery still. I've tried using a file called recovery.zip and but it does not show up when I view the contents of the SD card when the card is in the phone.
I feel like an idiot because I've done this to other phones for my family and friends, you know jailbreaking an iPhone, and rooted a Galaxy S3 once but this phone seems like its not going to be as easy as those others. I guess AT&T made sure that if you alter it, it breaks the phone. I'll check back later and see if anyone has dropped a line or two here in response to my inquiry.
Thank you and have good day.
Britton Burton said:
Alright I did manage to figure out how to make the computer see the phone as an ADB device and the minimal ADB interface shows the device now when I type ADB devices at the command prompt. Though this ADB thing seems irrelevant considering I can do the same thing by using the SD card adapter. So I don't know if this was useful or not. The ADB prompt shows a device number of P752A15.
Before I was unable to make the device show up at all in the ADB list. The problem now is how to make the phone accept a ROM, at this point I don't even care if the ROM is the default factory ROM or some random ROM made by a devoted user. The issue I encounter each time is that the built in recovery option to restore from an SD card will not accept the ROM's I've tried so far, and my research on this seems to indicate that I need a custom recovery option. This is apparently called the ClockWorkMod but as to how I install that without a functional operating system on the device is a mystery still. I've tried using a file called recovery.zip and but it does not show up when I view the contents of the SD card when the card is in the phone.
I feel like an idiot because I've done this to other phones for my family and friends, you know jailbreaking an iPhone, and rooted a Galaxy S3 once but this phone seems like its not going to be as easy as those others. I guess AT&T made sure that if you alter it, it breaks the phone. I'll check back later and see if anyone has dropped a line or two here in response to my inquiry.
Thank you and have good day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, been a while since I've used this phone, but hopefully this will help. I assume you have the kaw202_recoveryflasher.zip file. Once you extract it, look for the .img file. Try running these adb commands
adb.exe push cwm-z993.img /cache
adb.exe shell "su -c 'dd if=/cache/cwm-z993.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p17'
This should flash cwm if your phone is rooted and adb shell is working.
Sent from my KFTHWI using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
AlexZap said:
Ok, been a while since I've used this phone, but hopefully this will help. I assume you have the kaw202_recoveryflasher.zip file. Once you extract it, look for the .img file. Try running these adb commandsp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not come across that particular file yet, I did try to google it and the only results it had were two and one of those was this post. Would you mind telling me where I might find a copy of the kaw202_recoverflasher.zip?
I managed to find the zip you were talking about and have downloaded it, for anyone else looking for it. I am unable to post links but I would have linked to the files you mentioned. For others looking for the same zip file search for "CWM Recovery Installer ZTE PRELUDE". That's the title of the thread I found the file on that Alex mentioned above. The instructions on the page don't seem like they apply to the situation I'm stuck in but I'll give it a whirl anyway and see if the files work.
If this forum is like the others I've read through so far then there is no real answer to the issue. The phone seems kind of new and not many of the power users on these forums use rinky dink phones like this one. You guys all have the 600 dollar models I guess. What bugs me about this this phone and the state I managed to put it in, is that the damn thing was programmed the first time when it was made. So it seems to me like there should be a way to reprogram the phone the same way the factory did it. Think about it, when they make the phones they don't have any information on the phone at all. It's completely empty, so there must be a way to load the software for the phone even if the phone has no data at all in the main storage. If the files in the recovery flasher.zip file work then I'll post back the results but if it's like the other files I've messed around with (which didn't do anything) then I'm throwing it in the trash can.
Anyway thanks for your response and for pointing me in a different direction Alex
---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 PM ----------
HELL YEAH!!! It worked thank you Alex,
I would have never figured this out without your help! The phone now has a version of CWM on it and the recovery menu is different. I just tried to install a ROM and it said successful. After the phone rebooted went back to the setup screen from ZTE but it still did the same thing. However this is progress and I should be able to "wander in the dark" and figure out a way to use the CWM to install a completely new rom. Any recommendations on a ROM to use for the z992?
Good news, I was able to fix it using the information Alex guided me to find. Since there doesn't appear to be a stock AT&T version of the ROM I ended up using the Azazel ROM. Which at first failed even though it was installed, this I determined was due to the old ROM image still being partially active on the system partition. So I formatted the system partition to and tried again. This time it worked and the phone seems fully functional again, and best of all the annoying bloatware is not present and the apps are not crashing. I consider this issue resolved. Thank you again Alex I will be sure to leave a thanks on your post.
Britton Burton said:
Good news, I was able to fix it using the information Alex guided me to find. Since there doesn't appear to be a stock AT&T version of the ROM I ended up using the Azazel ROM. Which at first failed even though it was installed, this I determined was due to the old ROM image still being partially active on the system partition. So I formatted the system partition to and tried again. This time it worked and the phone seems fully functional again, and best of all the annoying bloatware is not present and the apps are not crashing. I consider this issue resolved. Thank you again Alex I will be sure to leave a thanks on your post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ze
Glad I could help, but none of the work was done by me, the guys over at android central did all the heavy lifting, I just pointed you in the right direction. I have a stock system e m image around here somewhere if you need it, tho installation will be a bit more complicated. If azazels rom ever gives you issues, ill dig it up and try and help you install it.
Sent from my KFTHWI using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I have a stock rom evo 4g LTE, rooted, with Android 4.0.3 on it.
I forget the root app I used, some one click thingy, I guess my bootloader is unlocked
because I get a boot menu every time I reboot, on that screen that says **TAMPERED**.
Anyway, I ignored the notification icon in my taskbar for OTA updates, for a very long time.
Since the day I bought it over a year ago.
Finally I decided "eh, screw it, why not." ...I'm sure I'll regret that.
I told it to do the OTA update, and it downloaded (I think??) and rebooted.
The icon went away. Seemed to be a done deal.
But once per day since then, my phone rings, and I see a prompt saying
there's an OTA update, and would I like to install it now?
I think it's the same OTA update being prompted repeatdly,
because the filesize is always the same (~42 megs).
What should I do? I can choose install, reboot, and be fine for the rest of the day,
or choose cancel, reboot, and be fine for the rest of the day.
Doesn't seem to matter. But would be nice to fix it for good.
Well, considering that you are about 4-5 OTAs behind the rest of the community, I would say that the notification is probably correct. HOWEVER, of you are not using the stock recovery, then the OTA did not flash. Yes, the phone rebooted, but that's because it is installed entirely through recovery, and the phone has to reboot to get into recovery mode in the first place.
Now, for the more important question at hand....why exactly are you still using ICS? Furthermore, if you are still using ICS, then why are you rooted? As far as I'm concerned, the OTAs are actually necessary updates for the phone. I'm sure that you will love Jelly Bean if you have never used it before.
And please, for the sake of us all who are cringing at the sight of the first sentence....PLEASE UPDATE your phone! If you have a good reason not to, please share.
Hi, thanks for the reply... Maybe they were all different updates after all.
I haven't been prompted to update again since my post.
Maybe I grabbed the 3 or 4 OTA updates that I needed to catch up on.
I do think I'd like Jelly Bean too, seeing some of the features is what prompted me to finally catch up.
Can you explain this part to me? I'm not familiar with this stuff.
HOWEVER, of you are not using the stock recovery, then the OTA did not flash.
Yes, the phone rebooted, but that's because it is installed entirely through recovery,
and the phone has to reboot to get into recovery mode in the first place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, there's more than one recovery mode, the stock one, and ...whatever else you can install?
When I see the white screen that says **TAMPERED** (looks basically like this screen)...
should I have chosen Recovery instead of the usual reboot option?
If I no longer see the notification, does that mean the updates worked? My Android version still shows 4.0.3.
why exactly are you still using ICS? Furthermore, if you are still using ICS, then why are you rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I had no compelling reason to upgrade. I still don't really, the phone does what I want,
I just saw some of the features in the next version and thought "huh, that sounds pretty cool".
I'm rooted for all the usual reasons... I want to be able to browse, copy, move, rename files (including system files)
without incident... use nandroid for backups... wifi tether (still can't get that to work actually)... install unapproved apps...
tweak the OS, and so on.
Ok, my friend...let me educate you. Instead of giving you the simplest, fastest solution, I will actually try to answer all of your questions, since you did ask.
I do think I'd like Jelly Bean too, seeing some of the features is what prompted me to finally catch up.
Can you explain this part to me? I'm not familiar with this stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To give a very superficial explanation of Jelly Bean, it is everything that ICS does, and more. It just does it smoother. It also brings Google Now, which was – and still is – the selling point of Jelly Bean. The Sense launcher got a few changes, too, but you will have to explore those changes on your own (mainly because I don’t remember them off hand, and this post is beginning to become lengthy).
Maybe I grabbed the 3 or 4 OTA updates that I needed to catch up on.
If I no longer see the notification, does that mean the updates worked? My Android version still shows 4.0.3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the first update didn’t update properly, then the phone is simply downloading and trying to install the same update over and over. When you boot back into Android after a successful update, you will be greeted by a welcome message congratulating you for installing the new version.
If you are rooted, odds are, you are using a custom recovery, such as TWRP or CWM. OTAs are only installed through the stock recovery & a locked bootloader. The stock recovery doesn’t make nandroids, or do anything of the sort. To install the stock recovery, go here:
http://downloadandroidrom.com/file/HTCEvo4GLTE/rooting/Evo4GLTERoot2.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The stock recovery is located somewhere within the zip file.
So, there's more than one recovery mode, the stock one, and ...whatever else you can install?
When I see the white screen that says **TAMPERED** (looks basically like this screen)...
should I have chosen Recovery instead of the usual reboot option?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can flash install the stock recovery by using fastboot commands from the bootloader (which is the screen that shows the TAMPERED status on the top), or you can use Flash Image GUI. It is a paid app on the Play Store, or you can get it from XDA (the dev let XDA users download it for free…Google it).
Lastly, there are a few things that I suggest that you do. First, obtain S-Off (Google, Google, Google...very simple), so you can install the new firmwares directly, instead of using OTAs. Otherwise, if you accept the OTA, you will lose root, and you will have to root your phone again and again. Installing the firmware, then the new rom is the same as accepting the OTA, then rooting.
Another alternative is to get S-Off, then accept the OTA (after installing the stock recovery). Your bootloader does not need to be locked, and there are recovery zips floating around here that can be installed through the bootloader (therefore, you will not be stuck rooting the phone the hard way, just boot into recovery and flash SuperSU). I highly suggest achieving S-Off.
If you want to jump straight to the latest version (Android 4.3, Sense 5.0) by installing the RUU located somewhere in this forum. I actually suggest that you try Sense 4 with Jelly Bean first, but that is completely up to you. Keep in mind that using the RUU will wipe your internal memory, so back up what needs to be backed up. This doesn’t require you to be rooted, and the state of the bootloader does not matter. It will lock the bootloader, load the stock recovery, and you will lose root. You won’t be able to downgrade without S-Off.
Other Notes:
When using the 4.3 RUU, make sure that Android USB Debugging is enabled.
Bookmarking for later but I wanted to say thanks for the thorough reply!
I can confirm the update never worked, because I never got the confirmation message
and I got prompted again a few hours after I posted.
Are you willing to answer just a few more things?
Based on what I've read, it sounds like this is what I ought to do:
- Back up anything I need to. Just to confirm, updating firmware and flashing a new rom wipes out everything in the phone's internal memory, but not external SDcard? Or both?
Are apps considered "on the cloud" and I can reinstall by just redownloading, without paying again?
Except sideloaded apps? Or will I need to find all those APK files and save them somewhere else?
Is it safe to say they're all in \data\app and \system\app? Or would system\app be unwanted since it's what came with the old phone OS?
- Get my phone into S-OFF status.
- Update firmware (this is a separate process from updating the rom? Where do I get this firmware? Google google google?)
- Install a new ROM (stock or otherwise) which will have these updates built in, so I won't need to regain root.
- Not sure what my bootloader is, maybe TWRP, does it matter? Do the above steps affect it? Should I change it to stock anyway?
- You suggested trying Sense 4 rather than Sense 5 first... any special reason?
Are you willing to answer just a few more things?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As always, I'm open for questions. Not to sound egotistic, but I enjoy sharing my opinion.
Based on what I've read, it sounds like this is what I ought to do:
- Back up anything I need to. Just to confirm, updating firmware and flashing a new rom wipes out everything in the phone's internal memory, but not external SDcard? Or both?
Updating to the 4.3 firmware wipes your internal memory, not your sd card (although, that may be a very unfortunate circumstance, so it should be backed up as well). The other firmware updates do not affect your memory.
Are apps considered "on the cloud" and I can reinstall by just redownloading, without paying again?
Technically, yes they are "on the cloud." The fact that you paid is saved somewhere within your main Google account that you downloaded the app with. It is possible to pay for apps with your secondary gmail account, which can be switched within the Play Store app.
Except sideloaded apps? Or will I need to find all those APK files and save them somewhere else?
Use Titanium Backup if you can't find the apks. I do save my apks that I download, and I also upload them to Google Drive, since I have multiple Android devices, and I also have a faulty micro sd card that I am yet to replace. I can lose my data at any given moment, but everything is backed up, so I'm not worried.
Is it safe to say they're all in \data\app and \system\app? Or would system\app be unwanted since it's what came with the old phone OS?
Everything within the /system folder is wiped when you flash new roms. That data is NOT backed up while flashing between roms. Also, since it is from an older Android version, it's best to leave them alone. You may back up the data if you like, but I would refrain from restoring the apks along with the data.
The /data directory may be wiped, depending on the dev who built the rom zip. If they added the superwipe script, then /data will be wiped as well. Most devs do not include this, since many people "dirty flash," which is flashing new roms or updates of the current rom without wiping /data first.
- Get my phone into S-OFF status.
You will save yourself a LOT of headaches in the future. It was my S-Off status that allowed me to reflash my firmware when I lost the function of my data/voice antennas while carelessly flashing a port of a phone on a different carrier. Also, if you feel curious to try AOSP roms, then you do not need to do any extra steps to flash them.
- Update firmware (this is a separate process from updating the rom? Where do I get this firmware? Google google google?)
Yes, the firmware handles manages how the hardware of the phone operates. Updating the rom changes how the software looks and behaves. The kernel is sort of a bridge between the firmware and the software, since it manages the firmware (like battery life, processor speed, antennas, etc.), but the kernel is dependent on the software version. The firmware is not dependent on the software version, just as the software version is not dependent on the firmware version.
The only exception of the firmware/software independence is the 4.3 update, which requires a complete update of the firmware, and the older software cannot run on the new firmware without being modded by a dev.
- Install a new ROM (stock or otherwise) which will have these updates built in, so I won't need to regain root.
- Not sure what my bootloader is, maybe TWRP, does it matter? Do the above steps affect it? Should I change it to stock anyway?
Your bootloader is the white screen that shows the TAMPERED status on the top, and little Androids on skateboards on the bottom. With the exception of the firmware information in the top left corner, this screen does not change...ever.
TWRP is your recovery image, which is accessible through the RECOVERY option in your bootloader, or you can boot directly into it through different apps in Android - Titanium Backup is one of them (yes, that's one of the options, even for the free version).
The only reason to return your recovery to stock is to accept OTAs, and also to bring your phone back to the complete factory settings, just as the day when it was first purchased (for the sake of selling the phone, or returning back to Sprint for service}. Otherwise, don't bother with it. You may want to update your version of TWRP, though. If you update to 4.3, you will have to update it. I'm not going to take the time to get into that right now. I've given you enough homework.
- You suggested trying Sense 4 rather than Sense 5 first... any special reason?
I am a very patient person. To me, exploring Android takes time. I enjoy reading before I test, and testing before I settle (which I'm yet to "settle"). All of that being said, I suggested Sense 4 before Sense 5 because I wanted you to experience the both of them. They are truly two different versions of Sense, which one might not realize, as their version numbers are differentiated by one integer (in other words, 4 to 5). Sense 3 was a small step above Sense 2, and Sense 4 was a bigger step from Sense 3. Sense 5 is a complete overhaul of the Sense UI, save the flip clock.
I just feel that skipping from 4.0 to 4.3 is missing out on a great experience, but that is mainly if you actually want to try out different roms. Until the Sense 5 RUU, I still visiting ICS on occassion, but I usually didn't last more than 3 hours before I jumped back to JB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whew...you're making me work. But I like it. Anymore questions? Feel free to ask.
OK I've been working on this all afternoon and I'm at an impasse.
You've been a huge help so far and I hope you can guide me through this part.
I want to S-OFF and am following a tutorial: http://www.thefortressofnerditude.com/s-off-your-sprint-htc-evo-4g-lte/
Step 3 says root and install recovery. So I decide I need TWRP.
Already have nandroid and titanium backups both completed.
And I copied the whole SDcard to my computer after.
Annoyingly, TWRP's install page suggests that I need to be in S-OFF.
TWRP says I need S-OFF. S-OFF guide seems to suggest I need TWRP working.
I installed "TWRP Manager". Realize that might not be the same thing as TWRP.
Googled and found it on the TeamWin page.
The page asks first to input my device. I choose Evo 4G LTE (Jewel).
That brings me to this page: http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/98
They suggest I do the android app install method. I follow the first link (Market Link)
and install GooManager, and follow their steps.
Install the app and open it. Tap menu then hit Install OpenRecoveryScript. Tap Yes. Verify that the filename displays your device's code name and hit Yes. The file will download and your device will reboot and install the recovery automatically.
This all goes smoothly, but here's my issue.
It doesn't reboot automatically, or install anything automatically.
I see in the comments a recommendation to reboot into recovery mode.
I choose that in GooManager's menu, and after rebooting I get my bootloader screen with 4 menu options:
Bootloader
Reboot
Reboot Bootloader
Power Down
The only one that sounds sensible to me is bootloader so I pick that.
Now I get some new options:
Fastboot
Recovery
Factory Reset
Clear Storage
Simlock
Image CRC
Show Barcode
So, the only one that makes sense is Recovery. I choose it. The phone reboots.
Now I'm back at the first menu. So I'm in a loop.
Nothing I do in this loop seems to install anything.
So I just rebooted the phone normally and I'm back to my OS.
Where to go from here?
CreeDo said:
OK I've been working on this all afternoon and I'm at an impasse.
You've been a huge help so far and I hope you can guide me through this part.
I want to S-OFF and am following a tutorial: http://www.thefortressofnerditude.com/s-off-your-sprint-htc-evo-4g-lte/
Step 3 says root and install recovery. So I decide I need TWRP.
Already have nandroid and titanium backups both completed.
And I copied the whole SDcard to my computer after.
Annoyingly, TWRP's install page suggests that I need to be in S-OFF.
TWRP says I need S-OFF. S-OFF guide seems to suggest I need TWRP working.
I installed "TWRP Manager". Realize that might not be the same thing as TWRP.
Googled and found it on the TeamWin page.
The page asks first to input my device. I choose Evo 4G LTE (Jewel).
That brings me to this page: http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/98
They suggest I do the android app install method. I follow the first link (Market Link)
and install GooManager, and follow their steps.
Install the app and open it. Tap menu then hit Install OpenRecoveryScript. Tap Yes. Verify that the filename displays your device's code name and hit Yes. The file will download and your device will reboot and install the recovery automatically.
This all goes smoothly, but here's my issue.
It doesn't reboot automatically, or install anything automatically.
I see in the comments a recommendation to reboot into recovery mode.
I choose that in GooManager's menu, and after rebooting I get my bootloader screen with 4 menu options:
Bootloader
Reboot
Reboot Bootloader
Power Down
The only one that sounds sensible to me is bootloader so I pick that.
Now I get some new options:
Fastboot
Recovery
Factory Reset
Clear Storage
Simlock
Image CRC
Show Barcode
So, the only one that makes sense is Recovery. I choose it. The phone reboots.
Now I'm back at the first menu. So I'm in a loop.
Nothing I do in this loop seems to install anything.
So I just rebooted the phone normally and I'm back to my OS.
Where to go from here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you unlock your boot loader first? You don't need to be S-off to install a custom recovery. Unlock your bootloader at htcdev.com then install twrp.
Read here for more info:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2420916
Also, I suggest learning how to use fastboot commands. Install twrp using fastboot.
Sent from my EVO using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
OK, so I'm semi-bricked but not panicking yet.
Here's where I'm at.
• Unlocked boot loader successfully
• Installed TWRP using fastboot.
• Followed instructions as closely as I could on moonshine.io to get S-OFF working.
Several times during the process I got "installing device driver software" in my win7 system tray.
Not sure if that's normal. But the drivers seemed to install fine. At first.
But then, during this part of the process:
Moonshining .................(1)
Windows prompted me that it was installing some drivers again, But it failed to install the MTP driver.
After ten tries with the "Moonshining" step, I got "ERROR: don't drink and moonshine!" or something like that.
So, it seems like I need to get this MTP driver going. First I tried solutions on the computer:
• Uninstalled all HTC software, unplugged phone, rebooted,
installed HTC Sync Manager (setup name setup_3.0.52.0_htc.exe), then uninstalled it...
because a tutorial said this would keep the drivers but remove the software. Still no luck on the MTP driver though.
• Found "Mass Storage Device" (my phone) under device manager, removed it, unplugged, rebooted, replugged.
• Plugged cord into back of PC, so I'm using USB 2.0 rather than USB 3.0.
• One suggestion said a certain registry section might have an upperfilter key that shouldn't be there.
But I don't have that upperfilter key so that's not the issue.
Some fixes require getting into my phone (one guy suggests turning off USB debugging)...
but I no longer have a working OS. I can get into my bootloader, I tried Factory Reset.
But after choosing this I go into TWRP and I have no TWRP backups that I can restore.
So my next guess is, I need to get a recovery ZIP (is that basically a ROM?) that TWRP can install.
If that's correct, what ZIP should I get? I was on Android 4.0.3 Sense 4.0, can I download jellybean with Sense 5.0,
and install it via TWRP?
That was my goal all along, but I'm determined to get S-OFF working, so if doing that means my phone gets wiped again,
I guess I just want whatever ROM/recovery/whatever that allows me to change this USB debugging setting,
and try other phone-related fixes to the MTP driver issue.
First of all, flash an ICS rom. I'm assuming that you are still using the same ICS firmware, and you will want to have your phone operational (to enable USB debugging). The link for MeanRom ICS still works. http://old.androidfilehost.com/main/EVO_3D_Developers/mikeyxda/LTEvo/MeanROM-ICS-v65-jewel-ltevo.zip
Ok....since you are on the old HBoot, I think that you need to use the older S-Off methods (LazyPanda or DirtyRacun), if I'm not mistaken. You can not download and flash Sense 5.0 through TWRP as of yet, because you need to be using the new firmware to do so. You may want to pay http://unlimited.io/jewel.htm a visit. Also, to use LazyPanda or DirtyRacun, you need to be using Ubuntu. Another option that you have is to use the regular RUU and update directly to Sense 5.0. You will be stock, unrooted, but you can easily use the latest S-Off method.
Lastly, for your rooting/S-Off needs, you can also use a handy-dandy toolkit from @WindyCityRockr that can handle everything that you need to do. I usually encourage manual labor, but there are some exceptions. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2436217
Thanks again for jumping in.
I'm getting somewhere, but still so many difficulties.
Fix one thing, break two more.
I finally have a new working rom, but almost against my will it ended up
being CyanogenMod.
The short version:
- unlocked bootloader, got TWRP going, finally got ADB working (don't think it's the right driver,
but whatever, ADB commands work fine), wiped everything... factory reset, Dalvik, external storage.
- Didn't wipe Internal storage, I wiped only /data/ per some post's recommendation.
- I used ADB PUSH to get a few possible roms onto /sdcard/
PJ75IMG_1.13.651.1.zip (failed with "unable to open zip")
(ROM)_Stock_Rooted_OTA_(3.16.651.3)V2.zip (failed with "unable to execute updater binary in zip")
cm-10.2.0-jewel.zip (cyanogenmod) - success!
So, the phone works. It appears to be at least based on android 4.3... and I'm guessing CM, which updates
frequently, has all those OTA updates bundled into it. Any downsides to CyanogenMod?
I could just proceed from here to reinstall my old apps etc.
I'm still not "S-OFF" which annoys me, but I read a post suggesting it's not really that necessary.
The way they put it is, s-off allows you to access partitions so they can be modded,
but nobody is developing anything interesting for those partitions. Like nobody's doing custom radios and such.
Should I still pursue S-OFF anyway?
If so, is there a way to do it with CyanogenMod?
That awesome app (Windroid Universal Toolkit) doesn't recognize the phone.
Last question, how should I go about restoring everything?
I had titanium and nandroid backups copied to my computer.
Can it restore to such a wildly different version of the OS?
Can I get back not just apps, but stuff like my keyboard preferences, texting history, etc.?
Should I still pursue S-OFF anyway?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! Being S-On is a complete pain in the BUTT when switching AOSP roms. Have you tried to flash the rom that I posted, MeanRom ICS? I'm really trying to get you to stay on Sense, because S-Off and other different tools work so much better while using Sense. AOSP is better after S-Off. But that's up to you.
If so, is there a way to do it with CyanogenMod?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure. You can try if you have the time. I suggest making a nandroid of your CM rom, and try to flash a Sense ICS rom, not JB...yet.
That awesome app (Windroid Universal Toolkit) doesn't recognize the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CM might be the issue here, as well as it might not.
Last question, how should I go about restoring everything?
I had titanium and nandroid backups copied to my computer.
Can it restore to such a wildly different version of the OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, TB will still work. There are some apps that might cause the restoration process to freeze, so I suggest killing TB and skipping over the app that froze the process when you return.
Can I get back not just apps, but stuff like my keyboard preferences, texting history, etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your keyboard preferences was not backed up, then no. If you were using the stock Sense keyboard, then that is a no as well. As long as your texting history was backed up, it can be restored. Texts are not like apps...their data is typically stored in XML files which are readable through any version of Android (2.3+).
I'm still soliciting my help if you need it.
I'm for sure going to need it, so thanks very much for the ongoing support!
I got discouraged after all the failures but I'll download Meanrom now.
The thing is... now that Cyanogen mod works, I hesitate to wipe it and try a new one.
Especially since several other roms I tried mysteriously failed to install.
I like that it's jellybean and don't wanna move backwards to ICS.
And I like their goal of cutting out the fluff.
I still want S-OFF, will I end up having to wipe everything again to get it?
Also, I really don't feel confident I have the right drivers for my windows machine.
I can transfer files in USB mode, go into USB debugging, and do the usual ADB commands.
But the phone shows up as a nexus in device manager, but it's definitely evo 4G lte.
I tried installing an executable RUU and it failed after a bit saying it can't detect the device.
And there's that issue where Windroid doesn't detect it.
So I have the feeling that without the right USB drivers, tools like Moonshine will still fail.
I specifically got errors every time when anything tried to install MTP usb drivers. Do I really need them?
You think LazyPanda or DirtyRacun's tools will work even if I never get the MTP thing installed?
CreeDo said:
I'm for sure going to need it, so thanks very much for the ongoing support!
I got discouraged after all the failures but I'll download Meanrom now.
The thing is... now that Cyanogen mod works, I hesitate to wipe it and try a new one.
Especially since several other roms I tried mysteriously failed to install.
I like that it's jellybean and don't wanna move backwards to ICS.
And I like their goal of cutting out the fluff.
I still want S-OFF, will I end up having to wipe everything again to get it?
Also, I really don't feel confident I have the right drivers for my windows machine.
I can transfer files in USB mode, go into USB debugging, and do the usual ADB commands.
But the phone shows up as a nexus in device manager, but it's definitely evo 4G lte.
I tried installing an executable RUU and it failed after a bit saying it can't detect the device.
And there's that issue where Windroid doesn't detect it.
So I have the feeling that without the right USB drivers, tools like Moonshine will still fail.
I specifically got errors every time when anything tried to install MTP usb drivers. Do I really need them?
You think LazyPanda or DirtyRacun's tools will work even if I never get the MTP thing installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Feel free to try the facepalm S-off method as well. Works on devices with older software and is super easy. Look here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2163013
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Evolution_Freak said:
Feel free to try the facepalm S-off method as well. Works on devices with older software and is super easy. Look here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2163013
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers, it does look pretty straightforward.
Of course that's what I thought hours ago when I tried moonshine haha.
I'll give it a go.
To be clear, does this method wipe anything?
They don't actually say.
CreeDo said:
Cheers, it does look pretty straightforward.
Of course that's what I thought hours ago when I tried moonshine haha.
I'll give it a go.
To be clear, does this method wipe anything?
They don't actually say.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't remember if it wipes or not. Best thing to do is make a backup with TWRP and keep the backup on your external SD card. If it wipes you can always restore your backup.
Sent from my HTC device
Thanks for the help so far guys. I am currently really enjoying Cyanogenmod. I suspect it's eating battery more,
but then against I am on the phone for hours redoing everything that got changed/removed.
Does anyone know if there's a simple way (or even a difficult way) to restore my texts?
Because the app is totally different, and the old text app was the one that came
with the stock rom, I cannot restore it in titanium. But if I could extract even the raw text that'd be helpful.
Get back to Sense, or get someone with Sense to restore it for you, and save it using a different app. Or maybe try using SMS Backup & Restore from the Play Store. I'm not sure if it can read the backups saved through Sense, but it's worth a try. You just have to navigate to the location of the old backup.
It looks like I can import an XML in this messaging app so maybe if sense offers an export to XML option, I'll be set.
Sense is sort of an OS on top of the OS, right?
Can sense be loaded without flashing a new rom? or is it too integrated with the OS?
I'm happy to say I will be an owner of a Kindle Fire HDx 7in.- lte/4g- 32 gb tablet. A Thor? Unless that is just the wireless one. I was contemplating an ipad for weeks, but what I wanted was easily $550- So when I saw the specs on this tablet at half the price, I pushed the button! Picked it up at Amazon's $100 off sale tuesday. $285 with tax. Minus $78 in amex points- grand total of $200 and change
My past modding was on the old white PDN e-reader that was turned into a touch tablet. lol. That had cupcake on it or was it donut??:silly: That's where I learned the basics of adb (I'm pretty bad at it but can follow directions and get the job done, at least 7-8 years ago. I'm pretty rusty at adb now. The toolkits that you guys put together spoiled me- but I did at one time do it the old fashioned way. I hope never again!!! I went cross eyed. Oh, forgot the huawei hs7 too- That took some doing too. That was after the PDN.
I graduated to the TF 101- rooted and rom'd that till it was replaced by the Nexus 7 original-I will never buy a new-never before released- product again after that one, Still have it, passed it to my daughter and she loves it. 3 months after I was one of the first owners, they dropped the price, doubled the storage space to 32 gb, and gave compensation to everyone in the world but us here in the USA. My relationship with Asus products is over. Somewhere along the way I got a nook wifi and hacked that too.
I moved next to samsung, modded the galaxy nexus, the orig. Note, a Note 8 wifi, have a Mega att version ( locked bootloader, and now unrootable on kitkat 4.4 2 so far. TR v. 1-2-3 does not work for it) Love the Note 8, but the screen is a bit fuzzy- so it was the ipad or the kindle hdx. The bargain won. With similar specs, I 'm giving it a try.
Along my history- Never had any trouble or lossed a phone or tablet due to bad flashing or modding. I read 3-4 times or more, and I follow directions pretty well to the letter.
Here is my question. Sorry if I bored you. ( Looked for an intro thread, but didn't find one.) When I get this tablet on Friday, I don't want it to auto update. I don't want to change the build prop. So after I make my adjustments, I want to make sure it doesn't update on me. Does it update over internet data connection, or just wifi?
Here is what I want to do. I Will not connect to wifi. Will check the build number I am on. If I have to, I will manually update to the best safest build by putting it in the root of the sd card, and going to update tool- not connected to the internet, and install. I have been reading all the threads here. What is the safest build if I want to possibly unlock the bootloader when it is released?? and of course root, and install google playstore?
Using the toolkit( v.0.94) I will:
1. Install driver.
2. Use TR v1 and root. Probably with the toolkit. @Faznx92- great job pulling it all together in one place. Thank you. Will by using Toolkit v.0.94.
3.. Install supersu.
4. I don't want to mess with safestrap for now, so I will pass on that. Is that OK to do??
5. Block OTA updates with #4- Does this still work on the latest, safest build?
6. Install the exposed framework, and modules, and check appropriate boxes, Reboot in between installs.
7. Install the 4 google apks in the instructions- manager, services, store, framework- and reboot.
8. Check if OTA updates are indeed blocked looking for the OTA update failed!! :
9. turn on wifi and get tmobile free data started.
Is there any way to BU original firmware before installing HDxposed stuff and google apps? Without safestrap? ( I never used that before and it intimidates me a little I also understand it is a little iffy to remove it safely. Can you just re-install a manual update to recover if things go south? After reversing all the apks, modules, root, etc. after a factory reset?
To undo the install of the play store, you just uninstall all of the above and unroot via supersu? And reverse the OTA blocking?
Does this sound like a good plan? It's what I picked up after reading for the last 24 hrs.- not straight of course!!:silly: Did I miss anything important?? Do I have anything backwards?? Would love some feedback. My first preference would be to leave it alone for a few weeks, but my priority is to avoid the updates, but be able to use and set up my tablet the way I want.
If the bootloader is ever cracked and released- Yes I have read the deed is done, but in testing- I would like to install a stable custom recovery, make good backups, and be able to reinstall if things go south any stable rom I have tucked away.
Thank you for your time if you read this whole post!!
sashusmom said:
I'm happy to say I will be an owner of a Kindle Fire HDx 7in.- lte/4g- 32 gb tablet. A Thor? Unless that is just the wireless one. I was contemplating an ipad for weeks, but what I wanted was easily $550- So when I saw the specs on this tablet at half the price, I pushed the button! Picked it up at Amazon's $100 off sale tuesday. $285 with tax. Minus $78 in amex points- grand total of $200 and change
My past modding was on the old white PDN e-reader that was turned into a touch tablet. lol. That had cupcake on it or was it donut??:silly: That's where I learned the basics of adb (I'm pretty bad at it but can follow directions and get the job done, at least 7-8 years ago. I'm pretty rusty at adb now. The toolkits that you guys put together spoiled me- but I did at one time do it the old fashioned way. I hope never again!!! I went cross eyed. Oh, forgot the huawei hs7 too- That took some doing too. That was after the PDN.
I graduated to the TF 101- rooted and rom'd that till it was replaced by the Nexus 7 original-I will never buy a new-never before released- product again after that one, Still have it, passed it to my daughter and she loves it. 3 months after I was one of the first owners, they dropped the price, doubled the storage space to 32 gb, and gave compensation to everyone in the world but us here in the USA. My relationship with Asus products is over. Somewhere along the way I got a nook wifi and hacked that too.
I moved next to samsung, modded the galaxy nexus, the orig. Note, a Note 8 wifi, have a Mega att version ( locked bootloader, and now unrootable on kitkat 4.4 2 so far. TR v. 1-2-3 does not work for it) Love the Note 8, but the screen is a bit fuzzy- so it was the ipad or the kindle hdx. The bargain won. With similar specs, I 'm giving it a try.
Along my history- Never had any trouble or lossed a phone or tablet due to bad flashing or modding. I read 3-4 times or more, and I follow directions pretty well to the letter.
Here is my question. Sorry if I bored you. ( Looked for an intro thread, but didn't find one.) When I get this tablet on Friday, I don't want it to auto update. I don't want to change the build prop. So after I make my adjustments, I want to make sure it doesn't update on me. Does it update over internet data connection, or just wifi?
Here is what I want to do. I Will not connect to wifi. Will check the build number I am on. If I have to, I will manually update to the best safest build by putting it in the root of the sd card, and going to update tool- not connected to the internet, and install. I have been reading all the threads here. What is the safest build if I want to possibly unlock the bootloader when it is released?? and of course root, and install google playstore?
Using the toolkit( v.0.94) I will:
1. Install driver.
2. Use TR v1 and root. Probably with the toolkit. @Faznx92- great job pulling it all together in one place. Thank you. Will by using Toolkit v.0.94.
3.. Install supersu.
4. I don't want to mess with safestrap for now, so I will pass on that. Is that OK to do??
5. Block OTA updates with #4- Does this still work on the latest, safest build?
6. Install the exposed framework, and modules, and check appropriate boxes, Reboot in between installs.
7. Install the 4 google apks in the instructions- manager, services, store, framework- and reboot.
8. Check if OTA updates are indeed blocked looking for the OTA update failed!! :
9. turn on wifi and get tmobile free data started.
Is there any way to BU original firmware before installing HDxposed stuff and google apps? Without safestrap? ( I never used that before and it intimidates me a little I also understand it is a little iffy to remove it safely. Can you just re-install a manual update to recover if things go south? After reversing all the apks, modules, root, etc. after a factory reset?
To undo the install of the play store, you just uninstall all of the above and unroot via supersu? And reverse the OTA blocking?
Does this sound like a good plan? It's what I picked up after reading for the last 24 hrs.- not straight of course!!:silly: Did I miss anything important?? Do I have anything backwards?? Would love some feedback. My first preference would be to leave it alone for a few weeks, but my priority is to avoid the updates, but be able to use and set up my tablet the way I want.
If the bootloader is ever cracked and released- Yes I have read the deed is done, but in testing- I would like to install a stable custom recovery, make good backups, and be able to reinstall if things go south any stable rom I have tucked away.
Thank you for your time if you read this whole post!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of your questions have been answered before but I will try my best to re-answer them. I will try to clear up any misguided understanding you may have.
-Does it update over internet data connection, or just wifi?
+It updates over a internet connection.
-What is the safest build if I want to possibly unlock the bootloader when it is released??
+We don't know yet. Stay on the version you're on for now.
-4. I don't want to mess with safestrap for now, so I will pass on that. Is that OK to do??
+If you don't know much about what it does it's best for you not to worry. Yes, it's fine to leave safestrap alone.
-5. Block OTA updates with #4- Does this still work on the latest, safest build?]
+Yes, it works. The only time it may change up is if Amazon pushes a update with different package names or functions.
-Is there any way to BU (Back-up?) original firmware before installing HDxposed stuff and google apps without safestrap?
+No. I'm not aware of any other way to backup the stock rom.
-Can you just re-install a manual update to recover if things go southafter reversing all the apks, modules, root, etc. after a factory reset?
+You can't re-install a update. You can factory reset it.
-To undo the install of the play store, you just uninstall all of the above and unroot via supersu? And reverse the OTA blocking?
+There is no need to uninstall play store before a factory reset because the reset wipes it out. You should un-root via SuperSU and remove my ota block. (I reset while root but was unsure how safe it was. It did work out in the end without issue.)
Keep the wifi off once you undo the ota block and then factory reset so you don't update. Once the reset is done, re-install the blocker. I'm not sure if you need to remove safestrap before a factory reset.
To make clear:
If you install a ota blocker it's good to check that it works by being connected to the net and then going to Settings->Device->System Updates->Check now. If it says Last update failed it is working else it is not.
The current roms for the hdx require Hashcode's safestrap. But to get the rom's working you need a backup of the stock rom or you could use the backup he provided. Once a slot is made you would install the rom zip to the slot.
I believe safestrap works be emulating a new system/data/cache partition in a file as a full rom to the bootloader. I recommend blocking ota before you make a backup or installing a basic stock rom. If you create and install the stock rom to a rom slot without blocking ota, the amazon system files are still in place to call for a update and hand it off to the system and bootloader.
Safestrap is safe as long as you do not touch the stock rom but only to make a backup of it.
If you don't feel comfortable using safestrap then don't.
Quick word of advise, you should include the version of your device when asking questions for that version. I'm guessing your on 13.3.2.4, the current latest.
Also I highly recommend staying on your current version and not moving forward.
Last thing, give this a read.
I hope I answered your questions as clear as possible.
Anybody else please clear up anything I missed.
Also good luck with your device and play safe.
Thank you so much Faznx92 for reinforcing all that I read ( lots in a short time period). I didn't want to mix up the info I read from the beginning of the year to where this tab is now. You did clear up anything I was unsure about. Thank you! And safestrap- I am not comfortable with it at all- there is no safestrap for my Mega, all my other tech toys have unlocked bootloaders. So I have absolutely no experience with this custom recovery. I am used to CWM and TWRP. Totally comfortable with them, although I have to admit kitkat twisted my arm to try TWRP since that was the only way to flash those roms on a lot of tablets and phones. Now I am partial to that. So I won't say no to safestrap, just now when an unlock is so close. If a safestrap was released for my Mega, I would definitely give it a try.
Oh, I know to report what build I am on when asking questions- that's just polite and informative, right?? But I am not getting this tab till tomorrow, at least that's what tracking says. So I don't know yet. When I check the build I will post back and let you know what they are shipping now with. Hopefully it is still rootable and eligible for unlocking the bootloader when that is released. That is very exciting!
I give you credit for reading my epic long post, and thank you for taking the time to address my concerns. I appreciate it! I'll check back in tomorrow afternoon. Mail comes late where I am.
Your link was the First thing I read on this forum!!!! Which is why I am sticking with what I am comfortable with. Also, in my case I only learn by doing. But I have always realized that hacking leads to problems sometimes. My motto is stay calm, and reach out for help. Panic doesn't solve anything. And if you are hacking your only phone that you rely on, be prepared to go buy a cheap prepaid phone to bail you out till you straighten out your expensive semi brick! lol. I've gone from holding my breath when hitting go, to just being curious on how to do stuff and finding out how things work. I guess I'm living life backwards!! I can afford it at this point in my life.
Just received my kindle HDx 7 from Amazon.
So, I placed this order 1 am Wed. morning- the sale must have been on PST. Took free shipping- non prime. Received on Friday around noon. Way ahead of the promised date.
The build received was 13.3.2.1. Sim chip was installed and connected to the internet, so I took it out as a precaution even though it is not yet asso. with an account. Skipped wifi set up till I get OTA updates halted. Now it's time to play!
I Really like the size of this tablet.
@Faznx92, now that I know I am on build 13.3.2.1 do you recommend I update manually to 13.3.2.4 or can I stay on this one?
Thanks for your advice and help. Rooted, OTA blocked and confirmed, superuser installed, binary updated. I will hold off on google stuff for now and see how this OS works.
sashusmom said:
@Faznx92, now that I know I am on build 13.3.2.1 do you recommend I update manually to 13.3.2.4 or can I stay on this one?
Thanks for your advice and help. Rooted, OTA blocked and confirmed, superuser installed, binary updated. I will hold off on google stuff for now and see how this OS works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still on 13.3.1.0 and not moving any time soon.
13.3.2.1 is fine.
Stay on your version!
Also you will need to registered your device.
Faznx92 said:
I'm still on 13.3.1.0 and not moving any time soon.
13.3.2.1 is fine.
Stay on your version!
Also you will need to registered your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! I will hold where I am then. I guess since I bought it from amazon- an account I already had there- when I connected to wifi it sort of registered itself and associated it with my amazon account by Magic!!:silly:
I do have to say just using the native kindle OS, I am not a fan. I will be installing the HDxposed modules and google stuff. :fingers-crossed:
Yeap, magic brick lol Hopefully not for you though, you seem to have done a little homework. I would be thorough with your own research at least skim the threads of the modifications you wish to do just to see what problems other people have had may save you a lot of trouble. Good luck
jimyv said:
Yeap, magic brick lol Hopefully not for you though, you seem to have done a little homework. I would be thorough with your own research at least skim the threads of the modifications you wish to do just to see what problems other people have had may save you a lot of trouble. Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks jimyv Everything went as planned, couple hiccups that I solved by all the info posted here in this forum
The only thing I seem to have a problem with is sideloading apps now. It worked prior to downloading the google platform, but I can't seem to install from my sd card, app installers, or dropbox. I went back and checked that unknown sources is checked, and adb is turned on.
I had this same problem on my Note 8 on totally stock with just root applied and philz touch recovery. I fixed it by installing a stock hacked kitkat rom and that solved the problem.
Anyone have any ideas? Not too much of a problem since the play store/ market is up and running. I wanted to install samsung milk music that did install on my note 8 (not approved for that tablet). When sideloading was working for the hdx 7 I could load that apk, but it refused to install.
Now nothing will happen when I try to install any apk from dropbox or app installer. The buttons don't respond. If that's my only problem I can live with that!!
too much
sashusmom said:
Thanks jimyv Everything went as planned, couple hiccups that I solved by all the info posted here in this forum
The only thing I seem to have a problem with is sideloading apps now. It worked prior to downloading the google platform, but I can't seem to install from my sd card, app installers, or dropbox. I went back and checked that unknown sources is checked, and adb is turned on.
I had this same problem on my Note 8 on totally stock with just root applied and philz touch recovery. I fixed it by installing a stock hacked kitkat rom and that solved the problem.
Anyone have any ideas? Not too much of a problem since the play store/ market is up and running. I wanted to install samsung milk music that did install on my note 8 (not approved for that tablet). When sideloading was working for the hdx 7 I could load that apk, but it refused to install.
Now nothing will happen when I try to install any apk from dropbox or app installer. The buttons don't respond. If that's my only problem I can live with that!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are trying to install into system it may be too crowded
Personally I use titanium back up and it shows the size of the ROM I only have like 34 MB left of room after installing gapps. And if you are using safestrap by chance you need to remake your slot delete the slot first then go to remake it it will show available space. I increase that cache by 200 MB then use the rest of my available space up in the data partition then create slot .
jimyv said:
If you are trying to install into system it may be too crowded
Personally I use titanium back up and it shows the size of the ROM I only have like 34 MB left of room after installing gapps. And if you are using safestrap by chance you need to remake your slot delete the slot first then go to remake it it will show available space. I increase that cache by 200 MB then use the rest of my available space up in the data partition then create slot .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No safestrap. I have a 32 GB. Is the internal partition for installing apps tiny on this tablet? I got the 32 gb so I wouldn't have this problem. Stock other than being rooted and having the HDxposed modules with google market installed. That might be taking up the room.
I have 1.1 GB of apps, system apps are close to 397 mb. I have 21 GB free.
************************************************************************
Must have been a space problem. I deleted AngryBirdsSpace and was able to install Adobe flash and Cerberus. Milk music still will not install, so don't think that is the issue with that one. It did install last week on my Note8 and my Mega so maybe because it's a samsung app??
Will Titanium BU work for moving apps to the sd card on this device? And free up space that way?
I can't seem to find the move to sd card on a long press with tit.BU, so I guess not.
Trying to root Nougat (Android 7)? Then read the comments at the bottom please...
I will first state I do NOT own a Moto G4, I own the G3 and the X Pure which are both 3rd Gen devices, but I was requested to write this tutorial by a few users here due to lots of failed root attempts using older "standard" methods that do not work on this device. I also do not like the "one click" root methods, because they can and do fail (KingoRoot will brick a Moto G3/4, regardless of what it's web page says), and when they do people have no idea how to fix it. The manual way is not difficult, and it teaches you how to work on, fix, and use your device on a level above that of the average smartphone user.
I will only cover rooting, the prerequisites are covered elsewhere in detail and I will link to reliable sources for the information. Specifics of the prerequisites are outside of the scope of this tutorial, but are open for discussion in this thread. Remember, I do not own this device although the methods used are the same as similar devices.
Prerequisites:
0) Be running Marshmallow (Android 6.x) stock ROM, at this time Nougat (Android 7.x) is not working via any method.
1) Device must have an unlocked bootloader. See Moto - Unlocking the Bootloader for more info.
NOTE: As of 7/18/2016, Amazon ad-subsidised Moto G 4th Gen devices cannot be bootloader unlocked, therefore they cannot be rooted. Sorry, Lollipop and newer Android security changes pretty much put an end to that.
2) You need to have TWRP installed or one-time booted via fastboot. CWM and other recoveries will NOT work at this time. See TWRP's Moto G 2016 page
3) You need a copy of the latest stable SuperSU ZIP from Chainfire's site on the internal storage or SD card of your device. SR1-SuperSU-v2.78-SR1-20160915123031.zip is the lastest version verified to work with this method.
Note: Do NOT use any 2.77 version, it was a beta intended specifically for the SG Note 7 and will not work, it does not harm but fails to root.
4) Reboot and start TWRP recovery, and PERFORM A COMPLETE BACKUP IN TWRP (Nandroid)!!!
How to do it:
Now, the procedure is the same whether you are trying to root the first time, or you did it the old way just flashing SuperSU and are now not able to boot...
In TWRP, go to Advanced and open the Terminal, in the terminal type this EXACTLY as shown:
Code:
echo SYSTEMLESS=true>>/data/.supersu
Now press enter (there is no confirmation returned), then exit and press the Home key. Go to Install and select the SuperSU zip file you downloaded from Prerequisite #3 and swipe to flash it and reboot. No need to clear caches or anything else but you are welcome to if you wish. You can install SuperSU updates normally through the app going forward (as of this posting).
Why do I have to do this???
For whatever reason, the install script for SuperSU does not recognize that this device (like many others) requires a systemless root installation. By creating /data/.supersu in the TWRP recovery environment, the SuperSU install script parses the file and sees "SYSTEMLESS=true" and ignores what it auto-detects and forces a systemless root installation.
Hope this is helpful to someone!
As always, if this is the first time you have booted TWRP or attempted root... BACKUP IN TWRP FIRST!!! Once the system is modified, it cannot be undone (easily) and you will always have a known good starting place if the worst happens.
EDIT: Photos added showing what a proper command and flash should look like. Note that in picture 1 the exit command is not needed, you can just back out. In pictures 2 and 3 a proper flash of SuperSU is shown, note that system-less mode is specified and the boot image is patched, this is what should occur. It is normal for it to loop once or twice, but that is it, first boot could take 10 minutes plus.
Notes on Nougat/Android 7... At this time this method of rooting does not work properly on the official Nougat ROM for this device, it causes WiFi issues and interface problems (settings crashes, etc) and with no complete factory image there is no work fix other than to restore your Nandroid backup to pre-root status. If you wish to play with this method and try it, your on your own, I will try to assist but as I stated earlier I do not own this device. To my knowledge as of this posting, there is no working root on stock Android 7 on this device.
I can confirm this worked on my formerly-amazon XT1625 16GB G4. You will get an error about not being able to mount /data, but it proceeds and works anyway.
This is exactly what was missing! I rooted as normal with the latest SuperSU expecting it to just work like on other phones/tablets, but yeah. Before specifying systemless, it hung on boot. After following your instructions it booted right up. Thanks!
Also if you setup adaptable storage with your SDcard, so it works like internal storage, TWRP can't find any files on the SDcard. You will need to revert to non-adaptable storage for TWRP to find the supersu ZIP file.
And make sure you're using the latest SuperSU-- I accidentally tried a very old version which did not work!
Scared Noobie
I should probably be posting this on some noobie forum, but I read Motorola's "Unlock Your Bootloader" and it scared the **** out of me. Can someone give me a ballpark figure of the chances of bricking the phone? (I know this particular phone is new, but I'm just looking for a rough estimate. How common is it generally to brick a phone just from unlocking the bootloader?)
Appreciate this. I miss the old days where it was all simple. Everything was flashable. Never had to flash back to something or re flash.
cuvtixo said:
I should probably be posting this on some noobie forum, but I read Motorola's "Unlock Your Bootloader" and it scared the **** out of me. Can someone give me a ballpark figure of the chances of bricking the phone? (I know this particular phone is new, but I'm just looking for a rough estimate. How common is it generally to brick a phone just from unlocking the bootloader?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's about as common as bring bricked from performing a factory reset, because that is the only part that really does much... So extremely rare, but the possibility is always there. Remember to have patience, the resets and wipes can take what seems like forever.
The dangerous part is what you do after the bootloader is unlocked.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
cuvtixo said:
I should probably be posting this on some noobie forum, but I read Motorola's "Unlock Your Bootloader" and it scared the **** out of me. Can someone give me a ballpark figure of the chances of bricking the phone? (I know this particular phone is new, but I'm just looking for a rough estimate. How common is it generally to brick a phone just from unlocking the bootloader?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very rare...all you need is read, read, read and follow the instructions. Good luck
Very nice and just what I needed. Worked perfectly on my Amazon Moto G4 with ads. I got no errors or messages but booted fine-got caught in a boot loop once as the SuperSU file explains after it installs. Boots in less then a minute first time.
Marty
acejavelin said:
It's about as common as bring bricked from performing a factory reset, because that is the only part that really does much... So extremely rare, but the possibility is always there. Remember to have patience, the resets and wipes can take what seems like forever.
The dangerous part is what you do after the bootloader is unlocked.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey i wiped this up based on your post it should really help. it completely automates the process check it out if you want to and you can also ad it to the OP if you want to.
DOWNLOAD TOOL HERE Root-moto-g-4th-gen
Tomsgt said:
Hey i wiped this up based on your post it should really help. it completely automates the process check it out if you want to and you can also ad it to the OP if you want to.
DOWNLOAD TOOL HERE Root-moto-g-4th-gen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cheers mate
I signed up for xda just to give you props! I rooted my phone using instructions not from here and i was suck in a boot loop. your little command there fixed it! I freakin love you.. wish i could buy you dinner! Thanks a million
zipjay said:
I signed up for xda just to give you props! I rooted my phone using instructions not from here and i was suck in a boot loop. your little command there fixed it! I freakin love you.. wish i could buy you dinner! Thanks a million
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your welcome... Just give click thanks on the first post, but if you feel absolutely compelled to buy me dinner, there is the Donate button.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
I rooted my G4 in the normal way using supersu 2.46, and now boot hangs on the white Moto screen. (advice from another site)
I am waiting for a SD card to update to 2.76 with the systemless command.
Is there anything else I can do in the interim, I tried deleting the contents of /supersu from Twrp and that hasnt made any difference. I have also wiped data and caches.
thanks .. Mike
mikeruss said:
I rooted my G4 in the normal way using supersu 2.46, and now boot hangs on the white Moto screen. (advice from another site)
I am waiting for a SD card to update to 2.76 with the systemless command.
Is there anything else I can do in the interim, I tried deleting the contents of /supersu from Twrp and that hasnt made any difference. I have also wiped data and caches.
thanks .. Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't you just use MTP mode of TWRP to copy the latest SuperSU to internal storage then flash after creating the config file?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
thank you, worked fine.
would I be right in thinking I need the sdk23, arm, 64 bit version of xposed ?
mikeruss said:
thank you, worked fine.
would I be right in thinking I need the sdk23, arm, 64 bit version of xposed ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know... I don't own the G4 *yet* but possibly in the near future now that I know the Amazon version can have the ads striped out easily enough... I would do a nandorid and try it, if it fails, restore and use the 32-bit version.
Someone else may have a better answer for you.
acejavelin said:
I don't know... I don't own the G4 *yet* but possibly in the near future now that I know the Amazon version can have the ads striped out easily enough... I would do a nandorid and try it, if it fails, restore and use the 32-bit version.
Someone else may have a better answer for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
32 bit
Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
thanks, xposed works fine
Well, I was planning on joining all of you with your Moto G4's soon, or possibly the G4 Plus... but since the Amazon version can't be unlocked anymore I got cold feet, and today Best Buy was running a special on the Moto X Pure 32GB edition for $249 (My Best Buy Elite members only), I pulled the trigger on that one instead. No change in helping though, I didn't have the device to begin with so I will continue to assist with this thread as I can.