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SBF fails, factory restore fails, flashing new ROM fails, rooting fails.. WTF!?!?!

I literally cant do a damn thing with my Droid 2. This all started when I started noticing an increasing number of Force Close popups. I hadn't installed anything new recently so I just rebooted and dealt with it. At this point, it was a completely stock Droid 2 with only market-approved apps installed.
So, I decided to do a factory restore and... it didnt work. It sat at the recovery screen and did nothing. I pressed search and selected wipe data\cache and it said something to the effect of "Cant open E:\recovery\something" but the Wipe data\cache completed successfully. Needless to say, my issue remained.
So I found the stock recovery SBF and went to flash it... it got to 98% on the final step and then said FAIL. Error message: Failed flashing process. Error verifying Code Group 31 checksums. File 0x4BAF (0x4007031); phone connected. The phone still show SW Update when this occurs, and then eventually "completes", reboots, and boots back up as if nothing ever happened.
So then I tried the root process so I could install rom manager and try EUnleashed or something. The rooting steps all took, and I tried to open the Superuser app it just stuck on a blank screen. So I rebooted, and wtf.. it disappeared.
So then I went to Applications and uninstalled every single application except for Maps, rebooted, and WTF THEY ALL CAME BACK AGAIN. I did this 3 times and each time every single app was reinstalled and working after a reboot. Only now I cant complete the root process again, and Rom Manager doesnt work.
So, to recap... I cant do a factory restore. I cant flash the stock SBF. I cant root. I cant do f*$&#*$ ANYTHING!
If I cant fix this today I will be giving this junk phone to my 2 year old because that's about the only thing this POS is good for. I never had any of these issues on my Droid, Droid X, or Samsung Captivate. How Motorola could fail so hard while simultaneously succeeding so well with other devices is mind-boggling.
HELP!

lwright84 said:
I literally cant do a damn thing with my Droid 2. This all started when I started noticing an increasing number of Force Close popups. I hadn't installed anything new recently so I just rebooted and dealt with it. At this point, it was a completely stock Droid 2 with only market-approved apps installed.
So, I decided to do a factory restore and... it didnt work. It sat at the recovery screen and did nothing. I pressed search and selected wipe data\cache and it said something to the effect of "Cant open E:\recovery\something" but the Wipe data\cache completed successfully. Needless to say, my issue remained.
So I found the stock recovery SBF and went to flash it... it got to 98% on the final step and then said FAIL. Error message: Failed flashing process. Error verifying Code Group 31 checksums. File 0x4BAF (0x4007031); phone connected. The phone still show SW Update when this occurs, and then eventually "completes", reboots, and boots back up as if nothing ever happened.
So then I tried the root process so I could install rom manager and try EUnleashed or something. The rooting steps all took, and I tried to open the Superuser app it just stuck on a blank screen. So I rebooted, and wtf.. it disappeared.
So then I went to Applications and uninstalled every single application except for Maps, rebooted, and WTF THEY ALL CAME BACK AGAIN. I did this 3 times and each time every single app was reinstalled and working after a reboot. Only now I cant complete the root process again, and Rom Manager doesnt work.
So, to recap... I cant do a factory restore. I cant flash the stock SBF. I cant root. I cant do f*$&#*$ ANYTHING!
If I cant fix this today I will be giving this junk phone to my 2 year old because that's about the only thing this POS is good for. I never had any of these issues on my Droid, Droid X, or Samsung Captivate. How Motorola could fail so hard while simultaneously succeeding so well with other devices is mind-boggling.
HELP!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you might be overreacting here.
First, I haven't flashed the SBF yet but I do remember seeing the fail screen on original Droid SBF flashes and it was something you could ignore. You booted back into Android, right? That means it worked.
Second, the Superuser app is supposed to show a blank screen because the purpose of it to manage apps to which you have granted to superuser permissions. If you just installed it, there would be nothing listed.
Third, Froyo restores apps if you have "back up my data" checked under Privacy settings.
Fourth, you never mentioned the Droid 2 bootstrapper. I wouldn't expect ROM Manager to work properly without it.

First, no that doesnt mean it worked. I boot back into my exact same Android install as before. Same settings, same notifications, same alarm, same problems, same everything. If it was successful, it would be like a factory restore (Which I cant even do).
Second, ok that makes sense. But after rebooting it disappeared and RomManager wouldn't recognize that it was rooted. Now the rooting process wont work at all when I try and redo it.
Third, I dont think this is the same thing. It's not restoring apps... the apps are there as if they were never removed. Same customizations, settings, etc.
Its like my D2 is stuck with a certain "image" on it, and it wont let me edit, delete, format, reinstall, or reimage. It's infuriating.
Also, ROM Manager works without bootstrapper as long as you have Superuser. Ive used it fine on my Captivate.

lwright84 said:
First, no that doesnt mean it worked. I boot back into my exact same Android install as before. Same settings, same notifications, same alarm, same problems, same everything. If it was successful, it would be like a factory restore (Which I cant even do).
Second, ok that makes sense. But after rebooting it disappeared and RomManager wouldn't recognize that it was rooted. Now the rooting process wont work at all when I try and redo it.
Third, I dont think this is the same thing. It's not restoring apps... the apps are there as if they were never removed. Same customizations, settings, etc.
Its like my D2 is stuck with a certain "image" on it, and it wont let me edit, delete, format, reinstall, or reimage. It's infuriating.
Also, ROM Manager works without bootstrapper as long as you have Superuser. Ive used it fine on my Captivate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Captivate is not a Droid 2. I'd be surprised if it works without the bootstrapper, since that's the only way to flash anything on a Droid 2.
My suggestion is to keep trying the SBF. Once you get it to work, get the SW update and then root. From there, I wouldn't go messing with anything in ROM Manager until you confirm the files are 100% legit for the Droid 2. As far as I know, only a few themes are working without issue on the Droid 2 - the ROMs all have bugs.

The same thing happened to me. I am assuming we were using the same instructions to flash the .sbf. Here is a link to instructions I followed.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=8245826#post8245826
I did not heed the red flag I got when I unzipped the .jpg file. I saw some error message and ignored it, and went ahead with the procedure to end up as many others with "fail".
Long story short, I deleated the .jpg file and downloaded it again.
When I used 7 Zip to extract the files, this time I had no error msg and everything went smoothly.

[Q] Epic Adventure, Noob 101?

I'm still pretty new to Android, I want to get into customizing my epic, specifically learning how to load custom roms.
I'm looking for some good how to resources, I've done some preliminary forum searches with some success.
So far I've updated to 2.2, and had the gps problem. Searched for a solution, found multiple threads for the fix, most involve using Oden, I've had zero success with getting oden to see my phone.
So I searched for alternative methods,
I finally fixed the gps problem, by doing one click root > made a clockwork back up > flashed back to DI18 > stepped outside, got gps lock > Flashed to the DK28 > Then Restored my clockwork back up. After that the gps has been super fast to lock, usually under 5 sec.
But I'm still chasing the dragon, I want the AOSP Lockscreen, I've tried clockwork installing different versions from the popular thread about the AOSP Lockscreen, to no success.
But now I get an occasional black out screen, the phone is still on, it if I leave it alone, the stock tw lockscreen comes back.
Now frustrated that I've come across another quirk, I want to try one of the 2.2 based roms, particularly the Nebula.
One problem, I can't find instructions on how to install it.
I do see instructions for other roms, I'm assuming that it's a similar procedure.
The Epic experience says oden to a stock 2.2, then in clockwork "wipe data/factory reset" before flashing the rom.
One question, when I do an oden flash to 2.2 and "wipe data/factory reset" will it delete my clockwork back up?
Current mission.
1. Have a backup of my data and apps.
2. Install a custom rom
3. Restore my data from backup.
Questions:
1. Anyway to use a custom rom with out Oden?
2. Is it completely necessary to do a factory reset?
3. Factory reset, will this effect my phone account information, such as being associated with my phone number and sprint account?
Any information is greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

I'm a linux user, I've never used odin and I'm running the current rom of mammons.
When using clockworkmod to do the resets for factory and cache, it will not wipe anything stored on the sd card. So as long as your clockworkmod backup is on your sd card, and it should be, you won't lose it.
Factory reset and deleting cache its required. Do it 3 times to make sure its done before flashing the me rom.
It will not mess with your phone number our account info.
I recommend downloading titanium backup and backing up all app data and user system info.
If you have more questions that you couldn't find on the forums, our need clarification, ask away.
Sent from my shoe, I mean....Epic shoe... I mean Samsung Epic! http://mobilehighway.blogspot.com/

Thanks
Thanks mxcoldhit, I'm now running my 1st rom, Nebula, so far so good.
A few notes from my experience:
From my previous clockwork back up, restored that, installed titanium, backed up my most used apps & info, exported my contact info from the contacts app.
Went ahead and wiped 3 times, loaded my rom, installed titanium, restored all my apps and info that I've had since day one.
Things of note to noobs like me, clockwork is awesome, back ups seem to work like ghost images, whole frozen snapshots of the os with all data & apps.
Titanium and clockwork both store the backup data on your micro-sd card.
So you can play with different setups and if you want to go back, just restore the back up file, they don't get wiped when you wipe the phone.
Titanium works in much the same fashion, install it on your system and you can make back ups of apps and phone data, when you load a new rom, just go ahead and install Titanium if it's not already there, and you can restore your favorite apps and data.
One thing that confused me before realizing what i was doing wrong, was that after I flashed the custom rom, I restored my backup thinking that it would just add my data and apps back, well it does that and the os also, so just keep that in mind.

[Q] Contact Recovery with TB using MIUI

So, n00b to the forums here, at least as far as posting, but I've been lurking around and I'm pretty familiar with rooting and its processes (been doing it for about a year now).
Anyways, on to the issue:
I have a Droid X. I originally rooted it when I get it around Sept. of 2010. Hadn't touched it, all was swell. Wanted to get updated to .340, and I was on the old leaked Froyo. So I decided to start clean, did a Titanium Backup of all files (just in case) then did a data/cache wipe and did an SBF boot using RSD Lite to .340. After the boot, I had to re-activate and resync my phone and immediately thereafter I went ahead and re-rooted and put on MIUI. (The new version, found at the forum here. ) All seems well and good, got it booted up, loving the new interface. But when I go in to contacts, I only have 14, compared to my previous 200 or so.
Now yes, I do use Google backup for contact sync. So I went in to my google account on my laptop, and the blasted thing is only showing 14 contacts too! So apparently, at some point after the SBF and loading MIUI it got corrupted somehow. Maybe because I went straight in to downloading z4root and re-rooting and re-bootstrapping in to MIUI, I'm not sure. Regardless, I'm missing all my contacts. I did check My Verizon and they are all there, but the format My Verizon uses is not compatible with the MIUI interface.
So, here's my question. I really don't want to have to go through and add all 180+ missing contacts manually from My Verizon, OR have to go back to a stock ROM to sync from My Verizon. I do have a Titanium Backup copy of my contacts though. That being said, MIUI uses a different contact storage system than the OTA. Is there a way to translate those files to the MIUI interface? Or for that manner even get it on to MIUI? The rest of my app recovery through Titanium Backup has gone swimmingly, but when I try Recover the data portion of the Contact Storage, it just puts it on an endless loop and never recovers.
Any ideas?

[Q] Did I f* up my Play?

Hey guys. I hate making my first post a really noobie question but here it goes.
I just updated my rooted Xperia Play to 2.3.3 and it erased and/or re-wrote all of my system apps. I stupidly converted some of my downloaded apps into system apps using Titanium (because system apps turn red on the list. It helped me quickly figure out what was external and what was internal. Stupid, yes, and more trouble then it was actually worth.) so those apps were lost. Didn't matter, I had backups but I lost my root so I couldn't access them.
Forgetting what I used to root my phone originally I decided to use z4root after reading about it somewhere. The site I got it from is usually trust worthy but when I downloaded the file my OfficeScan (its a school bought computer) warned me of a potential virus threat. I wrote it off as just the pop-up ad and un-zipped and transferred the file to my phone. I still am not sure if it was a virus or not... Running z4root it got up to "acquiring shell root..." or something like that before kicking me back to the home screen with no change. I, again, stupidly, re-ran it several times without rebooting between each attempt. Giving up I then realized to reboot. Strangely rebooting was A LOT faster then it was usually is and I don't know if that was z4 or 2.3.3.
Anyway I remembered that I used Gingerbreak last time and re-installed that. I made several attempts with that with no change either. Too many to count, but at least more than 8. Several attempts I got a call or a text and, checking them, ended the process. 2 attempts I left running for about half an hour (I know that the instructions say it will never take more then 10 minutes) and some I ended with a battery pull after more then 10mins(as per instruction).
So I guess I have several questions:
1. How bad did I f* up, If I did so?
2. Any suggestions on how to re-root/fix it?
3. Will switching to an empty SD card, successfully rooting it, and switching back to the full card still keep the root?
4. Does an in phone factory reset work the same as flashing the same rom or will I need to actually flash that new rom?
5. If I do need to flash, where can I find a regular Play rom? Or do you have suggestions about a better rom?
6. Is the fast reboot the work of the half done, possibly a virus, z4root process or just the 2.3.3 update?
7.Lastly Was this tl and you ;dr?
Normally, I wouldn't care if there was no fix; My phone boots much faster, I didn't lose all my apps and only some apps launch a little slower then before. But I made tons of progress on Zenonia 2 and I want my back ups for that... lol.
Any help appreciated. Also thanks for putting up with a noob that's writing way to formally

1. Messing with the system apps, and not backing them up probably caused you to not have an OTA update. I'm guessing you flashed it? Not restoring anything and not doing an OTA was mistake number one. Trying to use z4root was mistake number 2.
2. Get the generic UK firmware from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1097591
-Flash that with Bin4ry and Androxhyde's flashtool
-Put in your carrier's APN settings, configure your google account, wifi etc. etc.
-Get Gingerbreak 1.2, run it(I used Astro to open the apk, and you need uunknown sources enabled).
Gingerbreak only worked for me when I formatted an SD card right before running it. I used a spare that was lying around, not the usual one with all my data, and I suggest you do the same if you kept your titanium backups. Hopefully you'll get rooted after about 3-5 minutes. Do not mess with any apps/bloatware after you have the root.
-After you have root, go into the settings menu and start an OTA update.
You should now have 2.3.3 WITH root.
-Once the phone is updated, install Titanium Backup and start backing up your old apps from before you messed up the phone and lost root.
-At this point feel free to remove the bloatware, but make sure you back it up in titanium for later.
3. Switching SD cards won't affect root at all.
4. A factory reset will reset whatever ROM was installed last. In other words, you can't revert back to 2.3.2 with a reset, it'll just reset 2.3.3 - It's really just for wiping data and settings.
5.The regular play ROM is the UK generic I posted above. The only "better" roms are customs that you need an unlocked bootloader to install. Currently they're still buggy and in development and not worth getting unless you like incomplete ROMs with bugs, and wanna lose the ability to update normally. Both OTA updates and the Sony Ericsson Update Service will brick your phone once the bootloader's unlocked.
6. My phone was booting a bit faster after updating to 2.3.3, and became even faster after removing some bloatware.
-Root doesn't speed up the boot process.
-I highly doubt an Android phone would have a virus that makes it boot faster, it's probably just from the update.
7. No, it wasn't. No, I didn't.

Thanks for the (semi-)quick response. Been browsing around the web with this tab open, constantly refreshing like a creep. I'll try your advice soon but its like 3am, just wanted to say thanks and love your Stocking pic.
Btw is there a difference between A US, UK or CAN rom or do those even exist?

The only real differences are carrier specific apps, and some versions have different games installed.
Sent from my R800

Seems like I was to late to flash and the link to the rom you gave me may have been updated to 2.3.3 as well. I was looking for a Canada/Rodgers rom anyway but the forum search isn't turning up anything and google seems to hate me...
Help anyone?

The link was for 2.3.2 in the generic.
The only rogers rom available is for 2.3.3 so you won't be getting root without an unlocked bootloader with that one.
Just follow the directions and it should be fine.
The rogers apps are available in the android market separately.
Sent from my R800

HELP! - Titanium backup Killed GPS and a few settings.

I have a Note 3 running stock 4.4.2. I rooted successfully using the towel root method as shown here.. http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-3/general/root-root-xxufnf4-stock-firmware-knox-t2840150. I installed SuperSU and Titanium Backup (the non-pro version) from Google Play.
I used the phone and all the features for three days. However yesterday I ran a backup for the first time using Titanium backup ( all settings and apps) and since then my GPS seems to have conked off.... it keeps hunting and does not get a lock. I have tried rebooting multiple times, tried using it with both with Google Maps and Sygic (paid version) but both dont get a GPS lock. I was using the GPS successfully till then, so I have to assume the Titanium backup process must have messed something up . Additionally, immediately after the back up process was over, I found a lot of my setting were gone. I lost the wall paper I had set (reverted to a blank one), keyboard reverted to default Samsung keyboard from Swype, etc. This further reinforces my feeling the backup process mucked something up.
I am sure this is not normal. While the other settings was able to change manually, I cannot do without GPS. Pls help!

cmatic2 said:
I have a Note 3 running stock 4.4.2. I rooted successfully using the towel root method as shown here.. http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-3/general/root-root-xxufnf4-stock-firmware-knox-t2840150. I installed SuperSU and Titanium Backup (the non-pro version) from Google Play.
I used the phone and all the features for three days. However yesterday I ran a backup for the first time using Titanium backup ( all settings and apps) and since then my GPS seems to have conked off.... it keeps hunting and does not get a lock. I have tried rebooting multiple times, tried using it with both with Google Maps and Sygic (paid version) but both dont get a GPS lock. I was using the GPS successfully till then, so I have to assume the Titanium backup process must have messed something up . Additionally, immediately after the back up process was over, I found a lot of my setting were gone. I lost the wall paper I had set (reverted to a blank one), keyboard reverted to default Samsung keyboard from Swype, etc. This further reinforces my feeling the backup process mucked something up.
I am sure this is not normal. While the other settings was able to change manually, I cannot do without GPS. Pls help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what your level of expertise is, but simplest would be to run a Nandroid backup to your extSDCard, then reflash the ROM. You will then need to re-root etc. One thing to be aware of - when going to Download Mode, ALWAYS power off, remove the battery for 10 secs or so, insert it and hold down the keys to get into DL mode.
Once the firmware is installed & you've got root, you can Restore the Data from your nandroid and be back where you were.
I don't know how running a backup could do anything like you describe - maybe a Restore might do something, but I've been using TB for a couple of years with nothing like that.

Not sure what your level of expertise is, but simplest would be to run a Nandroid backup to your extSDCard, then reflash the ROM. You will then need to re-root etc. One thing to be aware of - when going to Download Mode, ALWAYS power off, remove the battery for 10 secs or so, insert it and hold down the keys to get into DL mode.
Once the firmware is installed & you've got root, you can Restore the Data from your nandroid and be back where you were.
I don't know how running a backup could do anything like you describe - maybe a Restore might do something, but I've been using TB for a couple of years with nothing like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am an absolute newbie wrt flashing etc. I am a sales guy - so my computer knowledge is layman-ish. I can follow instructions though! This is the first time i am trying something with an Android phone - my earlier trysts were limited to unlocking my iPhone 2 some 7 years back!
1. I used this method of rooting since it does not trigger knox. I will look up Nandriod backup - any links you can point me to will help. Only worry is does Nandriod trigger knox?
2. The towel root method only needed me to flash back the kernel related to my ROM (GNJ1) . Do you think reflashing that kernel again will do or do I have to flash the whole ROM again?
3. Do I have to unroot etc before I flash the ROM?
4. Lastly - Do I use KIES 3 to reflash the ROM? (to keep the warranty etc intact)

cmatic2 said:
I am an absolute newbie wrt flashing etc. I am a sales guy - so my computer knowledge is layman-ish. I can follow instructions though!
1. I used this method of rooting since it does not trigger knox. I will look up Nandriod backup - any links you can point me to will help. Only worry is does Nandriod trigger knox?
2. The towel root method only needed me to flash back the kernel related to my ROM (GNJ1) . Do you think reflashing that kernel again will do or do I have to flash the whole ROM again?
3. Do I have to unroot etc before I flash the ROM?
4. Lastly - Do I use KIES 3 to reflash the ROM? (to keep the warranty etc intact)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nandroid has to do with the Recovery you install. TBH I don't know if installing a custom recovery like TWRP will actually trip Knox if you are currently rooted and HAVEN'T tripped it. My bet is it would. If you have all your apps saved in TB, you could use a root browser like ES File Explorer to make sure you have any photos, Media etc. copied to your extSDCard before doing anything else. Shouldn't have to unroot as normally the firmware will flash over the top, then you need to follow the root procedure again - I haven't used Towelroot so maybe ask in that thread?