Database Users

Restore to stock after root / CWM

I know there are other threads relating to this but I can't seem to find a definitive answer and the info required seems to get lost in all the conflicting opinions.
I'm sure a concise explanation of how to restore the nexus s to out of the box condition after root and recovery mod would benefit many.
So, can someone in the know PLEASE explain how to restore the nexus s to factory default (system image, bootloader and recovery) after modding?
Thanks in advance.

43 view later and nobody knows?
Ok, I'll elaborate on my reasons for posting....
In the sticky in this forum it says quite clearly:
"Q: How do I restore the stock recovery?
Right now, it is NOT possible to flash the stock recovery over Clockwork Recovery at all. The only way to restore it is by NAND restoring the Stock 2.3.1 backup in the development section."
Now, as I understand it the "stock 2.3.1 backup in the development section" is not stock at all, it's an adapted image and therefore NAND restoring this backup will not put my phone back to factory out of the box state.
Unless I am missing something?
All I am looking for is a simple guide to removing everything following root / recovery mods.

If you're already on 2.3.1, then it should be easy.
Use adb to rm the su binary in the /system/bin directory.
Remove the superuser.apk as well.
Reboot the phone. There's a script in 2.3.1 that reflashes Google's 3e Recovery every boot.
Fastboot oem lock (if it's still unlocked).
Fastboot oem unlock (to totally wipe the sdcard and user data partitions on the phone).
Fastboot oem lock again to remove the unlocked lock icon on reboot.
Factory Wipe the phone.
I don't believe anyone would be able to tell you were previously rooted or non-stock recovery at that point, unless you've modded apps in the /system partition with themes or the like.

Thanks for that.
Not exactly as straight forward as it is with the HTC then - connect to PC and run an exe to flash the ruu.
I'm going to leave well alone until I make the decision to keep the phone. Shame though, I wanted to. try the custom roms (what few there currently are).
Thanks again but it needs to get simpler and be 100 percent proven before I start delving into the unknown!

[Q] N7 brick, is it recoverable?

Hi all, I made a major mistake this morning flashing fauxs ultimate kernel. Basically forgot to wipe cache and davlik and now can't do anything with tablet. I backed up before flashing so can I get back into recovery through a dB and if so what commands to I need. Any help will be greatly appreciated

Wait you can go to recovery, and restore your backup and you call this a brick? I
Am little confused here.
(go into bootloader from there to recovery and recover it)
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

You forgot to wipe cache/dalvik and this "bricked" your device and then you posted your question in the wrong section?
You need to read and search and understand what you're doing prior to posting threads here.

shottle said:
Hi all, I made a major mistake this morning flashing fauxs ultimate kernel. Basically forgot to wipe cache and davlik and now can't do anything with tablet. I backed up before flashing so can I get back into recovery through a dB and if so what commands to I need. Any help will be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have a custom recovery, plug your n7 into a computer, then boot up while holding volume down + power to get into fastboot mode, which will allow you to go into recovery.
Worst case scenario, you can use fastboot to reflash a stock image.
As others have said, you'll want to look it up and read more carefully. Most kernels don't even require wiping, though if you think this one does, you can try wiping them then reflashing the kernel again.

[Q] how to install custom rom over another custom rom on i9500

Hv been using Arrow rom 8.0. Works fine but wanted to upgrade to Arrow rom 9.0 which is based on the rom for India.
The phone is rooted and custom recovery installed(don't know much about the way to use it). Downloaded the rom and went into recovery mode. Ok'd the wipe data/factory reset. Ok'd wipe cache. Ok'd the option of upgrade from external storage and the phone went to the manual mode with csc as inu and asking for the filename. Didn't know what to do so yanked the battery and rebooted. The booted to Arrow rom 8.0 with all data gone.
One more thing I noticed that in recovery mode I had to use a magnifying glass to read the options. Also there was no option to choose the external storage ie the sd card where I download or copy the roms it only shows phone storage.
Would appreciate the help received in pointing me to the right direction.

These are really basic questions. I'm supprised you managed to flash a rom in the first place.
Full wipe in recovery, if you still could boot after wiping, like in your case, then you didn't wipe correctly. Your phone shouldn't be able to boot anymore after the wiping (because there is no more rom installed).
Then flash the rom. If there is no option for external storage (i think this is highly unlikely), then just copy it to your internal sd card and flash from there.
Are you really sure you have a custom recovery? Because the way you are descriping it, it sounds more like the stock recovery.

Lennyz1988 said:
These are really basic questions. I'm supprised you managed to flash a rom in the first place.
Full wipe in recovery, if you still could boot after wiping, like in your case, then you didn't wipe correctly. Your phone shouldn't be able to boot anymore after the wiping (because there is no more rom installed).
Then flash the rom. If there is no option for external storage (i think this is highly unlikely), then just copy it to your internal sd card and flash from there.
Are you really sure you have a custom recovery? Because the way you are descriping it, it sounds more like the stock recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice. Checked using recovery tool and it says current firmware: stock.
How do I make a full wipe. And also what about the manual mode I get in the recovery mode.
Can mobile odin be used for flashing.

Again, these are really basic questions. You should read the forum more, my guess is you have a I9500, so start reading in that section. Read the parts about rooting, flashing a custom recovery and flashing.
All the information you need is there. I can tell you the exact steps you need to take, but figuring it out for yourself will save you lots of trouble in the furture if anything goes wrong.
I have no idea what manual mode is, so my guess is that you don't have a custom recovery installed. What is the name of the recovery? Or doesn't it display any name? You shouldn't be needing Mobile Odin, maybe only for rooting or flashing a custom recovery, but not for flashing the rom.

Lennyz1988 said:
Again, these are really basic questions. You should read the forum more, my guess is you have a I9500, so start reading in that section. Read the parts about rooting, flashing a custom recovery and flashing.
All the information you need is there. I can tell you the exact steps you need to take, but figuring it out for yourself will save you lots of trouble in the furture if anything goes wrong.
I have no idea what manual mode is, so my guess is that you don't have a custom recovery installed. What is the name of the recovery? Or doesn't it display any name? You shouldn't be needing Mobile Odin, maybe only for rooting or flashing a custom recovery, but not for flashing the rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had read the forum before flashing the rom. Rooted my phone and had installed CWM via Odin and confirmed it in the recovery mode. And only after this flashed the Arrow Rom and used it for couple of months.
Don't know what happened to CWM it wasn't there this time in recovery mode, it showed Android System Recovery and not CWM.
Anyway have flashed CWM again along with Crash Rom 11.
Thanks again bro.

[Q] First Time Root & Terminology Questions

I have read all I can regarding rooting, recovery, roms, and just wanted to do a quick terminology check before diving in.
Root = allow myself and certain apps to access settings/files not normally allowed by the OS?
Rom = akin to a non-stock OS that may have features and software added/removed and/or add functionality?
Recovery = some method to go back to a previous state?
Assuming I understand the above, what I believe I want to do, is Root (so that some apps that require 'root only' can work on my device), I should be able to do this by following one of the many guides in these forums. If I do not wish at this time to experiment with roms, I can stick with what came with the phone? And if, in the event of disaster, rather than restore from a backup or recovery, I should be able to Reset to Factory, re-root? and re-install everything (or possibly partially restore from Titanium backup), I do not need to concern myself with Recovery, correct?
Do I seem to have a good enough understanding or should I read some more? Does it sound like all I need to do is Root, and basically I don't need any Roms or Recovery?
Thanks in advance.

Klotar said:
I have read all I can regarding rooting, recovery, roms, and just wanted to do a quick terminology check before diving in.
Root = allow myself and certain apps to access settings/files not normally allowed by the OS?
Rom = akin to a non-stock OS that may have features and software added/removed and/or add functionality?
Recovery = some method to go back to a previous state?
Assuming I understand the above, what I believe I want to do, is Root (so that some apps that require 'root only' can work on my device), I should be able to do this by following one of the many guides in these forums. If I do not wish at this time to experiment with roms, I can stick with what came with the phone? And if, in the event of disaster, rather than restore from a backup or recovery, I should be able to Reset to Factory, re-root? and re-install everything (or possibly partially restore from Titanium backup), I do not need to concern myself with Recovery, correct?
Do I seem to have a good enough understanding or should I read some more? Does it sound like all I need to do is Root, and basically I don't need any Roms or Recovery?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You pretty much got it. Only concern is your statement "I should be able to reset to factory". In case of catastrophic error you can't go into settings and factory reset. This is where the recovery comes in. You can use stock recovery to wipe data/factory reset but if you made changes with root apps, this option won't work. Only a nandroid restore or ROM flash or some third party recovery tool to reflash stock images using fastboot most likely.
You have a recovery partition with a recovery program installed. This can be booted into manually from a powered off state. In recovery you have options to backup, wipe, install .zip and much more. Installing a recovery and making a backup is first thing I do. You can use flashify (app on market) to flash the downloaded recovery .img for your device. Its very easy and you don't lose any data.

Excellent, thank you! I see Flashify is a root app, so basically, I should root, install Flashify, pull the recovery image off and I should more or less be set? That is, at least until I get comfortable with where I've gotten to so far (and done more reading). Thanks again.

Klotar said:
Excellent, thank you! I see Flashify is a root app, so basically, I should root, install Flashify, pull the recovery image off and I should more or less be set? That is, at least until I get comfortable with where I've gotten to so far (and done more reading). Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's it. Flashify should also have an option to boot into recovery. Do that (after recovery flash) and make a backup. Then reboot and have fun. That initial backup is important. Its your way back while you get comfy. Move that backup to computer also in case your /sdcard gets wiped.
What do you mean, pull recovery image off? You download the image for your specific device from XDA, then open flashify and follow instructions.

Mandelbrot.Benoit said:
That's it. Flashify should also have an option to boot into recovery. Do that (after recovery flash) and make a backup. Then reboot and have fun. That initial backup is important. Its your way back while you get comfy. Move that backup to computer also in case your /sdcard gets wiped.
What do you mean, pull recovery image off? You download the image for your specific device from XDA, then open flashify and follow instructions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read too quickly what [kind of app] Flashify was, and where to get the image from. I thought it copied the image off of somewhere on the device to somewhere else, but I see now from your explanation what it is. And to save the image on PC, and to save the first backup off device (also onto PC). Thanks again, will work up the courage to do these in the next few days.

Klotar said:
I read too quickly what [kind of app] Flashify was, and where to get the image from. I thought it copied the image off of somewhere on the device to somewhere else, but I see now from your explanation what it is. And to save the image on PC, and to save the first backup off device (also onto PC). Thanks again, will work up the courage to do these in the next few days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The recovery image isn't too important to save. Once its flashed its kinda hard to loose it, but for sure it can't hurt I guess. Good luck!

Just so you know that after installing custom recovery, you will not be able to update through OTA. If you update it, you'll get in trouble. So if want an official update, go to stock again and update.

marshygeek said:
Just so you know that after installing custom recovery, you will not be able to update through OTA. If you update it, you'll get in trouble. So if want an official update, go to stock again and update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've waited for stock to push to my Xoom, Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7 soooo many times but never make it. A rooted flashable zip made from the stock ota always lands and I get all flashy.
But yes as soon as you modify your recovery there is a chance you can soft brick your device if you accept the OTA.

No CWM special menu in recovery mode? Even though it says flash was successful.

First off, I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 SGH-i337 from ATT.
It has a Kingo Android Root on it, it was the easiest one and I didn't know what else to do, it all sounded pretty confusing. If this root is bad, I'd appreciate help on how to remove it and get another without erasing phone data.
Now, the problem here, is I downloaded ROM Manager and flashed CWM 6.0.4.7, it said that the flash was successful and that everything was functioning. However, as soon as I go into recovery mode, I see the old android recovery menu, with the lame old regular menu:
Android system recovery <3e>
Reboot system now
apply update from ADB
apply update from external storage
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
apply update from cache
I cannot do a backup and I don't see the special CWM recovery settings. What's the problem? I'm hoping any of you can help! Also, I'm noob in terms of root etc... Idk what flashing is, or custom ROMs, or anythin, I just know that I wanted to get CWM to get PDroid and for the extra backup from CWM.
Thank you very much in advance!

The problem most likely is you have firmware newer than mdl. The only recovery you can use if that's the case is safestrap. Please see in the general forum, index all things at&t..... Read it and learn before you do anything else.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app