Related
I guess I bricked my iconia...
I installed Recovery, etc. But when I rebooted my device it starts up, and shows my initial display screen. But it locks on the display (it is past the Android, and Acer screen).
So I tried to recover the device using the unbrick procedures described in this forum, and others. But it seems whenever it tries to process any update.zip file including the unbrick the little android man either stops turning or displays a sign indicating things did not work out as they should have.
I have clockwordmod backup from my system. How do I use that backup? When I use my phone the device automatically boots into xrecovery and allows me to restore. How do I get that with the Iconia?
first of all your device is not bricked as long as you can boot into any type of recovery.
second you obviously have cwm installed, but anyhow even if you don't have it i hope you have an external sd-card.
dl any of the stock rom's from the dev section, basically best is to choose the rom made for your country.
extract the update.zip and put it on your external sd-card.
then install it with cwm if you still have it, or with acer recovery (volume - and power simultaneously until the recovery text shows up).
and then take it from there.
also good idea is to clean dalvik cache and data cache before restarting if you use cwm.
then you can reinstall root and cwm.
zoubidou said:
first of all your device is not bricked as long as you can boot into any type of recovery.
second you obviously have cwm installed, but anyhow even if you don't have it i hope you have an external sd-card.
dl any of the stock rom's from the dev section, basically best is to choose the rom made for your country.
extract the update.zip and put it on your external sd-card.
then install it with cwm if you still have it, or with acer recovery (volume - and power simultaneously until the recovery text shows up).
and then take it from there.
also good idea is to clean dalvik cache and data cache before restarting if you use cwm.
then you can reinstall root and cwm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks... The problem is I can't boot into anything.
How do I boot into cwm? I can't boot into the operating system as once it hits the display screen with my picture the system freezes and tries to power down?
I have been playing around with acer recovery, but all of the updates I downloaded will not load onto the system. It tries to install, gets about 1/3 through and then gives me an error.
Hence why I was thinking that maybe my backup has something?
push volume - (left volume button) first and power and keep your fingers on it until it displays the recovery text message on top left of the screen
If you are getting into recovery. And flashing. A rom give you errors or does not complete. This issue is a bad d/load.or a bad currupt SD card.I would say format your SD card again.redownload the correct rom again.don't use a download manager.then decrypt. Unzip then put the update.zip on your SD card turn off your tab install SD card.
Reboot
Holding down volume up and power until you see the 4th line of txt. It should take you to cwr. Or flash your device
good luck
Yep.. use vol-down and power to boot into cwm. Keep holding vol-down until you see tiny white text in upper left corner.
Then do full restore. When it's done, if you don't see "Backup Succesfull!" message, you'll need to restore flexrom from the advanced restore menu. This is because it failed trying to restore .android_secure.img and caused cwm to restart before flextrom was restored.
Alternatively, you can delete the .android_secure.img file from your backup set before doing the full restore.
Good luck.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Thanks guys for all of your feedback.
However, when I hold down the buttons you mentioned I do get those text items you mention. The problem is that unlike my android phone it does not pop up the recovery menu. It goes straight into the Acer Recovery procedure (The android with turning gears).
Could it have been that upgrading to a specific ROM the recovery procedure is shortcircuited????
What I am trying to figure out is how to get the recovery menu.
Same deal!
I have the exact same issue. The Update.zip will not take and the Android Gears screen gets to 1/3 before the yellow triangle. Any further help would yield loud THANKS!
your update.zip should preferably be those 3.1 full. cos I believe it does not check anything for it to fail.
Thanks Kenny that does help and explain a few things.
Hi there,
This is my first Android tablet, and was quite impressed. I did have one problem, and that was netflix not working with the tablet. Within 5 hours of opening the box it came in, I bricked my a500. It was trying to flash the tablet with http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1178773 , since other members said it worked, but I bricked my tablet. I used CWM Recovery to flash it (after rooting of course) and I think the settings made it go to a Galaxy Tab 10.1 Setting, but I didn't know that I had hit it instead of hitting back. I flash the update, and the tablet bricks. I get a LNX checksum error every time I try to boot, and I have tried installing OTA as well as other update methods, such as sc2k's thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1129873 and http://androidforums.com/acer-iconia-tab-a500/345419-un-brick-acer-iconia-tab-a500.html . None of the above have helped, as every time I try to install any of the update.zip from a microSD card, the Android loading screen stops about a 1/4th way through and I'm left with a Yellow Warning sign. Any help would be appreciated. To be left with a bricked pad within 5 hours of receiving it is pretty depressing, and I would like to enjoy this for as long as it lasts. (I thought it would be like PSP custom firmware modding, but sadly i was wrong)
Might try this. The key is to get to a download mode and then flash.
On a droid charge for example, hold vol button down (with battery out) and then plug USB into laptop.
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/samsung-fascinate-development/88657-if-you-think-you-bricked.html
Sadly, that guide is for phones/ samsung, so I don't know what to do from there.
Maybe if I have a copy of the latest firmware, that might work. Seeing as I just got it today, it might work if I use the latest firmware (I also updated it today as well)
are you able to hold vol down and boot into cwr ?
Maybe you can find something usefull there :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1086785&page=4
first of all I don't really understand what you did.
second, the download update.zip is for asus eeepad instead of acer iconia
if ever you have a problem with an acer iconia product, i would suggest you should use a stock acer iconia 3.1 rom.
you can find it in the dev section
also don't forget to get the zip decryption tool, you can also find it in the dev section.
then once decryption is done, extract the update.zip and put it on the external sd card (which i hope you have)
once on it put the card into the appropriate place in the acer iconia
then you hit volume+ (volume plus) and the power button until it restarts. after release the power button but keep you finger int the volume+ until you see a message that it is formatting data cache etc..
then you are back to stock ACER and you take it from there to patch.b don't even try to use any other type of ROM since you don't seem to be to experienced.
I have had my acer iconia tablet for 2 months.
I am a total noob when it comes to rooting, flashing or installing new roms on any android device. Never done anything like it.
My tablet just boot loops and all i get is "green android icon holding a yellow triangle with an exclamation point".
What can i do. I have seen a youtube video of a user holding down the volume down + power key and he is presented with a menu to factory reset and cache resetting and all that good stuff. I do not get any of that. Any help would be appreciated.
the menu that you seen in the video. was likely CWM RECOVERY. You do not have that menu due to the fact you do not have a custom recovery installed. the android with exclamation leads to believe you have acer recovery. Its limited Only able to flash a ACER Signed update.zip only .
Reply back with exactly what you did with details about rom version and so on . So someone can better help you. To get the right help we need to know how you broke it..
At this point Do not do anything until you know you are doing the correct fix for your situation.. You are NOT Bricked.. you just have a bad UPDATE.ZIP FILE OR Bad format on your sd card..
Help is close by..
To be honest i really do not know what rom version was used. Like i mentioned before. I myself have never rooted or altered an android device.
From where you are right now in a boot look .. where do you want to end up.. ROOTED ... STOCK TO WHERE YOU can accept the acer OTA. when they push them..
sounds like you may be able to reset the tablet withe hole next to the usb port.. You have to push quite hard to get it to push the Button..
Im guessing due to the lack of information you are providing.. Sorry..
Thanks for your help. The darn thing is still doing the same thing. Guess i got to do a little more research.
If you're asking for help you need to describe what actions exactly you have taken in order to reach this state (as Erica suggested) of your tab. From your post 1 thing is clear - your tab is unable to boot, but what has been modified before remains a mystery.
joester818 said:
I have had my acer iconia tablet for 2 months.
I am a total noob when it comes to rooting, flashing or installing new roms on any android device. Never done anything like it.
My tablet just boot loops and all i get is "green android icon holding a yellow triangle with an exclamation point".
What can i do. I have seen a youtube video of a user holding down the volume down + power key and he is presented with a menu to factory reset and cache resetting and all that good stuff. I do not get any of that. Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, probably my guess, is you tab started to do an OTA update, and as in a lot of cases, it failed. And you're stuck with where you are now.
If using the pinhole reset near the PWR button doesn't work (a hard reset), then I suggest ;
1. Make sure your tab is charged.
2. Go to this thread, and select one of the rom update packages.
3. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1113878
Use one of the HC 3.2 update files near the end. Note that the Megaupload file no longer works.
Note that some of the packages are encrypted, so you will need to use the "decrypt" tool he has listed there in his 1st post. Copy it to PC, run it, select your encrypted rom, and let it do it's thing. This will give you the same rom, only states "decrypted" at the end of the file name.
4. Open the rom using Winzip or 7zip. Remove the update.zip (do not extract the contents of it), and copy it to the SD card (replacing a current update.zip if there's one there).
5. Holding either Vol- press and hold PWR. This should force the tab to install that update.zip (you should see some text on the screen, then you can release both buttons. Hopefully it will install.
Post back results please.
Just to complement Moscow Desire's advise: It's Vol (-).
drkalo said:
Just to complement Moscow Desire's advise: It's Vol (-).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I can never remember which one, as I've never had to use it
Edited the instructions.
Moscow Desire said:
Yeah, probably my guess, is you tab started to do an OTA update, and as in a lot of cases, it failed. And you're stuck with where you are now.
If using the pinhole reset near the PWR button doesn't work (a hard reset), then I suggest ;
1. Make sure your tab is charged.
2. Go to this thread, and select one of the rom update packages.
3. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1113878
Use one of the HC 3.2 update files near the end. Note that the Megaupload file no longer works.
Note that some of the packages are encrypted, so you will need to use the "decrypt" tool he has listed there in his 1st post. Copy it to PC, run it, select your encrypted rom, and let it do it's thing. This will give you the same rom, only states "decrypted" at the end of the file name.
4. Open the rom using Winzip or 7zip. Remove the update.zip (do not extract the contents of it), and copy it to the SD card (replacing a current update.zip if there's one there).
5. Holding either Vol- press and hold PWR. This should force the tab to install that update.zip (you should see some text on the screen, then you can release both buttons. Hopefully it will install.
Post back results please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those vache-android.com links are not working. Do i need to have all of those files per update for the whole thing to work.
joester818 said:
Those vache-android.com links are not working. Do i need to have all of those files per update for the whole thing to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be patient. Try later. Vach's server is probably overloaded due to the leaked ICS Rom.
You only need to get 1 of the A500 update roms. It's actually a fully signed rom in the file "update.zip" Just decrypt rom you the original rom you downloaded using the instructions, use winzip or 7zip to open the decrypted rom, remove the update.zip and copy it to your sd card.
And Then?
joester818 said:
Those vache-android.com links are not working. Do i need to have all of those files per update for the whole thing to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
did u succeed?
Rgds,
trying to recover A500 - boot recovery failed
Hi - I'm trying to reset and recover my son's A500 tablet. I copied one of the HC 3.2 Update.zip files to a microSD card, then held down Power and Volume - buttons. As long as I hold down the Volumn down buttin, the tablet seems to be stuck in a never ending cycle of loading the update and booting recovery image kernal, then restarting, then loading the update.zip file and booting recover image kernal, etc.... If I let go of the Volume Down button, I get in red letters "Boot Verification Failed" message, and it stops.
im trying to help fix an a500 tablet. apparently the tablet gets stuck at the acer logo. when i hit power and the volume button i get some lettering in the top letft. I took the advice here and went and downloaded one of the HC 3.2 updates. copied the update.zip onto the root of the Sd card and then put it back in. I hit the same buttons again and the letters came up. so i assumed things were working. all of a sudden i get an android with a blue diagram in its belly (kind of like it was loading) and then it froze. after waiting for a second I got a second android that popped on the screen and this one is laying on its back with its chest open and a red triangle is showing....So I don't know exactly what I did wrong here. Any help would be appreciated. I am not exactly sure what he did to mess it up. I believe he was trying to install a custom rom and did not go about it correctly and therefore messed up an update and now he has nothing. so im not sure what to do exactly.
Moscow Desire said:
Yeah, probably my guess, is you tab started to do an OTA update, and as in a lot of cases, it failed. And you're stuck with where you are now.
If using the pinhole reset near the PWR button doesn't work (a hard reset), then I suggest ;
1. Make sure your tab is charged.
2. Go to this thread, and select one of the rom update packages.
3. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1113878
Use one of the HC 3.2 update files near the end. Note that the Megaupload file no longer works.
Note that some of the packages are encrypted, so you will need to use the "decrypt" tool he has listed there in his 1st post. Copy it to PC, run it, select your encrypted rom, and let it do it's thing. This will give you the same rom, only states "decrypted" at the end of the file name.
4. Open the rom using Winzip or 7zip. Remove the update.zip (do not extract the contents of it), and copy it to the SD card (replacing a current update.zip if there's one there).
5. Holding either Vol- press and hold PWR. This should force the tab to install that update.zip (you should see some text on the screen, then you can release both buttons. Hopefully it will install.
Post back results please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I to have had the same problem with my Acer Iconia A500. I followed the instruction and booted the Acer...got to the screen with the Android robot standing upright with the spinning in his stomach...goes to about 1/4 of the way and doesn't go any further....looks like it's trying to continue but has been at the same place for over an hour. Do I need a different rom perhaps?? I used A501.000.00_4.037.01.emea_tmp
mizzle54 said:
I to have had the same problem with my Acer Iconia A500. I followed the instruction and booted the Acer...got to the screen with the Android robot standing upright with the spinning in his stomach...goes to about 1/4 of the way and doesn't go any further....looks like it's trying to continue but has been at the same place for over an hour. Do I need a different rom perhaps?? I used A501.000.00_4.037.01.emea_tmp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you can try this. Below are links to update.zip files already decrypted on my server. I have renamed them, only so you can keep them separate. You will have to change the name to "update" (update.zip) and copy one to ext sd card. Reboot holding Vol (+ or -) and PWR. See if they install. You may have to try each until one installs as there is no way to predict which one will work.
http://d-h.st/KXl
http://d-h.st/gw8
http://d-h.st/2cm
http://d-h.st/Zf8
This is probably the easiest method to try first.
MD
the "41-125-03-update.zip" seem to work for me. The status bar finally is showing but it doesn't seem to be moving. It moved to 1/4 of the bar and it stayed there. Last time it did this, it stayed there for over 2 hrs. I hope it's working this time. Anything else I could try?
My tablet was working fine and I left it there to go to work, coming back I found it on the Acer logo. Many search brought me here.
update ========
tried and tried and tried.......a few times that the status bar did come up, many times it stuck at around 25%. A few times it got all the way to 75% of the bar. It refuse to go farther when I left it there all night. It finally died when the battery was complete drain.
Acer A500 Stuck on ACER Logo (not rooted) finally fixed!
Just wanted to post some positive things for a change. My ACER A500 tablet (not rooted and running ICS 4.0.3) was working fine two months ago and I wanted to watch an ESPN3 football game on the tablet which I then hooked to my HD TV via the HDMI cable. For about an hour, all was fine then the tablet did an uncommanded reboot and then I had the android figure with an opened belly followed by an android laying on it's side with an exclamation mark. On the next restart, my tablet would not pass the ACER logo screen. After reading many posts with the stuck ACER logo, I was not sure how to proceed exactly. I have rooted a 7 inch tablet last year but I could not get my act together on the exact steps to revive my tablet. Finally I came across this post with the ACER ROMs already decripted which removed many questions I had about the exact steps to create an "update.zip" file for my SD card. Based on just downloading the file from your web site and renaming the file to "update.zip" and moving a copy to a formatted SD card, I was ready to try the process to load another ACER file to my tablet. On my first attempt, I tried the file named "206-03" based on a guess of the naming convention used or maybe blind luck. I preformed the PWR button and Vol down button combination with the "update.zip" file on the micro SD inserted in my tablet. The tablet started with three lines of text and then the android figure with it's door open and activity inside the android. This screen stayed then with a completion bar followed by a large text screen warning not to turn off tablet. After about 15 minutes total, my tablet was alive with a request to select my country. Bottom line, taking the steps to put the decripted file on your server and the simple button combination to start the reload process allowed me to get my tablet working great running ICS 4.0.3. I just wanted to post a success story and follow up. Thank you Moscow Desire for taking the extra steps to help the uneducated user!
Anyway I can check if my ROM hardware are working properly? I have tried all the update.zip and all of them show a dead android at the end. I can't even tell if it read from the microSD.
ThinkPad Tablet A400
Android v. 4.0.3
Have an app that needs to run on Android 4.1 and quickly found out this 2 year old device was pretty much left unsupported since about 3 months after I bought it in May of 2012. So, I located the links to xda-developers and dove into the install process.
Got the device to Root following install directions etc.
Cannot get the device to reboot into recovery mode from ROM Manager nor via ROM Installer.
Tried installing the CyanogenMod v0.9 anyway from inside either aforementioned utility (from the .zip file), just reboots back to the normal state.
I'd pay to download & install Android 4.1 on this device, seriously...just lost 6 hours of time attempting to do this ROM upgrade.
any suggestions?
First thing that comes to mind is that you should use the volume up button multi-press on device power-up to get to Recovery Mode.
pwstein said:
First thing that comes to mind is that you should use the volume up button multi-press on device power-up to get to Recovery Mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried various combinations of that Vol button....still stubbornly refuses to go to CWM.
Now, I am running Android 4.0.3..perhaps that is the issue, ie. perhaps the CWM image file was intended to be used on TPTs running Android 3.x.
It'd be nice to go to a site and buy a $50 OS load....
Well....wonders never cease. I happened across a post talking about the TECHNIQUE to reboot the TPT into CWM...so, sure enough...I got the puppy into CWM.
HERE 'tis for the rest of us nuves out there:
Entering/Booting CWM Recovery on the Thinkpad Tablet
Shut down your Thinkpad Tablet
Press the power button until the Tablet vibrates
Keep pressing and releasing the volume up button until you see Booting Recovery Kernel Image in the upper left corner. It's all about timing of when the volume up button is pressed. That's why it's a good idea to just keep on pressing and releasing the button until the message appears.
Well i continued on with the Jelly Bean load from the xda-developers...and after reboot to ver 0.92 the tpt seemed to freeze on the os boot screen.
So, i fell back to the 4.0.3 os and will read-up on what can freeze the reboot into 4.1 android.
CWM is a cool program..gotta say it.
Can't get it to install CWM
Tried numerous times but now I have lost my original recovery and it just loops,
Changed permissions but won't go and when I am in the recovery boot after pushing the volume button it just reboots as there is nothing there suggestions?
Honestly, the best thing you could do is get something newer/better supported. I hate saying that, because I bought the 64gb version right around the same time you did. The tablet had so much potential with the pen, USB, sd slot, and even pci-e, but it suffered from non-existant Lenovo support, and very little dev support. Koshu's work on it was amazing, but without trim I feel like I have to constantly wipe and start fresh to do anything with it. Clearing dalvik from time to time helps, but not as much.
A year or two so ago I updated my Motorola Milestone 2 to CyanogenMod, Android 4.1 I think, with no trouble.
I though that I'd take advantage of the CM11 (cm-11-20141003-UNOFFICIAL-milestone2.zip) and I attempted to upgrade to this.
I found that, after booting to the recovery utility, that would not accept this zip file. I noticed that czechop says:
Install my CM10.2 version >= 07.11.2013 first
So I installed cm-10.2-20140312-UNOFFICIAL-milestone2.zip and that went like a breeze. The phone booted up with the new version of Android. I then booted this into the recovery utility and found a new style of this ('Teamworks', I think) with a graphical interface. I found that this liked the cm11 zip file and it installed it without any apparent problem - it reported success and gave me two options - 'clear cache dalvik' (or something very similar), and 'reboot'. I opted for the clear cache, and that seemed to go OK, then I opted for 'reboot'.
This is where my heart sank, because the phone started to boot with the Motorola 'M' logo, then that faded out, then back in, then out. I see no little coloured LED light, and the phone seems to cycle around with the 'M' display, never getting anywhere.
What should I do now? I tried to boot the phone into the original Motorola recovery, holding down the keyboard 'X' key whilst switching on, but that just brings up a little picture of an orange triangle with a '!' in it.
Regards,
David
Hi,
Your best option is to ask for help in the thread you downloaded the rom from.
Good luck!
Thanks
Darth said:
Hi,
Your best option is to ask for help in the thread you downloaded the rom from.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Unfortunately the site won't let me post there. I'm a new member.
Ah, There's no Q&A section. Normally now if you post in a development thread it automatically creates or posts in a thread in your device section Q&A.... But this won't work cause your section has no Q&A.
I will have your thread moved to your devices General section.
Good luck!
More on 'bricked' Milestone 2
datatone said:
A year or two so ago I updated my Motorola Milestone 2 to CyanogenMod, Android 4.1 I think, with no trouble.
I though that I'd take advantage of the CM11 (cm-11-20141003-UNOFFICIAL-milestone2.zip) and I attempted to upgrade to this.
I found that, after booting to the recovery utility, that would not accept this zip file. I noticed that czechop says:
Install my CM10.2 version >= 07.11.2013 first
So I installed cm-10.2-20140312-UNOFFICIAL-milestone2.zip and that went like a breeze. The phone booted up with the new version of Android. I then booted this into the recovery utility and found a new style of this ('Teamworks', I think) with a graphical interface. I found that this liked the cm11 zip file and it installed it without any apparent problem - it reported success and gave me two options - 'clear cache dalvik' (or something very similar), and 'reboot'. I opted for the clear cache, and that seemed to go OK, then I opted for 'reboot'.
This is where my heart sank, because the phone started to boot with the Motorola 'M' logo, then that faded out, then back in, then out. I see no little coloured LED light, and the phone seems to cycle around with the 'M' display, never getting anywhere.
What should I do now? I tried to boot the phone into the original Motorola recovery, holding down the keyboard 'X' key whilst switching on, but that just brings up a little picture of an orange triangle with a '!' in it.
Regards,
David
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am going to journal my experiences with this, in the hope that it will be useful to someone else.
Possibly the mistake that I made when flashing the CM11 (see above) is that I didn't put the md5 sum file onto the SD card with the archive. Note that all downloads have a .zip and a .zip.md5sum file. The phone output a message to say that it couldn't find a checksum, but that it was going ahead anyway. Possibly, had I put the md5sum file in, a fault with the zip file would have been detected and I may have been saved from this issue.
I have found references to a 'Motorola factory cable' which is a cable that is wired to persuade the phone not to worry about battery state and to operate the flashing utility from the usb cable power. this is obviously useful in the factory for programming the phone without a battery. See this link for information:
[unfortunately the site didn't allow me to attach a url to 'www dot droidforums dot net' where you might find a posting 'how-why-to-make-your-own-motorola-factory-cable', which is a well-writen and informative article]
My phone is in a state that the charger will operate to charge the battery as normal when the charger is plugged in with the phone off. It still shows the image of a battery filling up. Therefore I can keep my battery in good condition between recovery attempts, and I don't think I'll need any special cables.
My technique for putting the archives onto the SD card is to take the card out of the phone and put it into my laptop, so that I can simply manage the files on it with standard Windows file browser.
I can get to a very promising recovery utility by holding down the 'X' key on the keyboard whilst switching the phone on. The Motorola 'M' logo comes up and the screen then displays a 3D orange triangle with an exclamation mark and a little green Android man. If I press the keyboard '@' at this point, I jump into a recovery menu.
The recovery menu has options:
* 'reboot system now'
* 'apply sdcard:update.zip'
* 'wipe data/factory reset'
* 'wipe cache partition'
The 'apply sdcard:update.zip' seems to offer the promise of recovery.
I have tried placing both:
* cm-10.2-20140312-UNOFFICIAL-milestone2 (.zip and .zip.md5sum)
and
* cm-11-20141003-UNOFFICIAL-milestone2 (.zip and .zip.md5sum)
onto the sdcard (renamed as 'update.zip' and 'update.zip.md5sum').
In both cases the recovery utility says:
---
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/command
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/caller
-- Install from sdcard...
Finding update package...
Verifying update package...
E:failed to verify whole-file signature
E:signature verification failed
Installation aborted
---
If I remove the update.zip.md5sum file, the result is identical. Therefore I don't think that this utility is using the md5sum for archive file verification. The problem that I seem to have at the moment is that I need an archive in the right format for the factory recovery utility.
I will be researching this and will add to this thread when I find an answer.
As a little bit of extra information, whilst fiddling about with the buttons during power up, I did manage to get a screen that said:
---
Bootloader
70.12
Battery OK
OK to Program
Connect USB
Data Cable
---
I guess that this is a lower stage in the bootloader chain, and suggests that there is hope if your phone is screwed up to the extent that you can't get the factory recovery utility. Thankfully, I don't seem to need to investigate what is required at the PC end to make use of this low level programming aid. (If anyone knows, it would be good to hear the details, for future reference and help to others).
Alas, I'm not sure what I did to bring this screen up - I fiddled with the volume, camera, and power buttons whilst the phone was starting up.
Regards,
David
Hello.
1. You don't need no 'factory cable'. All you need to come back to stock ROM is PC, RSDlite software, generic USB<->micro USB cable, and a stock ROM sbf file. The question what to do with a bricked phone was answered here plenty of times. Almost always the best way to bring a dead phone back to life is to flash a stock ROM (with bootloader version >= of version of current one).
2. You seem to have an older bootloader (the latest is 70.13 included in Ginger Bread ROMs), but you don't have to flash a newer one. Just remember, that bootloader is locked and cannot bet downgraded, so if you flash a newer one, you will never be able to flash generic ROMs with an older version. For example after I flashed 70.13 GB, a was unable to flash Froyo ROM over it (but you'll still be able to flash Froyo based CM7 with some tricks).
3. If you can access TeamWinRecovery (the graphicac one), you can simply clear system/cache partitions, and flash any custom ROM zip (for example Czechop's 10.2).
4. The stock recovery (with an exclamation mark, then you press both vol up and down to access menu) doesn't allow to flash unsigned zip images (and none of custom ROMs is signed with Motorola key). What you can do there is try to clear cache/data (factory reset). Sometimes some information in /data is preventing ROM from booting, if you changed ROM.
5. What You described is called a 'bootloop' - rebooting endlessly.
Progress
rabinhood said:
Hello.
1. You don't need no 'factory cable'. All you need to come back to stock ROM is PC, RSDlite software, generic USB<->micro USB cable, and a stock ROM sbf file. The question what to do with a bricked phone was answered here plenty of times. Almost always the best way to bring a dead phone back to life is to flash a stock ROM (with bootloader version >= of version of current one).
2. You seem to have an older bootloader (the latest is 70.13 included in Ginger Bread ROMs), but you don't have to flash a newer one. Just remember, that bootloader is locked and cannot bet downgraded, so if you flash a newer one, you will never be able to flash generic ROMs with an older version. For example after I flashed 70.13 GB, a was unable to flash Froyo ROM over it (but you'll still be able to flash Froyo based CM7 with some tricks).
3. If you can access TeamWinRecovery (the graphicac one), you can simply clear system/cache partitions, and flash any custom ROM zip (for example Czechop's 10.2).
4. The stock recovery (with an exclamation mark, then you press both vol up and down to access menu) doesn't allow to flash unsigned zip images (and none of custom ROMs is signed with Motorola key). What you can do there is try to clear cache/data (factory reset). Sometimes some information in /data is preventing ROM from booting, if you changed ROM.
5. What You described is called a 'bootloop' - rebooting endlessly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much. I have spent all day researching this.
I have discovered 'RSD Lite' and the ability to get the phone into the bootloader mode that I described by starting the phone and keeping the camera and volume buttons pressed.
I can boot to the stock recovery mode by powering up with the 'X' key pressed and then pressing '@'
I don't think that I can access TeamWinRecovery. There may be some way to do this that I don't know.
I did do a complete 'Nandroid?' backup of the system before I started this, so I guess that if I can get TeamWinRecovery or clockworkmod recovery back, I can restore to my previous working state.
What I have tried is 'G.O.T.’s OpenRecovery' to get a recovery installed. I put the OpenRecovery folder and the update.zip onto the SDcard and tried to flash it with the stock recovery utility. I got the "E:EOCD marker occurs after start of EOCD E:signature verification failed" error. I read that this means that I am not properly rooted (I thought I was) and I need to install 'vulnerable recovery' using an sbf file and RSD Lite. I have tried 'vulnerable_recovery_only_RAMDLD90_78.sbf' but the process errors, and what I read suggests that this might be due to the older bootloader version.
I tried to find an old stock android sbf for the phone, but all the links to such things seem to be dead.
I did try the factory reset from the stock recovery as a means to fix the bootloop. It didn't work.
You clearly know a lot about this. I would appreciate help to get back to something that works, maybe the last backup that I did.
I am also puzzled by why the upgrade to the CM11 from the CM10.2 failed. Did I do something wrong, or is there some compatibility issue with my phone? I never had a problem updating from the original motorola software to the cyanogenmod, then to the CM10.2.
I think I became a little over-confident.
Thank you in anticipation,
David
---------- Post added at 06:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:59 PM ----------
rabinhood said:
Hello.
4. The stock recovery (with an exclamation mark, then you press both vol up and down to access menu) doesn't allow to flash unsigned zip images (and none of custom ROMs is signed with Motorola key).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah! the penny drops. The stock recovery that I can access will only install archives signed by Motorola. Hence the signature errors that I get when I try anything else. So I understand that if I can only get to the stock recovery, I can only use it to reinstall a stock android.
So the problem is where to find a stock sbf file to reinstall Motorola android as a first step to getting back to CM.
I guess that this is the only way to get back to clockworkmod recovery or teamwin recovery?
If I can get one of these recoverys running, I can simply restore to the last working system, I guess?
Regards,
David
---------- Post added at 07:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:20 PM ----------
david.datatone said:
My phone is in a state that the charger will operate to charge the battery as normal when the charger is plugged in with the phone off. It still shows the image of a battery filling up. Therefore I can keep my battery in good condition between recovery attempts, and I don't think I'll need any special cables.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I realise that I was mistaken about this. There is no image of a battery filling up. The white LED by the USB socket lights when the charger is plugged in, but I can't be sure that the battery is charging.
Are you sure you're trying to flash a proper recovery? I remember there was a 'vulnerable recovery' for milestone 1, but no such thing for MS2. As you wrote, signature errors while trying to flash zips from stock recovery are due to lack of Motorola signature, not to problems with root. Root access has nothing to do with recovery, it is something much later/higher in system.
So again, what to do to unbrick the MS2:
1. Get a stock ROM - I suggest lates European one with 70.13 bootloader. There are also later Latin America ROMs, but they lead to more problems with custom ROMs. SBF's were published somewhere in these forums. If you cannot find them, write, and I'll upload one to some file sharing servers if I have time (I'll be staying at work for next 30 hours or so).
2. Get RSD lite and latest Motorola USB drivers (they're on the web), install. Before flashing remember you cannot use an USB 3 port - the best way is to turn USB 3 support off in computer BIOS.
3. Enter the flash mode in MS2. Connect is with generic USB cable to PC.
4. Run RSD lite, flash SBF, wait until phone reboots - it can take several minutes. If it freezes - try to enter stock recovery and wipe data/cache.
After these steps you should have a clear installation of stock ROM. Then you have to root, install Droid2 Bootstrap, install CM 10 or 10.1 -> 10.2 -> 11. If you have problems with these, write, and I'll write more detailed instructions.
PS. By the way, to enter TWR or CWM recovery you have to press vol down while a blue led is lit for a short time during reboot.
1000 Thanks
rabinhood said:
Are you sure you're trying to flash a proper recovery? I remember there was a 'vulnerable recovery' for milestone 1, but no such thing for MS2. As you wrote, signature errors while trying to flash zips from stock recovery are due to lack of Motorola signature, not to problems with root. Root access has nothing to do with recovery, it is something much later/higher in system.
So again, what to do to unbrick the MS2:
1. Get a stock ROM - I suggest lates European one with 70.13 bootloader. There are also later Latin America ROMs, but they lead to more problems with custom ROMs. SBF's were published somewhere in these forums. If you cannot find them, write, and I'll upload one to some file sharing servers if I have time (I'll be staying at work for next 30 hours or so).
2. Get RSD lite and latest Motorola USB drivers (they're on the web), install. Before flashing remember you cannot use an USB 3 port - the best way is to turn USB 3 support off in computer BIOS.
3. Enter the flash mode in MS2. Connect is with generic USB cable to PC.
4. Run RSD lite, flash SBF, wait until phone reboots - it can take several minutes. If it freezes - try to enter stock recovery and wipe data/cache.
After these steps you should have a clear installation of stock ROM. Then you have to root, install Droid2 Bootstrap, install CM 10 or 10.1 -> 10.2 -> 11. If you have problems with these, write, and I'll write more detailed instructions.
PS. By the way, to enter TWR or CWM recovery you have to press vol down while a blue led is lit for a short time during reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't thank you enough. I'm currently downloading your stock ROM. I already have what I think is the latest verion of RSD Lite (6.1.6) installed on my Windows 8.1 laptop (I've read about problems with more contemporary versions of Windows, but I have successfully connected to the phone before now, just haven't had joy with flashing the file that I tried). I am fingers crossed that all will go well, and I'll certainly note that here. Otherwise I very much appreciate your offer of further help.
Bets regards,
David
david.datatone said:
I can't thank you enough. I'm currently downloading your stock ROM. I already have what I think is the latest verion of RSD Lite (6.1.6) installed on my Windows 8.1 laptop (I've read about problems with more contemporary versions of Windows, but I have successfully connected to the phone before now, just haven't had joy with flashing the file that I tried). I am fingers crossed that all will go well, and I'll certainly note that here. Otherwise I very much appreciate your offer of further help.
Bets regards,
David
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
recommend you return the original rom using RSDlite and start doing it all over again putting the rom CM10 and then cm11