Hi, I have a Nook Simple Touch device with a traditional problem of improper backup of 76 MB before rooting.
Now I have managed to retrieve files from the /rom partition (/devconf folder with 20 files like serial no, public key etc.) - I have them in my laptop as regular files as well as 16 MB partition image on SD card.
Would anybody be so kind to offer a full recovery method? I believe backup of somebody's full image and then overwriting the /rom partition would revive the device?
How much of your partition table is left, if any, and how familiar are you with linux?
Were it me, I might have a go at creating just the first partition - boot from noogie, connect to a linux box, and use fdisk to create the partition.
I'd then try doing a
dd if=single.partition.backup.img of=/dev/mmcblk0p1
(writing my boot backup to the partition I just created) and see if that file wasn't enough to bootstrap the other partitions. Depending on how you created the backup, you may have the boot flag set and the partition table stored; so long as you haven't actually put data on the other partitions yet, it may be possible to at least trigger the onboard restore.
These are values that work on the glow, and I believe on the touch as well:
Disk /dev/block/mmcblk0: 2000 MB, 2000683008 bytes
128 heads, 32 sectors/track, 954 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 4096 * 512 = 2097152 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/block/mmcblk0p1 * 1 38 77808 c Win95 FAT32 (LB
A)
Of the partitions, I still have:
- boot (I believe it is somewhat corrupted, but this I can restore from the backup)
- NOOK (FAT32) - should be OK, I see files in it;
- cache (Ext3)
- data (Ext3) - seems to be corrupted
Missing: factory (Ext2); one untitled partition and one unallocated segment.
Backup was created with Roadkil's DiskImage, with a source being the locigal drive (original boot partition).
I'm not good at Linux, but I know how to create partitions using Windows tools.
OK, I can try to recreate the boot partition and the rom partition, and restore the backup to it, then I'll see what happens.
Disk configuration for NST is different from the NSTG:
Cylinters: 238 Heads: 255 Sectors: 63
Nook is resurected!
Yes, I have managed to revive the Nook Simple Touch who had survived deletion of all partitions and restore of just the boot partition!
You will need for this:
- an micro SD card and card reader;
- Noogie;
- Minitool Partition Wizard (or other partition management software, if you like and it can do partition recovery and copying);
- ClockworkMod (sd_2gb_clockwork-rc2.zip)
- Alpha-FormatTouch-2.zip - to be copied onto ClockworkMod SD card;
The principle is this:
- first of all, do a PROPER backup of your device - backup ENTIRE PHYSICAL DISK (2 GB) into the image file.
- Using Minitool Partition Wizard, do a partition recovery operation - you should find all your deleted partitions - but do not apply changes yet!. However, due to improper restore of logical disk to a physical disk, the disk config info probably became corrupted and disk size appears to be 78MB, so you won't be able really restore the partitions. So, using Minitool Partition Wizard, do a copy of the recovered partitions one by one onto the SD card - and start with the most important rom partition. From Partion Wizard, you should be able, using Explore function, to check if the partition has all necessary files (20) like serial no, public key, mac address etc.
- from SD card, you can create a backup image of each partition on your hard disk.
- after you have copies of all necessary partitions (boot, rom, nook are vital; others are optional), you need to do a wipe on the NOOK disk to delete all partitions and the disk to obtain the original size of 2 GB.
- on an empty disk after wipe, you have to restore the partitions in the order:
1. restore, by copying using Minitool Partition Wizard, the boot partition (78 MB, FAT32, Primary, set it Active)
2. restore, by copying using Minitool Partition Wizard, the rom partition (16 MB, FAT32, Primary)
3. create manually new partition factory (190 MB, Ext2, Primary)
4. create manually new partition (no label) (288 MB, Ext2, Logical)
5. copy from backup partition NOOK (240 MB, FAT32, Logical)
6. create manually new partition cache (Ext3, 240 MB, Logical)
7. create manually new partition data (Ext3, 801 MB, Logical).
Then, boot the Nook from ClockWorkMod SD card, and format /system, /cache, /data partitions;
afterwards, install from zip card - Alpha-FormatTouch-2.zip.
And, hopefully, your Nook will be alive again!
(Now, I'm sure, you won't forget to do a proper backup of your working Nook :fingers-crossed
Yes, you save my nook. Thanks to your method i could revived my /rom.
but all is not done for me . i have a UK NST Glow and the glow is not working. I would like to update to firmware1.2 and may be this glow will function again. But When i plug the usb, windows cann see the drive but i don't have access to it. i have the message "please insert disc in F: drive"
wow wow wow . At last i successed to update to FW 1.2 for my almost bricked UK NSTGL. Now i have a US NSTGL but nevermind. now time to backup correctly.
but i'm not sure your method is fully working. I had to make a partition table with renater script "nookparted.sh" and then use roustabout's comment "dd if=boot.img of=....". and after that i put update 1.2.
In one week i have learn so much with my broken backup.
Hello, new here so hope it's ok to hijack this thread slightly, seems the original issue has been solved and I think my problem is similar although I'm way out of my depth here... I've managed to brick my nook, and although I took a backup which is AFAIK correctly sized 1.86gb I can't restore it. I've tried putting noogie and cmw on the sd card but it's refusing to boot, I suspect I nonced the partition table up and can't even get the nook to register when I plug it in to the PC now. I suspect is obvious I'm a dumb noob but if anyone could help point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated
welcome to the brave new world of the "bricked forever" and endless nights.
Nobody blames you since everybody and their mothers seem to fall into the trap even if they are told to make a good backup.
i had read so much threads to resurect my nook that i don't exactly know how i made it through, but here are some indications:
Here are the objectives:
1) make a correct backup of your bricked nook: -> you can make after all stupid commands and you 'll come back to this point.
2) you'll have to resurect your /rom or your rombackup.zip (inside factory).
3) have the correct partition of your nook
4) reinstall the rom
for 2) this thread gives a way to get back your /rom. read carefully even roustabout's comment can really help
for 3) thanks to Renate NST in this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1805936&highlight=to+stock and her script "nookpart.sh" i could have a correct size for my partition. (method with wizard partition gives wrong cylinders alignement). read all of this thread it is really rich.
for 4) if you reach that point that should be easy.
Thanks for the welcome and the reply jjinkou2.
I'm guessing I need to work on the nook through a PC. I've currently got 2 PCs, one running window 7 and one on vista, I'm mainly working on the W7 machine. When I plug the nook in to it, a device briefly shows up as the h: drive in My computer but then immediately disappears and so I can't actually access it yet. I note that roustabout mentions working in Linux, if I had a Linux machine available would it be easier to get it to recognize the nook?
Edit: Just tried plugging the nook into my vista machine (which it has not been used on before) and the Found New Hardware window briefly pops up but then vanishes and I get a message on the taskbar: Device driver software was not successfully installed - OMAO3630 Device unplugged. Is there a fix for this pelase?
Some easy instructions here http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/BN_Nook_Simple_Touch/Installing_ADB
you'll need to install android sdk and check usb install in the extra.
Search for a file named "ADB + Fastboot + Drivers.zip" in the forum to easily have the adb.
With windows the usbdriver can be tricky to install. i had to use usbdview (look for it in google) and uninstall all B&N mass storage and OMAP3630.
The driver for usb inside the previous zip might not work also. i found one in the forum but can't find it right now.
Edit
found the usb driver that worked for me
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1125094
Excellent, thanks very much! Not entirely sure how I managed it but I managed to get to a point where I could use the method shown by budriunas and my nook is now working again, albeit with an older firmware and the glow light isn't working but at least it's not bricked! Now just to get the light working and then root the damn thing without killing it....
budriunas said:
Yes, I have managed to revive the Nook Simple Touch who had survived deletion of all partitions and restore of just the boot partition!
You will need for this:
- an micro SD card and card reader;
- Noogie;
- Minitool Partition Wizard (or other partition management software, if you like and it can do partition recovery and copying);
- ClockworkMod (sd_2gb_clockwork-rc2.zip)
- Alpha-FormatTouch-2.zip - to be copied onto ClockworkMod SD card;
The principle is this:
- first of all, do a PROPER backup of your device - backup ENTIRE PHYSICAL DISK (2 GB) into the image file.
- Using Minitool Partition Wizard, do a partition recovery operation - you should find all your deleted partitions - but do not apply changes yet!. However, due to improper restore of logical disk to a physical disk, the disk config info probably became corrupted and disk size appears to be 78MB, so you won't be able really restore the partitions. So, using Minitool Partition Wizard, do a copy of the recovered partitions one by one onto the SD card - and start with the most important rom partition. From Partion Wizard, you should be able, using Explore function, to check if the partition has all necessary files (20) like serial no, public key, mac address etc.
- from SD card, you can create a backup image of each partition on your hard disk.
- after you have copies of all necessary partitions (boot, rom, nook are vital; others are optional), you need to do a wipe on the NOOK disk to delete all partitions and the disk to obtain the original size of 2 GB.
- on an empty disk after wipe, you have to restore the partitions in the order:
1. restore, by copying using Minitool Partition Wizard, the boot partition (78 MB, FAT32, Primary, set it Active)
2. restore, by copying using Minitool Partition Wizard, the rom partition (16 MB, FAT32, Primary)
3. create manually new partition factory (190 MB, Ext2, Primary)
4. create manually new partition (no label) (288 MB, Ext2, Logical)
5. copy from backup partition NOOK (240 MB, FAT32, Logical)
6. create manually new partition cache (Ext3, 240 MB, Logical)
7. create manually new partition data (Ext3, 801 MB, Logical).
Then, boot the Nook from ClockWorkMod SD card, and format /system, /cache, /data partitions;
afterwards, install from zip card - Alpha-FormatTouch-2.zip.
And, hopefully, your Nook will be alive again!
(Now, I'm sure, you won't forget to do a proper backup of your working Nook :fingers-crossed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much. My nook is back. I described my work in http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34746242#post34746242.
jjinkou2 said:
wow wow wow . At last i successed to update to FW 1.2 for my almost bricked UK NSTGL. Now i have a US NSTGL but nevermind. now time to backup correctly.
but i'm not sure your method is fully working. I had to make a partition table with renater script "nookparted.sh" and then use roustabout's comment "dd if=boot.img of=....". and after that i put update 1.2.
In one week i have learn so much with my broken backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how did you do a partition table?? i have run nookpart.sh but i still get the problem : "When i plug the usb, windows cann see the drive but i don't have access to it. i have the message "please insert disc in F: drive"
nookpart.sh will partition the internal memory exactly like it was.
This is important if you actually still have valid data but the partition table was destroyed.
If partitions are not looking correctly they may need to be formatted.
Don't be too quick to repartition/reformat until you know what the situation is.
i have used nookpart.sh but still no good, here is the result when i execute nookpart.sh. Everything works except internal storage not mounted correctly i think, i want to update to 1.2
edit: see my thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=48015536#post48015536 for more details
hello people, i need to know a thing, not a major bug or high damage stuff.
when i boot into recovery (twrp) and format everything, including internal, i need to reboot again into recovery to get internal memory access via MTP mount. thats ok, the thing is, after i reboot, get access, move my new rom to internal and flash it.
after first boot, when i go on internal memory i didnt see my ROM.ZIP file there, but the space that it ocuped is there, in other words, when i format internal i get all my ~10GB internal, after first boot into the rom i can see my internal memory as ~8GB free, but the ~2GB ROM.ZIP file isnt there.
is it a mapping/partition table bug? where can i find my file again?