Unbricking the ZTE Blade / Dell XCD35 / Orange San Francisco
Foreword
First off, I have NOT written this guide. Credits go to hedgepigdaniel for composing this guide. I have merely tweaked the language and brought it to XDA for those of us that do not frequent the MoDaCo forums, and frankly, I was sick of answering every "Bricked Blade" question with a "Go to MoDaCo" answer. This guide is meant to help you to recover from a bad flash. It assumes at the very least that you cannot boot android, and can help you as long as your phone can boot into download mode. I have described many ways to unbrick in order of increasing difficulty and risk. Use only the first method that works. These instructions will wipe everything on your phone’s internal memory. Before you follow any of them, charge your battery and have a good night’s sleep. For the purposes of this guide, a Dell XCD35 is a European GSM Blade.
Hard Brick vs Soft Brick
If your phone is soft-bricked, it has a software problem which is rendering it only as useful as a paperweight (i.e. there is nothing physically wrong with it). If it is hard-bricked, it has a physical problem which is rendering it only as useful as a paperweight. The recovery methods below can only help you to recover from a soft-brick because they do not involve any physical repairs. 99% of bricked phones are soft-bricked, and to my knowledge it is always possible to recover a soft-bricked ZTE Blade of the variants this guide is written for. I can't help you much with hard-bricked phones, but I will say this: batteries break before phones. Your Blade may have an old or damaged battery if it displays any of the following symptoms:
-Does not turn on at all, even into download mode as per method 5
-Turns on initially but does not successfully boot android without repeatedly rebooting or turning off, even after recovery using the methods below
-Boots successfully but regularly reboots or turns off, even after recovery using the methods below
- Especially if its behavior is different depending on whether a charger is connected and/or depending on which charger is connected
If you suspect that your phone has a bad battery, you may be interested in buying a new battery from eBay, since it's cheaper than buying a new phone. Sometimes the angle at which the battery is inserted can have an impact: moving the battery from side to side or inserting blu-tak to hold the battery closer to the terminals can sometimes fix the problem.
Corrupt NV memory
If your phone was flashed via windows and will not boot into anything except recovery mode (i.e. FTM mode or clockworkmod), even if you install a compatible ROM and boot normally, then the problem is usually corrupt NV memory. You must use method 4 to solve this problem. You can often solve it by following only the instructions to restore your IMEI (skipping the flashing part), but you may need to do the whole lot.
Method 1 : ClockWorkMod
1. Turn your phone on with volume down held. If it boots into clockwork, then you should be able to fix it from there. In clockworkmod:
2. Go to “backup and restore” and perform a backup of your current setup.
3. Go to “mounts and storage” and select mount USB storage. Connect the phone to a computer and copy your backup from the clockworkmod directory to your computer. Download a Gen1 or Gen2 ROM and copy it to your SD card (not a stock ROM, since it will overwrite clockworkmod). If you are not sure, try installing both Gen1 and Gen2 ROMs.
4. Go to “mounts and storage” and format boot, system, data, cache, and sd-ext.
5. Go to “install zip from SD card” and install the ROM you have downloaded. Restart your phone when it is finished.
Method 2 : Fastboot
Fastboot is a method of flashing a recovery image to your phone from a computer (which can be running Windows, Linux, or OSX). It does not work with Blades that are running stock Gen2 firmware (i.e. upgraded to stock Gen2 via windows or upgraded to android 2.2 by an official update) unless both the recovery and boot partitions are completely unbootable.
For all platforms
Download and extract this file, which contains both fastboot and clockworkmod for Gen1 and Gen2.
Turn on your phone with volume up held and connect it to your computer. It should not progress beyond the green android. Sometimes you have to wait a few minutes for the computer to recognise it.
For Windows
Download and install the ZTE Handset drivers. Your phone should be listed as "Fastboot Interface" under "ADB Interfaces".
Run windows-flash-gen1-recovery.bat to flash Gen1 clockworkmod, or windows-flash-gen2-recovery.bat to flash gen2 clockworkmod.
After rebooting with volume down held, you should be able to flash a ROM in clockworkmod.
For Linux
Navigate to the extracted folder and run one of the following commands.
To flash Gen1 clockworkmod:
Code:
sudo ./fastboot-linux flash recovery recovery-clockwork-4.0.0.8-blade-gen1.img
To flash Gen2 clockworkmod:
Code:
sudo ./fastboot-linux flash recovery recovery-clockwork-4.0.0.8-blade-gen2.img
After rebooting with volume down held, you should be able to flash a ROM in clockworkmod.
For Mac
I don't know the command but it is probably similar to linux. you need to run fastboot-mac instead of fastboot-linux and flash the appropriate .img file.
Method 3 : TPT
TPT is a way of flashing part of the low-level firmware on your phone. After successfully flashing the files below you will regain access to clockworkmod. You need a different type of TPT depending on what variant of the Blade you have. If you have a China Unicom v880 or any other Chinese variant then you must not flash a TPT designed for European Blades, and vice versa. Be aware that flashing a modified or corrupt TPT can permanently brick your phone. Choose the appropriate file below.
European Gen1 TPT
Use this if your phone is a European GSM variant and if it is Gen1 or has been upgraded to Gen2 via TPT. This will flash stock Gen1 firmware.
European Gen2 TPT
Use this if your phone is a European GSM variant and if it was sold as Gen2 or upgraded to stock Gen2 via windows. This will flash stock Gen2 firmware.
China Unicom v880 Gen2 TPT
Use this if your phone is a China Unicom v880 (unsure, but may work on Chinese u880/x880). This will flash the stock Gen2 firmware taken from the B15 android 2.2.2 update.
Flashing the TPT
-Download the applicable TPT file from above.
-Unzip and put the “image” folder onto the root directory of your SD card.
-Disconnect and reconnect your SD card and check the integrity of the TPT files. There is a file called "image.hash" in the image folder which contains all the files' md5 hashes in plain text. Make sure that the md5 of all the files match, or you may brick your phone.
-Turn on your phone with the SD card inserted and with menu and volume up held.
-The screen will either stay black or show green text (if you see the green android immediately then it didn't work), and will restart into clockworkmod when done. Wait at least 5 minutes for it to restart if you don’t see anything.
-When it is finished (even if it didn't work), then remove the image directory from the SD card to prevent accidental flashing later on.
-You can now flash a ROM using ClockWorkMod. If it doesn't work, then using a different SD card may help. If you have a European variant then it is safe to try both Gen1 and Gen2 TPTs separately in case you have made a mistake.
Method 4 : Windows Upgrader
This method flashes the entire low-level firmware and maintains the correct IMEI automatically. To use this method you need to be able to boot into stock recovery. This means that when you turn your phone on with volume down held, the words “FTM” must appear on the screen. If you can access clockworkmod then you don't need to use this method - see above. This method requires windows.
For European Blades, follow this guide and flash any firmware package linked in the guide.
For Chinese Blades, you must follow the same guide but flash this firmware package instead.
If your provider/country is listed here then you can also flash your stock firmware instead, and optionally the stock ROM aswell.
Method 5 : ZTE Firmware Flasher
This method can help if your blade cannot boot at all. Consider it a LAST RESORT - people do this all the time and only make their situation worse. Only use it if all the above methods fail or if your IMEI is corrupt. Your IMEI will be lost in the process and you will need to use hex editing to fix it up afterwards. This method also requires windows. Most of this is taken from Burstlam’s thread here, which you can also refer to (Burstlam has posted screenshots which also help to show what to do). Do the following in order:
Boot into download mode and set up connection
-Download and install the ZTE USB driver.
-Put your phone in download mode by turning it on with both volume buttons held down at the same time. The screen will remain black, but the notification LED should briefly flash red.
-Plug it into your computer. The phone should be recognised in windows device manager under “Ports (COM & LPT)” as “ZTE Handset Diagnostic Interface(DFU) (COMxx)”. Take note of the port number (xx). If your phone cannot turn on at all and the LED doesn’t flash, it is dead.
Flash firmware
-Download this file, which contains the ZTE flasher along with firmware to flash your phone with, and unzip it somewhere convenient.
-Run “Flasher.exe” from the extracted folder. Press the exclamation mark and login as administrator with the password “ZTEsmt123”.
-Under “SW Directory”, select the correct firmware folder inside the extracted folder (European Gen1 firmware or Chinese v880 Gen2 firmware). ONLY flash the one appropriate for your phone.
-Leave the default settings as they are – “download cefs” ticked, “no backup restore” selected, and “download” selected.
-Go to the “Option” menu and select “Port Config”. Set line 1 to the COM port that you observed in step 3, then press OK.
-Press the purple arrow next to line 1 and wait for your phone to be flashed. When finished it should boot into FTM mode.
Edit "channel1.nvm" to hold IMEI
-In the flasher folder, open the file “channel1.nvm” with HxD, or a hex editor of your choice.
-Go to offset 0x1215. The IMEI is stored between offset 0x1215 and 0x121C. You need to read your correct IMEI from behind your battery and enter it here like this:
-In 0x1215 put the first digit of your IMEI followed by A. For each successive pair of digits, enter the second digit followed by the first digit. For example: and IMEI of 123456789012345 would be recorded at 0x1215 as 1A 32 54 76 98 10 32 54. When done, save this file.
Restore channel1.nvm to your phone
-Make sure channel1.nvm is in the folder next to the flasher with the correct IMEI.
-Connect your phone to your computer and turn on your phone with volume down held. It should boot into FTM mode.
-In the flasher, select “restore NV” and “RF/BT/IMEI/unLock info”, and press the purple arrow next to line 1. Your IMEI will now be restored to your phone.
Put clockworkmod in the recovery partition
-Take out the battery and turn on the phone. Clockworkmod should load.
-Clockworkmod is now installed to your phone’s boot partition. This means that if you install a ROM at this point you will overwrite clockworkmod. You must now flash the correct version of clockworkmod to the recovery partition.
-Go to “mounts and storage”, and select mount USB storage. Connect the phone to your computer and copy the correct version of clockworkmod as a zip file (Gen1 for European Gen1 firmware, Gen2 for Chinese firmware) to your SD card, then install it using clockworkmod.
-Restart your phone with volume down held. It should boot into clockworkmod. If it boots into FTM mode or does not progress pass the green android, reboot normally and make sure you flashed the correct version of clockworkmod.
-You can now flash a ROM (If you flashed Gen1 firmware you can also upgrade to Gen2 via TPT). When you do, check your IMEI. If it is wrong, flash stock recovery in ClockWorkMod, boot into FTM mode, and repeat (correctly) above from "editing channel1.nvm" onwards.
Useful Links
ZTE Blade All In One Rooting Thread : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1644220
ZTE Blade FAQ : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1600756
I tried the fastboot method since my zte blade was unable to get into recovery mode so i downloaded a stock rom extracted it and copied the boot.img cache.img and flashed them using fastboot then i flashed the recovery in the blade-fastboot-recovery folder and it rebooted to clockword and i installed the swedish snow rom using clockworkmod and now my blade is running gingerbread 2.3.5
Help unbricking Balde
Hi, I can't get my Blade to boot into either Clockwork Mod or get it to flash via TPT, the only 'mode' it will enter is the vol+ and vol- ZTE low level mode. I've been through all the unbricking guides and have finally ended up using the method 5 ZTE flasher software. I get the firmware flashed OK, but mostly it still will not enter FTM, CWM or TPT modes. i have tried 5 or 6 different firmwares for different Gens (I don't know the gen it should be / originally was).
The only exception to this is if I use the chinese firmware 'unicom gen2' - even though the one thing I know my Blade wasn't originally is the chinese one. (It was originally an Orange San Fran).
With this firmware flashed I can enter FTM, and so reflash Channel1.nvm (I can alter hex 1215 on with correct IMEI, or leave it, it makes no difference to the outcome).
From here it will boot into CWM v. 3.0.2.4, but written in chinese characters. However if I then go to install zip from SD card then CWM just hangs with the RomManager splash screen, but doesn't actually go any further to let me choose a zip.
Other things I've tried are to swap some of the .img files from other firmwares into the chinese firmwere, but this doesn't work. And I've also tried using adb command line, but adb devices lists no devices, even when connected in FTM mode. (even though ZTE flasher recognises the device)
I'm fresh out of ideas - any one offer any help?
Idea ZTE BLADE Totally DEAD
my idea zte blade is totally dead
i have tried all the method on XDA but the window didn't recognize it (Driver installed)
Please help me.
how do i get offset 0x1215? i can find 1215 but NOT 0x1215??? please advise
Great Tutorial and Support
I learned lots of ways about rooting in these explanations above and had great benefit while saving my phone from bricked state.
Still i have big problems which i couldnt find anywhere, is ZTE Atlas W firmware couldnt be installed in my phone, nor any ROMs give me any benefit. ZTE Atlas model is a new name in XDA developers website so there not any ROMs (i guess) about that phone.
My phone (ZTE ATLAS W) always booting to ClockWorkMode and when i try to install from SD card, it is not working or cant find any ROM to boot it in normal way. I really complicated the phone with some other downloads but still i hope i will survive the phone with your helps... Please tell me all i can.
fuzzweed said:
Hi, I can't get my Blade to boot into either Clockwork Mod or get it to flash via TPT, the only 'mode' it will enter is the vol+ and vol- ZTE low level mode. I've been through all the unbricking guides and have finally ended up using the method 5 ZTE flasher software. I get the firmware flashed OK, but mostly it still will not enter FTM, CWM or TPT modes. i have tried 5 or 6 different firmwares for different Gens (I don't know the gen it should be / originally was).
The only exception to this is if I use the chinese firmware 'unicom gen2' - even though the one thing I know my Blade wasn't originally is the chinese one. (It was originally an Orange San Fran).
With this firmware flashed I can enter FTM, and so reflash Channel1.nvm (I can alter hex 1215 on with correct IMEI, or leave it, it makes no difference to the outcome).
From here it will boot into CWM v. 3.0.2.4, but written in chinese characters. However if I then go to install zip from SD card then CWM just hangs with the RomManager splash screen, but doesn't actually go any further to let me choose a zip.
Other things I've tried are to swap some of the .img files from other firmwares into the chinese firmwere, but this doesn't work. And I've also tried using adb command line, but adb devices lists no devices, even when connected in FTM mode. (even though ZTE flasher recognises the device)
I'm fresh out of ideas - any one offer any help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SOLVED! For the record: 1) firmware included with the ZTE firmware flasher only includes unicom and euro gen 1 firmwares. It turns out that my blade is euro gen 2. Found a stock euro gen 2 firmware in another thread and flashed it with the ZTE firmware flasher which worked OK. Having now got the correct firmware for the hardware the NVram update worked OK (previously it had failed) This was the major cause of the phone not booting correctly past CWM or FTM screen. Once these two processes were complete I was able to use the ZTE ROM updater from the ZTE website to identify the phone correctly and download and install the correct stock ROM automatically. Now back up and working beautifully.
Lessons I learnt. 1) It matters what hardware you have (I wasn't able to positively identify mine cos it was bricked) but luckily trying unicom, gen 1 and several gen 2 firmwares didn't cause any lasting damage until I'd got the correct one working.
2) NVram update is important, but won't complete successfully if the wrong firmware for the hardware is installed.
3) Using stock ROMs and firmwares only is an important first step to unbricking the phone. Trying to flash custom ROMs straight to a bricked phone is fraught with problems.
Hi guys..i got issues also on my brothers gen2 blade chinese v880..the probe is i got an error after flashing tpt file,and my blade stuck in airplane mode..i cant get it off even i installed different roms..fyi,i currently running cm 7.2 and able to enter cwm recovery,bootingand playing games on it but cant enter ftm mode..need help..
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using xda premium
Nothing working
My ZTE Blade is not starting up. If I try to enter Recovery Mode, FTM mode opens and nothing works. If I try to normally start the phone, it ends the recovery mode. The recovery mode has very less options. The options are -
-reboot system now
-apply sdcard:update.zip
-wipe data/factory reset
-wipe cache partition.
All these options are in the 180 degree rotated screen. Nothing works here. If I choose "reboot system now", the phone gets rebooted and again, same recovery mode gets opened.
Guys, please help me fast!
HELP
AFTER I DID THE METHOD 5 IT REDUCE MY RAM TO 166mb
ZTE Blade G2 V880H
Can you please add ZTE Blade G2 V880H to your device list ?
It is a new release from ZTE in 2013.
OS: Android 4.2
Chip set: Media tech MT6589 1.2 Ghz
RAM: 512 MB
ROM: 4GB
Camera: 5MP AF with Flash
Display: IPS 4.5“ FWVGA(480*854), 16M color
Battery 2000mAh
ztedevice.in /specification.php?for=specificatrion&type=ZTE-BLADE-G2
zte blade apex dead any solutin please xda team????
zte blad apex dead during bad update can't enter to ftm mode or recovery mode only with vol+ & vol- it become dfu mode
invalid imei forZTE BLADE G2
:crying:I was installing CWMR after flashing the recovery.image from mobile unkle tool when i rebooted my phone then i lost my IMEI- no signal too plzzz help me asap its showing IMEI - UNKNOW:crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying:
Help please ((
I bought my ZTE BLADE Q before 4 days.The phone is so cool,so fast and all that...
I want to change my fonts I use app from google play Im tried HiFont,and it says i need to root phone.I have root my phone with app called "KEY ROOT Master" from 4Shared.
When i root my phone I change the fonts to CHOCO COOKY then it said reboot phone to take a effect.I have reboot my phone.When it turns on fonts aren't changed.I have search the internet and i find Font Installer app from google play.When i change fonts in that app it said reboot phone.When i start to reboot phone my phone "STUCK" on the ZTE logo.I think my phone is bricked.Im trying to install CWM but my PC dont recognise my drivers. PLEASE HELP ME HOW TO UNBRICK MY PHONE OR HOW TO INSTALL CWm ON BRICKED ZTE BLADE Q.Sorry for my bad English!! :crying:
Driver not recognised
rmengh0991 said:
my idea zte blade is totally dead
i have tried all the method on XDA but the window didn't recognize it (Driver installed)
Please help me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other methods are not working so I tried the 5th step but my PC didn't recognize driver for this device. I had installed zte driver provided in this thread and I did it by turning off my phon . Didn't recognize. Is it really dead
Is it for Blade L3 german too? I have a bootloop After factory Reset.
sammy1970 said:
Is it for Blade L3 german too? I have a bootloop After factory Reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so. It works on zte blade and its other version like San Francisco, Orange, dell xcd35. But try at least may be you can succeed. But don't forget to check first whether you device is gen1 or gen2 and then flash that appropriate firmware
Wow, I tried your tutorial and it works fine. Great post mate!
Zte Blade A452 4g lte
I ask all users who have this phone that I set backup this model I would appreciate the phone was purchased in the German
I format my Zte Blade A1 c880u with SP Flash Tool and now is Hard bricked.. I not have any backups. And cant flash official rom with Sp Flash Tool ( dram error.. ). My pc detect the phone in Device Manager. Any chance to unbrick phone ?
My milestone 2 is completed bricked and can't be recognized by PC. But I can log in the official recovery screen. I have downloaded a update.zip file from a link （not sure if it is an official link, as I can't find it through Motorola website). It prompted "signature error" when installed. Not sure anyone can provide an update.zip file, so that I can try if I can save my Milestone2. Thanks in advance!
as long as you can enter the stock recovery. your device isn't bricked. did you try to do a full wipe in stock recovery? did you try to use another usb port in bootloader mode? sometimes you get a black screen in bootloader mode, but you pc recognizese your device very well. did you install all drivers on your pc?
lulli1 said:
as long as you can enter the stock recovery. your device isn't bricked. did you try to do a full wipe in stock recovery? did you try to use another usb port in bootloader mode? sometimes you get a black screen in bootloader mode, but you pc recognizese your device very well. did you install all drivers on your pc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I have tried full wipe, but didn't work. The machine reboot again and again;
2. I have tried another usb port, another PC and even another operating system (win7 and winXP), also didn't work.
3. I am sure I have installed the drivers, as PC can recognize my phone when it is OK before;
As I can only entered the official recovery screen, I think I can try if it worked when I update with an official update file. Anyway, thanks for your suggestions and reply!
hi,guy.i think you should do the curect usb driver for your pc recongnizing first. than choose a ringt bootlaoder offical ROM. curse your phone can login the rockrecovery screen means its ok! isn't?
I think the only way for you to get an update.zip is with another milestone 2 running froyo, that way you can update it via OTA, and before the phone reboots, take the update.zip from the /cache partition.
Sent from the U
Hey everyone I'm quite new to android, and I'm currently stuck in Download Mode after trying and failing to install Twrp
I was previously Rooted, tried to install Twrp via Autorec, however when I ran the app it soft-bricked my phone and put me into Fastboot mode.
I followed http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2476972 method, and got back to Download Mode.
I am currently in the middle of returning to stock through http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2432476 using the .TOT method.
I'm fairly close to repairing it but my only issue is that I cannot get my computer to recognize my phone. Neither in Device management nor adb devices anymore.
Therefore I cannot change the port to COM 41 to flash the .TOT file.
I constantly tried installing drivers for the phone both 3.10 and 3.08 but still no recognition can anybody help?
Some more info about the phone:
it's the D801 variant but its on Wind (Canada) not T-mobile
it was previously Rooted
it did not have any recovery software installed
no roms had been flashed previously.
Rogybear said:
Hey everyone I'm quite new to android, and I'm currently stuck in Download Mode after trying and failing to install Twrp
I was previously Rooted, tried to install Twrp via Autorec, however when I ran the app it soft-bricked my phone and put me into Fastboot mode.
I followed http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2476972 method, and got back to Download Mode.
I am currently in the middle of returning to stock through http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2432476 using the .TOT method.
I'm fairly close to repairing it but my only issue is that I cannot get my computer to recognize my phone. Neither in Device management nor adb devices anymore.
Therefore I cannot change the port to COM 41 to flash the .TOT file.
I constantly tried installing drivers for the phone both 3.10 and 3.08 but still no recognition can anybody help?
Some more info about the phone:
it's the D801 variant but its on Wind (Canada) not T-mobile
it was previously Rooted
it did not have any recovery software installed
no roms had been flashed previously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to restore your phone using the official LGMobile Support Tool. Just switch on normally the phone, plug it to your PC and wait for your kdz to be downloaded. Once it done, it should install the kdz by itself. Then factory reset your phone (if needed) as it should ask you some pin/password.
Hope it'll help you as it did for me!
I have a new and unique problem with my set Ls980 (LG G2). I dig down all xda and other forums from last week. But no use till now. So i need some good help from experts . Ok here is the situation . I have Lg g2 ls980 (sprint) i rooted it to flash some LP custom rom in it. i installed RECURRECTION REMIX LOLLIPOP ROM in it successfully along with it's gapps. After reboot i got my phone in boot loop. now the current situation is that
1- I have nothing on my phone everything wiped out. no rom backup or anything else on my phone memory.
2- I have stock recovery (pictures attached).
3- I have broken download mode. ( so i can't attach my phone to lg flash tool) picture attached.
4- I am stuck on boot loop with cm11 M5 ( last rom installed using adb sideload option from stock rom)
5- No fastboot mode.
Please guide me to recover my soft bricked phone.
Did you try Tot method? What happens when you plug your phone to pc? Does adb recognize your device?
ceza1380 said:
Did you try Tot method? What happens when you plug your phone to pc? Does adb recognize your device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can i try tot method without going to download mode ? as i said phone only have stock recovery , Yes there is an option in stock recovery "Apply update from ADB" by selecting that i can run adb sideload commands. And i can flash any zip rom from that option . I tried several rom's using this option but installation aborted in middle .
Does device manager in Windows recognize your device? In Tot method you do port settings to flash kdz. Also you can give it a try for LG pc suite.