Hey all,
I have an S4 i337m model. I've installed a custom ROM that is essentially a rooted stock ROM (I do not remember the exact build/version of the ROM). I realize having this info would be useful, but at the moment, I cannot access this info.
While running this ROM, everything was fine. Last week Friday, I attempted to install FoxHound 1.6. Had to play around with the installation options, but I got FoxHound to work. However, I need to get back on my old ROM as I needed some files that were deleted during the FoxHound install. So I wiped my phone, and restored my nandroid backup of my rooted stock ROM. again, everything was fine. No issues.
Here is where the problem is; after restoring my rooted stock ROM, I could boot into the phone and access the files needed. However, when I reboot/shut down phone, upon restarting/powering up, my phone is stuck at the 'Samsung Galaxy S4' logo right after power on. So, I boot into recovery (the latest version of TWRP) and I navigate to 'file manager' to take a look at my storage/files. And this is where I believe the issue to be; I see virtually no files at all. I can see many folders/partitions, but there are virtually no files anywhere (i.e. the system and data partitions are empty). I am assuming this is the reason why my phone doesn't boot past the Samsung Galaxy S4 logo. Now, when this happens, I wipe my phone again and restore my working nandroid backup. Everything works fine. I can get back into Android without issues. Until I reboot/power off my phone. Then this happens all over again.
I believe I may have damaged(?) the partition(s). When I installed FoxHound, I also installed an option during installation titled 'EXT4'. I know linux uses ext2/3/4 partition tables. Did I damage my storage/partition by installing EXT4 from FoxHound? Do I need to repartition my phone via Odin PIT file or something similar? Am I totally wrong with my analysis? Any help/advise/insight would be very welcomed.
Thanks
Additional info
Baseband: I337MVLUAMG1
Build number: JDQ39.I337MVLUAMG1
ROM: Rooted stock ROM 4.2.2 (with some bloatware removed)
While my phone was in the it's 'logo stuck' state, I entered into TWRP and selected the Wipe option, then Format Data. I must select 'Format Data' in order for my phone to work on it's next boot. Manually formatting System, Data, etc... will not allow my phone to boot up at next boot. And, my phone will only work on the next boot. If I power off/restart phone, it will get stuck at the logo again. So my phone is only good for 1 boot up after a wipe.
And, after I restore a working backup and boot into the phone, everything works until next power down/reboot. Once I power down/reboot phone, I must go into recovery since it will not boot into Android. When I get into TWRP, I see that my Internal Storage has 0MB free and I am unable to see any files. I can see folders/partitions, but there is nothing in any folder/partition. My external SD card shows nothing as well. My external SD card however is unaffected as all the data is still there once I get into Android and look around.
Also, I just restored a backup I had before I was having this issue. After restoring and rebooting, the same thing happens. I get stuck at the 'Samsung Galaxy S4' logo.
So I'm guessing there is some partition troubles here. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm scratching my head as to the cause of this problem.
It could be some hardware issues too. I'd Odin back to stock and see if the problem persists. If it does its hardware.
jd1639 said:
It could be some hardware issues too. I'd Odin back to stock and see if the problem persists. If it does its hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the same thing. I'm downloading the stock ROM now and will give it a try.
One other thing I noticed during my last restore/fix attempt... After I perform a wipe -> Format Data (from TWRP), I notice that it reverts to my rooted stock ROM without me restoring anything. So, after I do a full wipe/format, and reboot my phone immediately after the full wipe/format, my phone will boot into the rooted stock ROM. I thought that wiping/formatting via TWRP totally cleans the internal storage of all data. So how can I be booting into any ROM after a wipe?
Unless I'm mistaken in my thinking and the full wipe/format option in TWRP just reverts back to the stock ROM I had installed prior to installing further custom ROMs?
If you wipe system and data there shouldn't be any rom it would boot. Don't try that though unless you have a nandroid because it shouldn't boot
What version of twrp ate you using?
Do not format data in twrp.
jd1639 said:
If you wipe system and data there shouldn't be any rom it would boot. Don't try that though unless you have a nandroid because it shouldn't boot
What version of twrp ate you using?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear ya... I have several nandroid backups. All work (minus this 'stuck at logo' issue I am having). I am using the newest TWRP version 2.6. It's very strange... after I perform a full wipe, I am able to boot into my rooted stock ROM that I flashed shortly after acquiring the phone. This was a bit over a month ago now. I do not know how this is possible.
xBeerdroiDx said:
Do not format data in twrp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not?
_____________________________________________________________________
**Should I try using CWM instead?
Talabis said:
I hear ya... I have several nandroid backups. All work (minus this 'stuck at logo' issue I am having). I am using the newest TWRP version 2.6. It's very strange... after I perform a full wipe, I am able to boot into my rooted stock ROM that I flashed shortly after acquiring the phone. This was a bit over a month ago now. I do not know how this is possible.
Why not?
_____________________________________________________________________
**Should I try using CWM instead?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use twrp 2.5.0.2 or cwm. The newer twrp has issues.
jd1639 said:
Use twrp 2.5.0.2 or cwm. The newer twrp has issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is TWRP 2.5.0.0 ok to use?
Ok... It's really starting to look like my partition table has been damaged. Every time I flash a new ROM or restore a nandroid backup successfully, and then restart my phone, I get stuck at the S4 logo. Upon starting recovery, my internal storage reads 0MB free. It seems like my partition table is becoming corrupt after a reboot, or it has already been corrupted.
I tried flashing the stock ROM for my phone (I337MVLUAMDJ_I337MOYAAMDJ_I337MVLUAMDJ_HOME.tar is the one I used), but that didn't help at all. After installing this stock ROM, and I go into stock recovery, I get an error: E:failed to mount /data (invalid argument).
This really is looking like a partition problem. Is there some way to re-partition my phone? I remember a PIT file was used to partition my old Galaxy S i9000. Is there a PIT file for the S4 i337m?
I would also like to try CWM but I am having a hard time finding a ODIN flashable version.
I wouldn't mess with a pit file and I haven't seen one anyway. It's sounding more and more like your memory is bad. I'd keep it stock and see if you can get an exchange on the phone under warranty.
Further investigation has lead me to the culprit... sorta. It's my /data partition that is screwing everything up. If I format /data and then reboot, I can get into my phone. But if I reboot again, then my /data partition becomes corrupt and my phone hangs at the S4 logo. And then if I go into recovery, I can see that my internal storage is at 0MB free.
However, after formatting/restoring /data partition and rebooting into android successfully, everything works fine. If I reboot from this point and enter recovery, I am still able to see my /data partition and files. At this point, everything seems to be fine. Once I reboot out of recovery and let the phone boot into Android, I get stuck at the S4 logo and my /data partition screws up/becomes corrupt. It looks like my /data partition is only becoming corrupt after the 1st successful boot into Android. If I enter recovery after the 1st successful android load, I am still able to see all files and partitions. It is only trying to load android after the 1st boot that my /data partition becomes corrupt. Very strange...
So, I can always boot into my phone as long as I format my /data partition prior to loading Android. Anyone experience this before? Any ideas? I realize my memory may be damaged, but I'm leaving that as a last resort possibility since my phone was working fine up until I started installing FoxHound with the EXT4 option as well as installing 1 or 2 of the kernel's FoxHound provides. Namely Adam kernel is the one I tried.
All good... I think/hope
Well, I think I got the problem solved. After toying with this thing all day. It seems like TWRP 2.6 was the problem in some sense. Looks like TWRP 2.6 does not format the /data partition correctly. I had to get restore/install a working ROM, boot into my phone and install ClockworkMod Recovery via ROM Manager. I then used CWM to format /data. Once I did this, and loaded back into my phone, and went through the setup process since /data was formatted, everything was working fine. I just rebooted 5 times and shut down twice and my phone booted back up into android without issue.
So as one user in this thread had mentioned, formatting /data with TWRP 2.6 was the problem.
Hope this helps others avoid a similar issue.
Thanks everyone for all the help. It pointed me in the right direction.
Glad you got it fixed.
I'll be giving these steps a try, having somewhat of the same problem!
i've been having this exact same problem but with TWRP 2.5.0.2 since July. Its been driving me insane and I have not been able to find any one else having this issue until now. I think i might finally try CWM instead as a last measure before I finally give up!
Try TWRP 2.6.3.1 version. It works pretty well even though it's unofficial http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2262996
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Related
Hey guys,
I recently encrypted my phone for my work e-mails (the Exchange server required it). I made a complete Nandroid backup and also entire Titanium backup before encrypting, just in case something went wrong. But the encryption went beautifully.
However, I've noticed that I cannot mount /sdcard or flash anything from recovery. I can't update my Franco kernel or CM nightlies... It's a bit annoying because I want to keep flashing! lol.
My phone asks for my password everytime I reboot (in order to decrypt sdmount and mount the ROM), so I'm assuming this is the reason I can't mount it in CWM recovery.
Anyone know of a bypass or fix for this?
I don't really feel like restoring nandroid backup or doing a factory reset everytime I want to flash a new nightly, it just doesn't make any sense (besides I haven't even tried to see if I can restore from nandroid or factory resetting, they might not even work because it can't mount /sdcard?...)
I've searched around the forums for some complex solutions such as using ADB or Odin but I'm not interested in that.
Thank you!
UPDATED:
Ok guys so basically restoring from nandroid did not work because of the sdcard mount error.
I did a factory reset, erased all data and format system. But I couldn't format sdcard or even user data as it didn't have access... Basically the phone got bricked from then on and I had to completely restore back to stock bootloader/recovery/stock rom with adb/fastboot. Instructions are found here:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/nex...e-restore.html
Hopefully this will come to use to someone else. I've heard that TWRP does not have this sdcard mount problem with encryption as does CWM, so that's what I installed this second time around.
Why don't you just transfer the files regularly without entering recovery mode?
The recovery doesn't allow mounting to the PC. It just doesn't work.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
scream4cheese said:
Why don't you just transfer the files regularly without entering recovery mode?
The recovery doesn't allow mounting to the PC. It just doesn't work.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never mounted to PC in recovery. My files are backed up on my computer and nandroid as well.
My issue here is that I can't regularly flash new nightlies (and thus mount internal /sdcard to do so) following the phone encryption.
Since my internal /sdcard path is encrypted with a password, CWM recovery can't bypass this and it gives me the error "cannot mount /sdcard".
bump?
Any help would be highly appreciated!
Is this a lacking feature in CWM Recovery? Have the developers looked in it? Or is there already a fix for this without doing an entire factory reset?
Daily bump.
Anyone there? (echo...)
Ok guys so basically restoring from nandroid did not work because of the sdcard mount error.
I did a factory reset, erased all data and format system. But I couldn't format sdcard or even user data as it didn't have access... Basically the phone got bricked from then on and I had to restore back to stock using this:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/ne...3923-guide-nexus-4-factory-image-restore.html
Hopefully this will come to use to someone else. I've heard that TWRP does not have this sdcard mount problem with encryption as does CWM, so that's what I installed this second time around.
If you want to recover the data from SD card, you do not use the SD card.
You can try to recover the data from the card with some specific software.
I will try to fin one I used before.
It will take few minutes... do not use the card.
cyrus_e said:
Basically the phone got bricked from then on and I had to completely restore back to stock bootloader/recovery/stock rom with adb/fastboot. Instructions are found here: ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks, this link helped me restoring my Nexus 4. I enabled "encrypted storage" and wanted to root the phone and almost bricked it.
It's also possible to flash the stock recovery with odin, then do a real factory data reset and be able to install a custom rom, after (or before) which you can reinstall a custom recovery.
In my quest to clean my Internal SD card i did a Twrp Format Data. I once done loaded a custom rom.
Worked fine until reboot.
The phone hanhs at the Galaxy S4 boot screen. Whatever i put back, backups etc once i reboot the same story.
How can i fix this gents ??
Please help
Xetalx said:
In my quest to clean my Internal SD card i did a Twrp Format Data. I once done loaded a custom rom.
Worked fine until reboot.
The phone hanhs at the Galaxy S4 boot screen. Whatever i put back, backups etc once i reboot the same story.
How can i fix this gents ??
Please help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try reflashing the ROM your on
hapticxchaos said:
try reflashing the ROM your on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did try a clean flash of my rom... Same thing it goes well until i reboot. Stalls on Samsug Galaxy S4 screen.
It feels like TWRP Format Data screwed up something... V 2.5.0.2
Xetalx
Try reflashing twrp.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium
hmm i would probably try restoring sans odin...should fix whatever partition issues your having
I had to restore from KIES...
Wouldnt boot again.
Go in stock recovery and
Format data / factory RESET the thing...
WTH I almost tought i lost it for a sec !!
Never format data. What you should have done is odin back to stock, then factory reset through stock recovery. Kies is hit or miss when it comes to recognizing the phone in that state. You got lucky. There are a few topics on how to fix the problem you had.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
I format /data every time I flash a new ROM and I experience fewer bugs because of it.
I just back up all my important files (data folder) to external SD and then restore after I install the new ROM. Works great for me. :good:
CZ Eddie said:
I format /data every time I flash a new ROM and I experience fewer bugs because of it.
I just back up all my important files (data folder) to external SD and then restore after I install the new ROM. Works great for me. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you use to format data ?
Stock ?
CMW ?
TWRP ?
Thanks
I prefer to format as well . But chances are that with the issues i got i wont do it again...
Xetalx said:
What do you use to format data ?
Stock ?
CMW ?
TWRP ?
Thanks
I prefer to format as well . But chances are that with the issues i got i wont do it again...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm mostly on TWRP but I do it in CWM also.
At most, your issue (whatever it was) was due to user-error or a random system glitch.
At worst, you have to ODIN back to stock which only takes about ten minutes to do, five minutes to re-root and install TWRP and then you're good to go again.
Don't know if any further research has been done on this subject, but it's the only thread that came back with TWRP+format.
This same thing happened to me last week, I *think* it was my first internal format on my i337, was able to boot then fail.
Odin back to stock fixed issues.
Any thought why this happens? Any suggestions for best clean format approach besides an Odin? Flash CWM/Philz for the format then back to TWRP if desired?
I'm currently stuck in the same situation. Used TWRP to format /data to try and clean up the internal sdcard and now I'm bricked. Flashed 3 diff recoveries and about a billion roms, nothing works. Downloading a fresh odin flashable stock rom as we speak.
edit: so flashing stock rom via ODIN wasnt quite enough. I then had to enter stock recovery and do a factory reset. I noticed any time I tried to format /data the system would crash and reboot. The stock recovery was able to properly format data and now I'm back on a custom recovery/rom again.
Hello people my phone getting old i think 1.5 year so far my phone started to freeze having lags getting too hot while browsing. And bootloops started without flashing anything. First bootloop happened 2 weeks ago. Today happened again twice i wiped dalvik cache and everything is fine how can i fix it? I thought rom cause it i flashed stock firmware rooted it and removed bloatware. Still happens lags,freeze,getting too hot and bootloop. Is it lollipop update? I never had this issues with kitkat. How can fix this and keep my alive?
Orangley said:
Hello people my phone getting old i think 1.5 year so far my phone started to freeze having lags getting too hot while browsing. And bootloops started without flashing anything. First bootloop happened 2 weeks ago. Today happened again twice i wiped dalvik cache and everything is fine how can i fix it? I thought rom cause it i flashed stock firmware rooted it and removed bloatware. Still happens lags,freeze,getting too hot and bootloop. Is it lollipop update? I never had this issues with kitkat. How can fix this and keep my alive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try a full factory reset. Be careful as this will wipe your internal storage.
GDReaper said:
Try a full factory reset. Be careful as this will wipe your internal storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your answer but I did it after flash stock rom via odin. Wiped data / factory reset , cache partition , mounted cache , system , data , wiped dalvik cache..
Wiping data does not equal a factory reset. Wiping data does just that, wipes user installed apps. But generally leaves the internal storage alone.
A factory reset returns the phone to the settings it came out of the factory with, including a clean internal storage(If you have the stock rom). I heard that changing roms and just wiping data, dalvik and cache will still leave behind some files.
But it could also be untrue.
GDReaper said:
Wiping data does not equal a factory reset. Wiping data does just that, wipes user installed apps. But generally leaves the internal storage alone.
A factory reset returns the phone to the settings it came out of the factory with, including a clean internal storage(If you have the stock rom). I heard that changing roms and just wiping data, dalvik and cache will still leave behind some files.
But it could also be untrue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing stock rom is same with factory reset i think clears everything.
I don't know. Haven't flashed stock on this device yet.
But don't most guys recommend doing a wipe before going back to stock?
I dont know i'll try that when i have free time. I did research some guys saying lollipop causing these problems. I'll try wipe before flash stock rom again , if issues keep happen i'll use lates 4.4.2 custom rom. Thank you for your answers i'll report back.
Real reset
This method will wipe everything, including operating system and efs files. Before you do this:
you must root
Download twrp recovery
Install the recovery using the app from the play store
Boot into recovery mode and have twrp backup everything
save your backup to an SD card and the computer (can't hurt to have two backups)
Doing the above will preserve your phone important data like your imei and efs
in case something goes wrong.
NOW
after you have backed everything up use twrp recovery to wipe data. Have twrp wipe everything except for your SD card (don't won't to lose the backup)
After everything has been obliterated have twrp boot you into download mode.
Download Odin from XDA preferably 3.09 (most stable release) and then grab an official stock firmware from a trusted source. The latest stock firmware should be at least 4.4.2
If you have carriers other than t-mobile you will also need to find a PIT file for partitioning.
When you have all of this open up Odin with your phone connected in download mode and make sure repartitioning, clear efs and nand-erase is checked along with the defaults.
Select pda button and choose your firmware (unzipped tar.md5 format.) Then select repartitioning PIT file button and direct to where you have the PIT file downloaded.
now click start (be sure that the Com port is recognized by Odin: will be highlighted in blue or yellow.)
This will take a while depending on your computer.
when it finishes your phone should reboot with a fresh os and filesystem. If you get stuck in a bootloop reboot into recovery mode and do a wipe data and wipe cache. Reboot and your phone should be good as new.
IMPORTANT!!! It is vital you keep your TWRP backups for as long as you have your phone if you lose them and something goes wrong while flashing your phone you will lose important things such as IMEI baseband which will prevent you from connecting to your network and Sim card recognition.
Thank you so much i'll try this now.
AndroidInitiate said:
This method will wipe everything, including operating system and efs files. Before you do this:
you must root
Download twrp recovery
Install the recovery using the app from the play store
Boot into recovery mode and have twrp backup everything
save your backup to an SD card and the computer (can't hurt to have two backups)
Doing the above will preserve your phone important data like your imei and efs
in case something goes wrong.
NOW
after you have backed everything up use twrp recovery to wipe data. Have twrp wipe everything except for your SD card (don't won't to lose the backup)
After everything has been obliterated have twrp boot you into download mode.
Download Odin from XDA preferably 3.09 (most stable release) and then grab an official stock firmware from a trusted source. The latest stock firmware should be at least 4.4.2
If you have carriers other than t-mobile you will also need to find a PIT file for partitioning.
When you have all of this open up Odin with your phone connected in download mode and make sure repartitioning, clear efs and nand-erase is checked along with the defaults.
Select pda button and choose your firmware (unzipped tar.md5 format.) Then select repartitioning PIT file button and direct to where you have it downloaded.
now click start (be sure that the Com port is recognized by Odin: will be highlighted in blue or yellow.)
This will take a while depending on your computer.
when it finishes your phone should reboot with a fresh os and filesystem. If you get stuck in a bootloop reboot into recovery mode and do a wipe data and wipe cache. Reboot and your phone should be good as new.
IMPORTANT!!! It is vital you keep your TWRP backups for as long as you have your phone if you lose them and something goes wrong while flashing your phone you will lose important things such as IMEI baseband which will prevent you from connecting to your network and Sim card recognition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin freeze everytime i put twrp tar.md5 file cant i use philz touch which i use for long time?
Orangley said:
Odin freeze everytime i put twrp tar.md5 file cant i use philz touch which i use for long time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that another custom recovery?
If so then yes just make sure you have all of your system files and most importantly your efs backed up.
Run odin as administrator if that doesnt work, try using another version of Odin.
AndroidInitiate said:
Is that another custom recovery?
If so then yes just make sure you have all of your system files and most importantly your efs backed up.
Run odin as administrator if that doesnt work, try using another version of Odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesnt work another versions both twrp and odin. I'll keep my custom recovery and try it.
Orangley said:
Doesnt work another versions both twrp and odin. I'll keep my custom recovery and try it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What carrier are you using, model number of the phone, etc.
Have you backed everything up? And can you flash the custom recovery through Odin if it fails?
Try it without wiping efs first just to be safe
Look here for your device you will be able to find standalone flash able versions of twrp that should work through odin.
http://twrp.me/Devices/
Using i9500. And i did what you said and works fine thank you! Mods close thread please.
Hi,
I set up TWRP 2.8.7.0 and cm-13.0-20160129 on my Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-A (GT-I9506), and run into an odd problem where it would work after install, but would not work after a reboot (booting screen would just roll for ever). Installing CM again, would work, and than the problem would still be there. Mindlessly I decided to play a little anyway and set up encryption. The phone ended up rebooting, and not loading, so I'm here without a password (default_password doesent work) and with an encrypted /data that TWRP cant wipe or format
Unable to mount storage.
Unable to decrypt data
Unable to wipe '/data' -- unknown file system 'auto'
Unable to format to remove encryption
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've attempted to use ADB to format it, but it seems parted isnt installed. With that phone being a less popular variant I'm kind of afraid to just flash whatever there, but I guess I need a recovery with a least parted, or possibly one that would be able to format the drive itself. Any pointers?
Have you tried flashing a stock ROM via Odin? Is this your phone: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/GT-I9506/ ?
not yet; I don't have windows, and didn't see any point in changing the soft used for flashing, will try but cant download the polish rom at the moment o0 (ends up with a dead link or a server down?)
I know of no other way to flash a stock ROM from sammobile.com other than Odin.
Did you create a free account on sammobile.com to enable the regular download?
harce said:
not yet; I don't have windows, and didn't see any point in changing the soft used for flashing, will try but cant download the polish rom at the moment o0 (ends up with a dead link or a server down?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also flash it with Heimdall. It's the open source variant of Odin.
aaaand I'm back, managed to download, got some windows, flashed to stock using odin, and it's still encrypted. is running 'repartition' from odin safe? I've noticed some warnings against it but without any explanations.
edit; running the same operation with repartition failed. this bloody encryption might be able to survive nuclear war.
After flashing back to stock via Odin, did you perform a factory wipe before booting the rom for the first time?
I assume you have a pit file for the phone since you repartitioned?
audit13 said:
After flashing back to stock via Odin, did you perform a factory wipe before booting the rom for the first time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just now, seamed to go thorough properly (no error messages) and worked!
audit13 said:
I assume you have a pit file for the phone since you repartitioned?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
never managed to do that. I wonder what advantage does the wipe from factory ROM have over custom recoveries... anyways thanks to all who helped, the issue is solved. also it seems that the problems with non-rebooting CM were my mistake of not wiping the cache/dalvik after install
I find that a wipe using a custom recovery is not always as through as a stock recovery. Can't say how or why, it's just based on my experience with Samsung and Nexus phones.
harce said:
just now, seamed to go thorough properly (no error messages) and worked!
never managed to do that. I wonder what advantage does the wipe from factory ROM have over custom recoveries... anyways thanks to all who helped, the issue is solved. also it seems that the problems with non-rebooting CM were my mistake of not wiping the cache/dalvik after install
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
audit13 said:
I find that a wipe using a custom recovery is not always as through as a stock recovery. Can't say how or why, it's just based on my experience with Samsung and Nexus phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the difference is that a custom recovery only wipes /data partition so that the internal sdcard will not be wiped. The stock recovery formats /data partition. When you want to lose encryption you need to format /data partition.
You can also format the /data partition with a custom recovery, but that option is hidden for good reason. Because it will also format your internal sdcard and that's not something we want to do when changing roms.
So I'm having a weird issue. Whenever I flash any kernel other then stock it stays stuck at the LG logo. I have to pull battery and then restore the stock kernel backup. I have no idea why I'm having this issue. I've also noticed that TWRP sometimes says cannot mount system (probably not the culprit but just adding more info).
Model: T-Mobile (h918)
When I had the "cannot mount" issue, a system partition format was needed from within TWRP. I took a backup of system (not a system.img backup), then formatted system only, then restored the system. It's been fine ever since.
I'm not sure if any special pocedure is needed for the h918 in order not to brick anything. I'm on US996.
I hope that made sense. Please wait for a second opinion before trying anything.
pistacios said:
When I had the "cannot mount" issue, a system partition format was needed from within TWRP. I took a backup of system (not a system.img backup), then formatted system only, then restored the system. It's been fine ever since.
I'm not sure if any special pocedure is needed for the h918 in order not to brick anything. I'm on US996.
I hope that made sense. Please wait for a second opinion before trying anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea. Seems like I have to format system all the time. Also have to format my internal storage all the time. My backups never seem to restore correctly. I can't flash a new ROM because it wont boot with a different kernel. I might just flash KDZ and root all over again.