So, I've been banging my head against the wall for a few days now, and though I usually don't post questions (90% of the time I find the answer somewhere on the interwebs) I'm a bit stuck.
So I'm trying to get used to creating my own boot images, and have found the article android-dls article among others very helpful in understanding everything (would post the link, but can't yet)
It was easy enough to find the boot image on the Fire, and I have been using the unpack_bootimg.pl to unpack the boot image, then make the necessary changes, and mkbootfs to pack up the ramdisk. Everything goes swimmingly.
The problem arises when using fastboot to boot the new boot image using the command below:
fastboot boot boot.img-kernel.gz boot.img-ramdisk.cpio.gz
It loads it to the Fire fine, but never boots. My guess is it has something to do with offsets, but to be honest, it's a bit of a blind guess. I have also attempted to repackage the boot image into a testboot.img with the same results. I've even tried just unpacking an re-packing the known good image thats already there, without changes.
Also, not sure if this is relevant information, but mkbootfs and mkbootimg was compiled in OS X (10.6.8 for those that care) directly from the android 4.0.3 source.
Does any one have any suggestions on what to try next? Or even better, any additional articles, threads, etc. that I may have missed. Any help would be appreciated.
Oh, forgot to mention, I also have the firefirefire bootloader installed (1.2) and TWRP. Don't think it matters though.
This may not apply as I do not own a KF...
Have you ever successfully used fastboot in that manner with the KF? Any kernel I mean...
I was never able to use fastboot like that with my inspire 4g... but could use it to flash the very same image quite successfully.
Dont know if that helps or not...
I've found that those scripts do not play nicely with the Fire's boot images for whatever reason, and repacking with them renders all of my images unbootable as well. I've ended up using dsixda's ROM kitchen just for the boot image scripts because those work fine. I'm not entirely sure where the disconnect is on the perl scripts, but I haven't looked at them truly extensively.
Unpacking and re-packing boot images
gumbi2400,
Have you tried loading another boot.img/rom and going back to the one you have edited? I am only asking for my own stupidity. with your post it has my mind going places, well it should not go just yet in the Kindle. I am pretty sure it not much different then myself building GhostBSD. Let me know please!
Thanks,
JohninLex
Changed the Boot Logo and now stuck at boot
I edited the fire_start_000??.png (5 total 43 though 48) to add some text. Re-loaded the zipes into the bootscreen zip file. When I used TWRP to install a factory rom (Gr6-update-modacocustomrom-kindlefire.zip)
It installed fine, and i wiped the cache and the other (Davoric?).
Now when I re-started the Kindle, it shows the "kindle fire" logo, flashes, and then re-displays the logo, but freezes there
I am in fastboot mode according to the Kindle fire utility, and cant change back to normal.
Says no device found.
I have the Android adb device in Device Manager
I can boot and reboot using ADB
But anytime I try to use the fastboot command I get the no device error
If I type in ADB DEVICES, it doesnt show up
If you can help it would be appreciated.
wayoung said:
I edited the fire_start_000??.png (5 total 43 though 48) to add some text. Re-loaded the zipes into the bootscreen zip file. When I used TWRP to install a factory rom (Gr6-update-modacocustomrom-kindlefire.zip)
It installed fine, and i wiped the cache and the other (Davoric?).
Now when I re-started the Kindle, it shows the "kindle fire" logo, flashes, and then re-displays the logo, but freezes there
I am in fastboot mode according to the Kindle fire utility, and cant change back to normal.
Says no device found.
I have the Android adb device in Device Manager
I can boot and reboot using ADB
But anytime I try to use the fastboot command I get the no device error
If I type in ADB DEVICES, it doesnt show up
If you can help it would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you could try to get to twrp by issuing:
fastboot oem idme bootmode 5001
fastboot reboot
in the case it says <waiting for device> power off the kf by holding pwr ~20sec
power on again - at some point the command gets finished
power off and on again
once in twrp you have adb available and can copy a good file over the bad one
take care of the permissions !
or just restore a backup or flash a new rom
maybe you have to check your drivers in device manager:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=22342376&postcount=6
Sorry it took me so long to reply, got distracted by other modding projects.
@JohninLex:
I actually tried simply unpacking and re-packing the stock image that was already on there, just to make sure I was packing it back properly, but got no love.
@eldarerathis:
I think I had stumbled across the ROM Kitchen previously, but wasn't sure if it was what I was looking for. I'm fairly new to this low level of messing with Android, I have a tad bit of experience with Linux proper, but I know things can get pretty murky. I may end up ripping the scripts apart and seeing whats actually in there. Thanks for the tip!
Life is busy right now, and I haven't gotten a chance to mess around with modding my Kindle more, may be time to start again.
***TL;DR AT THE BOTTOM***
*^*EDIT 2!!*^*
Utilizing Cerberus, I was able to get passed the boot animation into the lock screen, though the Launcher is, for all intents and purposes, nonexistent. However, I was able to install Nova Launcher and can go to a home screen just fine. THIS IS NOT SATISFACTORY. I want to get back to STOCK Launcher, but it apparently does not exist anymore. I've managed to copy over my backup of Launcher2.apk, but it still refuses to acknowledge its existence. Can I get an update.zip that'll reinstall the default launcher from someone? I can boot into recovery via ROM Manager now I suppose!
+++EDIT!+++
+++~~~I have discovered that my problem is not the device being stuck in boot up, but that the boot animation will not cease--as +in the device is actually powered on, just displaying the boot animation like a screen saver. I cannot boot into recovery as I get +the Google splash screen and it never goes anywhere, my bootloader is freezing every time I plug it into my computer, and the +drivers will not install. My computer cannot detect fastboot and I can't connect to the Nexus via adb either. I CAN access internal +storage but that's about the extent of what I can do.+++~~~
Long version:
I decided I wanted to change the App Drawer icon from stock to a Nexus X that inverted its colours when pressed. I found the icon, converted it to png, inverted the colours and everything was going fine.
After a while I finally managed to find the right icons to replace in the system apk file "launcher2.apk". "ic_allapps.png" and "ic_allapps_pressed.png" or something very similar. I simply replaced them with my two icons, installed my modified launcher2.apk, and that was it.
Immediately, my home wouldn't open at all, no matter how many times I pressed the home button. It just would not exit the app I had up. So I started backing and ended up in an infinite back loop. I powered off the device, waited a minute, and powered it back on.
It came to the usual "Google" screen with the unlocked symbol at the bottom, no problems. However, then it started playing the boot animation. The boot animation never stopped. It looped infinitely. I tried resetting the tablet a few times for the same result. It was after 3 am and I had to get up for work in 4 and a half hours. I thought that maybe it was gonna take a while. So I flipped the Nexus over while it was "booting up" and went to sleep.
When I woke up and checked the tablet at 7:30, it was STILL booting up. Obviously I had screwed something up.
Now, stupid me, I had never flashed CWM recovery on my Nexus 7 (haven't had it that long), so all I'm stuck with is STOCK Recovery. I'm pretty sure I can rescue the Nexus by factory resetting it or something similar, but I'd rather try to save it first. All I modified was a LAUNCHER application, so I'm pretty sure the current state of the Nexus itself shouldn't be too far gone. Is there any way to save the Nexus WITHOUT a data wipe? And if the data wipe DOESN'T fix my problem, is it possible to somehow flash a stock ROM through stock Android Recovery?
***TL;DR***
I modified launcher2.apk and replaced "ic_allapps.png" and "ic_allapps_pressed.png" with two customized .png files (which I renamed to their appropriate file names). Now my Nexus is stuck on the boot animation indefinitely. I would like to save all of my data, as a data wipe would be inconvenient, but if I must do one I shall. I am on a stock ROM and a stock Recovery. If a data wipe/factory reset will not save my device, is it possible to flash a stock ROM through regular Android Recovery?
===Related but irrelevant to the problem===
Is it completely impossible to change the stock App Drawer icon to something different? I'd rather not have to get a different launcher app just to create a Nexus theme! I did a little more research and found that I should've modified the "all_apps_button_icon.xml" file as well, but I have NO idea how to do that.
Many thanks,
VonDerThWood.
As long as you can get into the bootloader you can flash back to stock using fastboot and the image from here
NeoMagus said:
As long as you can get into the bootloader you can flash back to stock using fastboot and the image from here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no need to flash back to stock, silly advice. just flash a custom recovery and flash a stock rooted rom. flashing a stock rooted rom will replace what you messed up on. dont wipe.
simms22 said:
no need to flash back to stock, silly advice. just flash a custom recovery and flash a stock rooted rom. flashing a stock rooted rom will replace what you messed up on. dont wipe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I reflash the ROM on stock Android recovery? Googling that returns CWM results.
He is suggesting you flash custom recovery with fastboot and just flash over top of what you did thru the custom recovery which you can do as well, what I suggested just returns it to factory state I don't see whats so silly about it I understand he wants to keep his data but worse comes to worse as long as you can get into the bootloader you're fine
NeoMagus said:
He is suggesting you flash custom recovery with fastboot and just flash over top of what you did thru the custom recovery which you can do as well, what I suggested just returns it to factory state I don't see whats so silly about it I understand he wants to keep his data but worse comes to worse as long as you can get into the bootloader you're fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
youre right about if worse comes to worse. reflashing the factory image should be the very last thing to do, when all other options have been tried. im just trying to save his data
If you don't have fastboot set up you might want to give this post a look he describes how to get it set up.
simms22 said:
youre right about if worse comes to worse. reflashing the factory image should be the very last thing to do, when all other options have been tried. im just trying to save his data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use custom recoveries and backup my data regularly with Titanium, so restoring after a reflash is really just an afterthought here, to each there own
The problem is not as it seems.
When I plug the Nexus into the computer when in Fastboot mode, it freezes the Recovery. I cannot select anything OR move the selection to anything else. The hell?
I noticed that when the Nexus attempts to boot up, the boot animation gets brighter.
__
Wait, when it attempted to boot up when plugged into my PC, AutoPlay recognized the device as Nexus 7. There is nothing on my screen but the boot animation, however I can browse internal storage.
I cannot, however, connect to it via adb apparently. ADB devices returns nothing.
____
Okay, the problem is NOWHERE near what I thought it was. The boot animation is replacing the lock screen/home screen/everything. I just received an email (I could tell because of the notification noise the tablet made). It is booting up, just not displaying anything passed the boot animation and ADB cannot detect the device. I KNOW it has USB Debugging mode activated and all, but what can I do now?
===
I usually make backups and nandroids but I've barely owned this device. ;P
Does fastboot detect the device?
janedoesmith said:
Does fastboot detect the device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fastboot doesn't detect the device while booted up like this, and when I plugged it into the computer when in recovery/fastboot mode it not only froze the device, but fastboot wouldn't detect it.
I can get into the internal storage (just not the root of the device unfortunately). So what can one do when he cannot connect to the device via fastboot or adb, nor flash a custom recovery image because he can't access fastboot?
This is getting more complicated the more I dig into it. What the hell did I do?
Are you on the correct screen? I see how you are lumping Fastboot/recovery together, Fastboot is used on the screen with the android with his chest open after holding down the power/vol buttons from complete off , has version info/ unlock status in the lower left.. not sure if you can do that in the recovery but that is where I put the commands in
the freezing in the bootloader is a n7 bug. try a few times. try going into the bootloader then plugging in usb, and try plugging in via usb then going into the bootloader. try a few times, eventually you will get it.
VonDerThWood said:
Fastboot doesn't detect the device while booted up like this, and when I plugged it into the computer when in recovery/fastboot mode it not only froze the device, but fastboot wouldn't detect it.
I can get into the internal storage (just not the root of the device unfortunately). So what can one do when he cannot connect to the device via fastboot or adb, nor flash a custom recovery image because he can't access fastboot?
This is getting more complicated the more I dig into it. What the hell did I do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to be in bootloader for fastboot to detect your device. Once in bootloader, open a command prompt where your fastboot.exe is stored and type "fastboot devices" without the quotes. If it detects it, it should list your N7's serial number.
NeoMagus said:
Are you on the correct screen? I see how you are lumping Fastboot/recovery together, Fastboot is used on the screen with the android with his chest open after holding down the power/vol buttons from complete off , has version info/ unlock status in the lower left.. not sure if you can do that in the recovery but that is where I put the commands in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fastboot has the "Recovery mode" option but it just gives me the Google logo with the unlocked icon at the bottom indefinitely...which means I cannot access recovery either? Why didn't I notice this before? >_<
simms22 said:
the freezing in the bootloader is a n7 bug. try a few times. try going into the bootloader then plugging in usb, and try plugging in via usb then going into the bootloader. try a few times, eventually you will get it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried 10 times by booting into bootloader first, then 10 times by plugging it in and booting into it while it's plugged in. This is a very...odd bug.
janedoesmith said:
You have to be in bootloader for fastboot to detect your device. Once in bootloader, open a command prompt where your fastboot.exe is stored and type "fastboot devices" without the quotes. If it detects it, it should list your N7's serial number.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing at all. Won't detect it or anything.
it is an odd bug. i think every n7 owner who likes to flash roms/kernels has had to deal with it at least once.
VonDerThWood said:
janedoesmith said:
You have to be in bootloader for fastboot to detect your device. Once in bootloader, open a command prompt where your fastboot.exe is stored and type "fastboot devices" without the quotes. If it detects it, it should list your N7's serial number.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing at all. Won't detect it or anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about in device manager? Does it at least show an unknown device or something similar? Try reinstalling the drivers.
janedoesmith said:
What about in device manager? Does it at least show an unknown device or something similar? Try reinstalling the drivers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that I think about it, it DID say something about failing to install an unknown driver the first time I plugged it in. Let me uninstall/reinstall the drivers.
____
After reinstalling the drivers (and removing both of the Nexus7 specific ones), I also removed one named "Android", which, coincidentally, is the driver that the tablet is trying to install upon being plugged in. I have tried to reinstall it several times, but it fails each time, AND I just reinstalled the real Nexus 7 drivers.
___
The Nexus drivers won't reinstall now. I even went to Asus's website and downloaded them, but I have no clue how to install it in this format.
Is there a way to open/install an app through JUST the Internal Storage? If so, I have the stock launcher2.apk file right here...I just need to reinstall it! Damn, how can I get to the Root folder without ADB?
Whoa! Stroke of GENIUS!
I have Cerberus installed on my tablet. Since I know the tablet is booting up, just not displaying passed the boot animation, I decided to give it a try.
I started an alarm, which forced the tablet to the lock screen...I can open apps through the Play Store (as I got an update notification) and the like, but I can NOT get to the home screen.
I opened Total Commander via Play Store, but I can't do anything with it. The app that I used was NinjaMorph and I'm pretty sure the only way I can correct my mistake is through that app. What do I do?
Found NinjaMorph in the Play Store, it couldn't fix my problem. Oh hell.
I tried to copy/replace the launcher2.apk file I screwed up with a backed up one but TotalCommander couldn't do it. It was even granted SuperUser permissions. Attempting with Root Explorer.
Success! I have copied the original Launcher2.apk back into the /system/app folder. HOWEVER, I can NOT install it.
Managed to connect via adb! Things are looking up! Now, how to install this stuff...?
When trying to reinstall the launcher2.apk, it gives me the following error:
INSTALL_FAILED_UID_CHANGED
So I tried uninstalling it to no avail. Troubling.
SO! Now what? I am into the device, and any app I have downloaded through the Play Store is available to me, but I cannot go to the home screen. I need to reinstall the original Launcher2.apk!
Retrying NinjaMorph. It supposedly installed my Launcher2.apk. However, I still cannot return to the Home screen. WTF.
I'm going to install a different Launcher. Hope that works!
Success. I can now return home to Nova Launcher. HOWEVER...
This is not satisfactory. I want my STOCK launcher. Anybody know how I can fix this? The stock launcher is acting like it doesn't exist anymore. Is there a way to just wipe THAT data and keep all the other data on my device?? (Though I admit, I do like how I already was able to change my App drawer icon to my Nexus X <3.)
Edit: I see you resolved it. Good job! I'll just leave this here... :good:
Is there a way to open/install an app through JUST the Internal Storage? If so, I have the stock launcher2.apk file right here...I just need to reinstall it! Damn, how can I get to the Root folder without ADB?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sound to be in Windows driver hell. If you have access to a Linux machine or someone who does, this entire driver mess can be avoided.
You can't install an apk via the MTP or PTP usb interface. You have a few options to fix this, but all depends on getting your drivers sorted.
Otherwise, grab the latest Windows USB drivers from Google - https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/usb_driver_r07-windows.zip and follow these instructions to install them - http://developer.android.com/tools/extras/oem-usb.html
With the drivers installed and the nexus 7 plugged in, try adb devices again. Assuming you can resolve the driver issue, run
Code:
adb install path\to\launcher2.apk
comminus said:
You sound to be in Windows driver hell. If you have access to a Linux machine or someone who does, this entire driver mess can be avoided.
You can't install an apk via the MTP or PTP usb interface. You have a few options to fix this, but all depends on getting your drivers sorted.
Otherwise, grab the latest Windows USB drivers from Google - https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/usb_driver_r07-windows.zip and follow these instructions to install them - http://developer.android.com/tools/extras/oem-usb.html
With the drivers installed and the nexus 7 plugged in, try adb devices again. Assuming you can resolve the driver issue, run
Code:
adb install path\to\launcher2.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I managed to get ADB working (via adbWireless) after the above post I made, however I cannot get launcher2.apk to install. This time I got the "INSTALL_FAILED_DEXOPT" error instead of the "INSTALL_FAILED_UID_CHANGED" one.
Hello,
I am writing this thread for a friend of mine. He owns a Z1 - stock ROM, locked bootloader.
Today it started looping and I tried to fix it (telling him over a chat what to do). It goes through the bootanimation and then dies or while optimizing apps, or while starting them.
What we tried:
1) Wipe cache
2) Factory reset
3) adb sideload the current official CM onto it
Nothing helped, the error stays the same. We also tried this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64458076&postcount=4 but it never really recognised the phone (despite using the correct drivers and following the procedure) - it did not appear under ports (Windows 10?).
Is there any other way to unlock this goddamn phone? My Androids so far had an easily unlockable bootloader via fastboot. This would have, too, but in order to unlock the bootloader via fastboot you first have to allow this in the developer settings - which we can not reach due to the loop.
If you know some way to get a working ROM onto it, we would be very happy. In the end we will end up unlocking the bootloader and flashing another Recovery and ROM anyway. We only need some way to achieve this. I expect the way to do this will be the QPST thingy. Any ideas why it did not recognise the phone? He does not own a PC with another OS than Win10...
Thanks in advance for your help,
Moritz
EDIT: Looks like the sideload did work - after tens of reboots it finally succeeded and bootet straight into the ROM.
Took a lot of attempts, strangely.
Proceeding to unlock it
Mine does the same boot loop on CM13. After tons of different tries to fix it, i think it could have something to do with my fingerprint sensor which is not working anymore.
Maybe there is some kind of hardware malfunction and android crashes while initializing that piece of hardware.
Here's attempt 2 at me trying to make a ROM from source, and just like the first time I tried (back with the R1 HD) I'm running into problems. I am following this guide by the way, but just substituting everything for cm13 where it says cm14.1.
I've decided to try and compile Lineage 13 for the G4 Play, using the device tree for Cyanogenmod 13 provided by squid2. When I tried to add the device tree created specifically for the G4 Play (harpia cm13.0) I get an error running "breakfast harpia" saying there is no msm8916.mk file. I downloaded the other msm8916-common device tree and put it in a separate directory in the device folder, and aftewards I was able to run breakfast for the harpia just fine.
Now, after running croot and "brunch harpia", I am getting more errors during the build process:
/bin/bash: mvn: command not found
make: *** [/home/administrator/android/system/out/target/common/obj/JAVA_LIBRARIES/ambientsdk_intermediates/com.cyngn.ambient.ambientsdk-1.6.0-147069776-39fe2d07.aar] Error 127
Any idea how to clear these up? I am running ubuntu 14.04.5 with openjdk 7 by the way.
The build error is that you're missing Maven (the mvn command line utility)
squid2 said:
The build error is that you're missing Maven (the mvn command line utility)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the help, the build was running for about 40 minutes so far without stoppage from error. I'll wait and see if anything else comes up.
EDIT: Built successfully. Going to test soon on my own device, but I'll upload to XDA once I can get home and upload the source as well.
After flashing the ROM I built to my device, I get stuck at the boot logo (the BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED warning). I don't think the boot process gets as far as starting ADB because ADB on my computer won't detect my device, so I can't use that to pull logs. Any idea what to do here?
EDIT: Turns out my cable was faulty, and I got some logs. This folder also contains the non-functioning Lineage13 build:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxupjEjigG4tcGNJZmcxMVJidWs
I'm thinking of downloading squid's CM13 and flashing the boot image from there on top of a Lineage13 flash. I can't download it now (mediafire is blocked here) but I should get around to it later tonight
UPDATE: When I replaced the boot.img with the one from squid2's CM13 it still gets stuck on the boot logo, but it vibrates after a couple of seconds of turning it on. After waiting maybe 40-50 seconds the device reboots and repeats the process. This is further than I got with Lineage's boot image, as with that it would just sit on the boot logo with no response or signs of activity whatsoever.
The problem lies in the boot image, but now I have to find what specifically in it is the problem.
jasonmerc said:
After flashing the ROM I built to my device, I get stuck at the boot logo (the BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED warning). I don't think the boot process gets as far as starting ADB because ADB on my computer won't detect my device, so I can't use that to pull logs. Any idea what to do here?
EDIT: Turns out my cable was faulty, and I got some logs. This folder also contains the non-functioning Lineage13 build:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxupjEjigG4tcGNJZmcxMVJidWs
I'm thinking of downloading squid's CM13 and flashing the boot image from there on top of a Lineage13 flash. I can't download it now (mediafire is blocked here) but I should get around to it later tonight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had the same problem with Moto G³ (2015) and I just use squid kernel. People seem to like squid kernel more anyway.