Database Users

Partition damage? Not sure whats wrong...

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

Cannot Mount /data and Storage TWRP

Hello Guys am facing a problem in twrp since 3 days.. I flashed twrp-3.0.2-4-hero2lte.img.tar using odin and everything was ok when I booted to recovery it asked me to allow modification (everytime I boot to recovery)then flashed supersu and got an error cannot mount data Then I tried to wipe data I got error cannot mount /data
I changed Data partition type to FAT ,wipe data was ok it worked but when I flash the rom and start the phone I get an error Encryption failed reset device needed .
Any Help
I flashed stock firmware 4 times and nothing changed
Need Help

mrad4tech said:
Hello Guys am facing a problem in twrp since 3 days.. I flashed twrp-3.0.2-4-hero2lte.img.tar using odin and everything was ok when I booted to recovery it asked me to allow modification (everytime I boot to recovery)then flashed supersu and got an error cannot mount data Then I tried to wipe data I got error cannot mount /data
I changed Data partition type to FAT ,wipe data was ok it worked but when I flash the rom and start the phone I get an error Encryption failed reset device needed .
Any Help
I flashed stock firmware 4 times and nothing changed
Need Help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash hydra rom and done

umijani010 said:
Flash hydra rom and done
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really man??what makes this rom solve the problem I heard many things about this hydra rom

mrad4tech said:
Hello Guys am facing a problem in twrp since 3 days.. I flashed twrp-3.0.2-4-hero2lte.img.tar using odin and everything was ok when I booted to recovery it asked me to allow modification (everytime I boot to recovery)then flashed supersu and got an error cannot mount data Then I tried to wipe data I got error cannot mount /data
I changed Data partition type to FAT ,wipe data was ok it worked but when I flash the rom and start the phone I get an error Encryption failed reset device needed .
Any Help
I flashed stock firmware 4 times and nothing changed
Need Help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to wipe the data partition in TWRP in order to decrypt it.
wipe/format data/type YES
TWRP doesn't yet support samsungs encryption.
wiping data will obviously remove everything, so backup first.
immediately after wiping data, flash an updated supersu, or dm-verity disable
Flashing a rom over an encrypted data partition will do nothing to solve it unfortunately.

[Solved] Soft-Bricked OnePlus 5, TWRP works, but nothing else

I'm not sure what happened, I was flashing a kernel, and suddenly my device stopped booting, getting stuck at the OnePlus logo, with 'Powered by android". TWRP was installed, so I tried restoring a backup, but that didn't help. I tried flashing the stock 4.5.5 full zip, it would still stay at the OP logo screen. I tried wiping the phone, flashing the stock full zip, still stuck at boot. I tried going back to the stock recovery (I know, risky), and it succeeded in flashing, but when I boot to recovery, the screen just goes black, and I have to hard-reboot. I can however flash TWRP back, and it seems to work fine. When I look in the file manager on TWRP, I can see things in the system partition, but I still can't boot to it.
I'm starting to panic now, so any help would be appreciated.

To clarify, even doing fastboot boot OP5_recovery.img brings be to the black screen

It may be that you have an issue with encrypted data partition which you cannot recover otherwise
Try flashing TWRP, then in TWRP select "Wipe", "Format data" and answer with "yes" when asked for confirmation.
NOTE: when doing the steps above the whole data partition will be erased, including internal storage - so when in doubt back up your data before proceeding

s3axel said:
It may be that you have an issue with encrypted data partition which you cannot recover otherwise
Try flashing TWRP, then in TWRP select "Wipe", "Format data" and answer with "yes" when asked for confirmation.
NOTE: when doing the steps above the whole data partition will be erased, including internal storage - so when in doubt back up your data before proceeding
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had already done that a few times.
However, wiping fixed it, but not in TWRP. doing fastboot -w fixed it, and the phone was able to boot to stock recovery. After that I flashed system zip, and TWRP again, and I'm back up (just got it working 15 mins ago)
Thanks for the answer, though!

0xTJ said:
I had already done that a few times.
However, wiping fixed it, but not in TWRP. doing fastboot -w fixed it, and the phone was able to boot to stock recovery. After that I flashed system zip, and TWRP again, and I'm back up (just got it working 15 mins ago)
Thanks for the answer, though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please change the title of this thread to: "[SOLVED] Soft-Bricked OnePlus 5, TWRP works, but nothing else". That will help others who may get into a similar plight.

I have a question I recently flash the rom "PixelExperience for Moto G5 Plus [Potter]

I have a question I recently flash the rom "PixelExperience for Moto G5 Plus [Potter]
Hello Everyone,
I have a question I recently flash the rom "PixelExperience for Moto G5 Plus [Potter]" in my phone now the problem is on reboot from TWRP mode my phone is booting and get stuck at the logo "G" with a line image indicating Loading. So Can anyone help me how to over come this problem? I had faced issue of memory formate. So I had change it to ext 4. And flashed the rom. Everthing worked while installing it was showing "Patching system unconditional" .
Please help me out.:crying::crying::crying:

Neel_bhatt said:
Hello Everyone,
I have a question I recently flash the rom "PixelExperience for Moto G5 Plus [Potter]" in my phone now the problem is on reboot from TWRP mode my phone is booting and get stuck at the logo "G" with a line image indicating Loading. So Can anyone help me how to over come this problem? I had faced issue of memory formate. So I had change it to ext 4. And flashed the rom. Everthing worked while installing it was showing "Patching system unconditional" .
Please help me out.:crying::crying::crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In TWRP go to advanced wipe option and select dalvik, system, cache, then swipe to wipe. Now flash the ROM again and it should work fine.

I tried but in vain
Roary358 said:
In TWRP go to advanced wipe option and select dalvik, system, cache, then swipe to wipe. Now flash the ROM again and it should work fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello...... thank you for quick response but it didn't work. Still facing the same issue. Do I have to root my device i.e. supersu?
:crying::crying::crying:

Neel_bhatt said:
Hello...... thank you for quick response but it didn't work. Still facing the same issue. Do I have to root my device i.e. supersu?
:crying::crying::crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very unlikely that it didn't fix the issue, the first boot always takes a considerable amount of time so try waiting for a few minutes, if that doesn't work it might be because your data partition was encrypted, if you don't mind loosing the data wipe and format it and try the same steps as before again, if not just flash the January build.

Roary358 said:
It's very unlikely that it didn't fix the issue, the first boot always takes a considerable amount of time so try waiting for a few minutes, if that doesn't work it might be because your data partition was encrypted, if you don't mind loosing the data wipe and format it and try the same steps as before again, if not just flash the January build.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no need to wipe the data partition, if the data partition corrupts it would corrupt everything all together.
Anyways can you tell me everything you've flashed in the progress?
With PE you only need to flash the rom itself. (Gapps are already included) and try to shut down the phone after flash (Using shut down option in twrp) and power on with power button
Try to flash PE again but before you do, wipe Data, Dalvik, Cache, and System
Dont worry about losing important data on the /Data/ partition. That is the partition where your.. well, app data is held. (Internal storage is the place of where all your personal data lies such as pictures and videos)
(edit meant something else)

Galaxy Tab A 8 (SM-T350) stuck on boot loop after trying to recover stock firmware

Hey folks. I'm hitting a brick wall trying to figure out this issue and I'm hoping someone will know how to fix this.
I have a Galaxy Tab A 8 (SM-T350) that I rooted and successfully flashed with first crDroid, then Lineage (both Android 9.0) using TWRP. I had made a backup before attempting this just in case I wanted to revert to stock.
Well, that didn't go as smoothly as I was hoping. Ever since trying to restore my backup, I've been stuck on a continuous boot loop that I can't seem to fix.
I keep getting "E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument)" and "dm-verity verification failed. . ." no matter what I try. I've googled the error and tried every solution suggested but I still can't get it to boot.
Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

skorpien said:
Hey folks. I'm hitting a brick wall trying to figure out this issue and I'm hoping someone will know how to fix this.
I have a Galaxy Tab A 8 (SM-T350) that I rooted and successfully flashed with first crDroid, then Lineage (both Android 9.0) using TWRP. I had made a backup before attempting this just in case I wanted to revert to stock.
Well, that didn't go as smoothly as I was hoping. Ever since trying to restore my backup, I've been stuck on a continuous boot loop that I can't seem to fix.
I keep getting "E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument)" and "dm-verity verification failed. . ." no matter what I try. I've googled the error and tried every solution suggested but I still can't get it to boot.
Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ignore the EFS error its probably a red herring. Your issue is dm-verity.
3 ways around it. Return to complete stock, including wiping the data partition or flash root (magisk suggested) or disable dmverity using one of the zips out there.

ashyx said:
Ignore the EFS error its probably a red herring. Your issue is dm-verity.
3 ways around it. Return to complete stock, including wiping the data partition or flash root (magisk suggested) or disable dmverity using one of the zips out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply ashyx.
I've done two of the three things you suggested. I've tried returning it to stock using an image matching my exact model, and I've tried disabling dmverity. I've also tried rooting it but using a method other than magisk.
The flash seems to go well enough, but then I get stuck at the Samsung logo whenever I try rebooting into the system.
I've tried waiting, thinking I'm just being impatient, but it doesn't ever seem to get past the logo. I've tried googling ways to fix it being stuck on the logo but nothing I do seems to work. Is there any other way around it?
Side note: I've been able to flash Lineage OS again and might just have to stick with that if I can't flash it back to stock. Do you know any resources for replacing the default apps? I've tried GApps but I was wondering if there's a similar Samsung installer?

skorpien said:
Thanks for the reply ashyx.
I've done two of the three things you suggested. I've tried returning it to stock using an image matching my exact model, and I've tried disabling dmverity. I've also tried rooting it but using a method other than magisk.
The flash seems to go well enough, but then I get stuck at the Samsung logo whenever I try rebooting into the system.
I've tried waiting, thinking I'm just being impatient, but it doesn't ever seem to get past the logo. I've tried googling ways to fix it being stuck on the logo but nothing I do seems to work. Is there any other way around it?
Side note: I've been able to flash Lineage OS again and might just have to stick with that if I can't flash it back to stock. Do you know any resources for replacing the default apps? I've tried GApps but I was wondering if there's a similar Samsung installer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to wipe the data partition, aka factory reset before or after installing the stock firmware then it will take anything up to 15 mins to boot.

ashyx said:
You need to wipe the data partition, aka factory reset before or after installing the stock firmware then it will take anything up to 15 mins to boot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried leaving it for a few hours in hopes that it would boot, but unfortunately it stays stuck on the logo.
Is there a way to check where or why it's getting hung up?

skorpien said:
I've tried leaving it for a few hours in hopes that it would boot, but unfortunately it stays stuck on the logo.
Is there a way to check where or why it's getting hung up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you back up the efs partition with twrp?
If so try restoring it.

ashyx said:
Did you back up the efs partition with twrp?
If so try restoring it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did and I have been restoring it.
So far, this is what I've attempted:
Flash TWRP (twrp_3.1.0-1_sm-t350_18317.tar using Odin3 v3.10)
Reboot into recovery
Wipe everything from tablet
Format tablet
Reboot into download mode
Flash stock image with Odin
Reboot into recovery
Wipe dalvik cache
Restore backup (including efs partition)
Wipe dalvik cache (again)
Reboot
Get stuck on Samsung logo (left it for hours with no change)

skorpien said:
I did and I have been restoring it.
So far, this is what I've attempted:
Flash TWRP (twrp_3.1.0-1_sm-t350_18317.tar using Odin3 v3.10)
Reboot into recovery
Wipe everything from tablet
Format tablet
Reboot into download mode
Flash stock image with Odin
Reboot into recovery
Wipe dalvik cache
Restore backup (including efs partition)
Wipe dalvik cache (again)
Reboot
Get stuck on Samsung logo (left it for hours with no change)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't restore everything just EFS No need to keep wiping dalvik it serves no purpose when formatting or wiping the data partition.
Also FORMAT not wipe the data partition (note this wipes internal storage)
If it still doesn't boot install the combo firmware. Let it boot, factory reset from settings then reboot to download mode and install the stock firmware again.