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[HowTo]THE guide to restoring your Milestone 2

This is my tutorial on restoring the Milestone 2. It is more advanced than the other ones out there so I thought hey, let's tell the community. If you don't understand something please reply in this thread and don't PM me.
1. Install RSD Lite 4.9
2. Download and extract The right SBF restore file
3. Plug in your phone. Power it off and hold CAMERA + VOL DOWN
4. On the PC launch RSD Lite, Click on the [...] to the right of filename, browse for the .sbf file you have just extracted.
5. Click on Start
6. In normal cases the phone should boot up now. If you are SURE it doesn't, which is when it tells you to boot up the phone manually follow the next steps.
7. Unplug the phone and pull out the battery.
8. Slide out your keyboard and hold the X button, insert your battery and power it up while still holding the X button.
9. A screen with an exclamation mark pops up, press the @ button on the keyboard to open the recovery menu.
10. Use either the arrows on the keyboard or the VOL UP / VOL DOWN buttons to navigate up and down. Go down to wipe data/factory reset.
11. It will hang at some times but in the end it will say it's done. Hop over to reboot system now and reboot.
Congrats, if the problem was software-based, your phone will boot now!

What if the process doesn't even start? I put my phone in the bootloader mode, plug it in, start up RSD Lite, searh for the sbf on the disk, hit start and then the image starts to unpack from the sbf. So far so good, but when it comes to flashing that image to phone I get an error saying flash failed (in fact it didn' do literally anything to the phone) and displaying info that the phone got a reboot command but didn't respond to it. I tried doing this from booted up android but no luck whatsoever. When I get back home I'll update the post with an error code, maybe you can tell me how the hell I can get my phone to flash sbf seamlessly.
Sent from my Milestone 2

[email protected] said:
What if the process doesn't even start? I put my phone in the bootloader mode, plug it in, start up RSD Lite, searh for the sbf on the disk, hit start and then the image starts to unpack from the sbf. So far so good, but when it comes to flashing that image to phone I get an error saying flash failed (in fact it didn' do literally anything to the phone) and displaying info that the phone got a reboot command but didn't respond to it. I tried doing this from booted up android but no luck whatsoever. When I get back home I'll update the post with an error code, maybe you can tell me how the hell I can get my phone to flash sbf seamlessly.
Sent from my Milestone 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know it's a bit extreme to do, but it might help for you. Try installing ubuntu or wubi, then use sbf_flash on ubuntu. It takes some time, but if you REALLY need to SBF you should give it a try. Usage is:
chmod 777 sbf_flash
./sbf_flash /path/to/sbf/file

I have no knowledge of ubuntu, but I stomped on the same advice as you have mentioned, before. But I didn't quite understand it clearly. I happened to have a ubuntu live 'cd' on my usb flash drive, I have the needed sbf from the links found in the topic of this forum, but is it all that I need, or am I missing something? Is that command you mentioned is everything I need to run?
Sent from my Milestone 2

[email protected] said:
I have no knowledge of ubuntu, but I stomped on the same advice as you have mentioned, before. But I didn't quite understand it clearly. I happened to have a ubuntu live 'cd' on my usb flash drive, I have the needed sbf from the links found in the topic of this forum, but is it all that I need, or am I missing something? Is that command you mentioned is everything I need to run?
Sent from my Milestone 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You first need to download sbf_flash and extract it to your user directory (the one with downloads, desktop folders). Then open up terminal and execute those commands

What firmware is that file?
I have a copy of MILS2_U6_2.2.19_SIGNED_USAMILESTONE2B1B80VF00B.0R_USXMILE20VFAU_P032_A012_M005_HWp2a_Service1FF.sbf.gz , but don't know if it would be good to flash.

Your firmware is for the Vodafone Australia Milestone 2.
The one in Mikevhl's post is the UK Firmware.

Mikevhl said:
I know it's a bit extreme to do, but it might help for you. Try installing ubuntu or wubi, then use sbf_flash on ubuntu. It takes some time, but if you REALLY need to SBF you should give it a try. Usage is:
chmod 777 sbf_flash
./sbf_flash /path/to/sbf/file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your advice, I managed to flash the sbf under ubuntu Now at least I know the way to do it 100%-proof

I did a "format system" in the CMW as I have recovered by this method?

brenopapito said:
I did a "format system" in the CMW as I have recovered by this method?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES IT WORKS!
But I had to hold CAMERA + VOL UP before plugging in the usb.

Is there a way to restore to the factory default ROM, but still keep my SMS'es/Text messages?
I'm not sure if an MMS issue I'm having is related to the ROM I'm using (Argen2Stone) so want to put the official one back on, but keep all my recent SMS'es...(and preferably all installed apps, etc etc., but SMS'es most important).

cobo_ said:
Is there a way to restore to the factory default ROM, but still keep my SMS'es/Text messages?
I'm not sure if an MMS issue I'm having is related to the ROM I'm using (Argen2Stone) so want to put the official one back on, but keep all my recent SMS'es...(and preferably all installed apps, etc etc., but SMS'es most important).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can back up your text messages using SMS Backup & Restore (available for free from the market place). save the backup file to your SD card, and once your ROM is restored, you can restore your messages using the restore button on that same program. (of course you need to reinstall SMS Backup & Restore in order to be able to restore the previously backed up file)

cobo_ said:
Is there a way to restore to the factory default ROM, but still keep my SMS'es/Text messages?
I'm not sure if an MMS issue I'm having is related to the ROM I'm using (Argen2Stone) so want to put the official one back on, but keep all my recent SMS'es...(and preferably all installed apps, etc etc., but SMS'es most important).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try to make a nandroid backup, flash another SBF and restore just data of the nandroid backup

cobo_ said:
Is there a way to restore to the factory default ROM, but still keep my SMS'es/Text messages?
I'm not sure if an MMS issue I'm having is related to the ROM I'm using (Argen2Stone) so want to put the official one back on, but keep all my recent SMS'es...(and preferably all installed apps, etc etc., but SMS'es most important).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
or use titanium backup

Sbf flashes do not wipe /data. Therefore you could just sbf restore and all apps and text messages will be kept.

i used sbf_flash in opensuse. it detected my phone as droid x. everything was done. it said rebooting. but my phone didn't reboot. i only see a gray screen. what can i do now?

handsomeboy1702 said:
i used sbf_flash in opensuse. it detected my phone as droid x. everything was done. it said rebooting. but my phone didn't reboot. i only see a gray screen. what can i do now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use SBF_flash too on Ubuntu. Try pulling your battery and booting up. If it doesn't work, try booting up by holding VOL DOWN+CAM to get into bootloader mode and start over

Mikevhl said:
I use SBF_flash too on Ubuntu. Try pulling your battery and booting up. If it doesn't work, try booting up by holding VOL DOWN+CAM to get into bootloader mode and start over
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'd tried it again and again without success. then i finally managed to flash it using windows 7 with this little trick http://goo.gl/QeH5n

Thanks guys, I'll give 'em a try and see how it goes

Thanks to agent008my, DeadSix17, handsomeboy1702 and Mikevhl for the helpful suggestions and info
I ended up trying a restore from CWM (backed-up first!) of my very first backup prior to any ROMs etc and just restoring the system only.
This seems to have worked a treat! As I now have the stock ROM and all my apps/sms'es/phone logs etc still in place before I did the system-only restore!
Exactly what I wanted and so easy!
Many thanks guys and huge thanks to the CWM peoples as that thing is amazing.

Anyway to restore bricked phone after unplugged from odin restore??

So i was restoring my phone on odin when my daughter pulled on the usb before odin restored my phone now i have a symbol when going on download mode. Its of a (phone---!---computer). Is there anyway to restore after that?
Thanks any help will be appricated

I think that happened to me after flashing some funky things that didn't work. Boot to Odin mode like you would normally:
Disconnect USB.
Pull battery.
Put battery back in (do not turn on!)
Hold down both volume keys and plug in the USB cable to phone & PC while holding them.
Phone should show the PC & Phone and it should look very angry like it has before.
Odin should detect your phone on COM## (where ## is some number). You should be able to repeat the Odin process just the same as normal.

Aou said:
I think that happened to me after flashing some funky things that didn't work. Boot to Odin mode like you would normally:
Disconnect USB.
Pull battery.
Put battery back in (do not turn on!)
Hold down both volume keys and plug in the USB cable to phone & PC while holding them.
Phone should show the PC & Phone and it should look very angry like it has before.
Odin should detect your phone on COM## (where ## is some number). You should be able to repeat the Odin process just the same as normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are amazing bro thanks. Another question will i be able to reflash infused rom?

After you use the ultimate unbrick, you will need to:
-Root your device again (if applicable... some versions of the unbrick have root included)
-(You might get a bunch of FC's on apps when it starts): Wipe data from 3e recovery
-Install the modified 3e recovery
-Install CWM and Rom Manager
-Download/install the rom through Rom Manager.
-Alternatively, you can install the rom through CWM, but I find Rom Manager to be very nice and easy.
This set of instructions you'll find scattered around the forums.
EDIT: forgot to add: you you'll just need to wipe user data, and wipe any/all caches. NO need to wipe your internal sdcard!
Oh, and as a rule of thumb: never, ever use Titanium Backup to restore SYSTEM DATA. It will cause all sorts of hellish bugs.

bvspunjah said:
You are amazing bro thanks. Another question will i be able to reflash infused rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes. you will. i had to ODIN my phone when something messed up when i tried to upgrade from 1.5.3 to V2 stable. did ODIN and accidentally did the same thing you did(accidentally pulled USB).

dddeemann2 said:
yes. you will. i had to ODIN my phone when something messed up when i tried to upgrade from 1.5.3 to V2 stable. did ODIN and accidentally did the same thing you did(accidentally pulled USB).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, something went wrong for me also. I did follow instructions normally (i.e. let the voodoo disable do its work converting back, etc.), but it still gave me a samsung boot-loop. The Odin/unbrick-and-retry method worked flawlessly after that.
Pretty much, as a rule of thumb with this device, if it powers on to ANY screen whatsoever, it's likely recoverable. If it doesn't turn on (black screen, no lights), you're hosed. Trust me, it's very, very difficult to get an Infuse to this state. I am one of a very small handful that has succeeded in this.

Aou said:
After you use the ultimate unbrick, you will need to:
-Root your device again (if applicable... some versions of the unbrick have root included)
-(You might get a bunch of FC's on apps when it starts): Wipe data from 3e recovery
-Install the modified 3e recovery
-Install CWM and Rom Manager
-Download/install the rom through Rom Manager.
-Alternatively, you can install the rom through CWM, but I find Rom Manager to be very nice and easy.
This set of instructions you'll find scattered around the forums.
EDIT: forgot to add: you you'll just need to wipe user data, and wipe any/all caches. NO need to wipe your internal sdcard!
Oh, and as a rule of thumb: never, ever use Titanium Backup to restore SYSTEM DATA. It will cause all sorts of hellish bugs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im not to sure what FC means and i also dont now how to wipe user data and caches. sorry im the ultimate noob

FC = force close
wiping data and cache will show as an option when you flash V2.just follow GTG's instructions when installing V2 ROM and youll see him mentioning it.

And this should be in General, as it has nothing to do with development. (by the way, Q&A is coming.)

[Q] Defy won't charge!!! Why???

Ok guys, here I am - finally.
This forum is my last chance as I am going mental trying to find a solution to this issue searching the internet.
My Defy won't charge!!!
It won't charge from a socket, not form the PC via USB.
And It's not the hardware failure, 100% sure.
Now,
Imagine you have a rooted defy with original stock rom.
Everything is fine and you never experienced any real problems with the phone apart from freezing maybe but this is nothing (just uninstall all the unnecessary crap and you'll be fine).
Anyway you decided to play with custom roms, and as this is you first time you do two very important things: back up you current rom and back up all you apps using Titanium Backup.
You also have clockworkmod recovery.
Now,
Here where the problem started - I download new ROM using Rom Manager but when I tried to install it I was given a message: The phone will be turned off and instalation will continue in recovery mode. And when I pressed yes nothing happened.
Next I did the most stupidest thing ever - I installed 2ndinit recovery and THAT'S IT - after reboot - no sign of life whatsoever. I am still asking myself why on Earth I did that.
Oh no, I can get to bootloader but it is saying that battery low cannot program.
I can also get to android recovery mode but this is not clockworkmod recovery and there is no option for restore. I only can wipe cache and restore to factory state but it does not help.
I was trying to get into RSD solution but PHONE IS DEAD, CAN'T DO THAT!
ANY SUGGESTION, I do not want to believe that this is the end for the great handset.
Anything anybody......???????????????????????

Can you see the device when it's connected to a computer? Then you should be able to flash clockwork recovery again using adb. Follow the 'Installing bootmenu & the ClockworkMod Recovery' instructions on the Cyanogenmod wiki / Defy full update guide.
Then you can restore your backed up ROM.

Actually It's not detected by PC just because battery is dead.
So when I get it charged somehow I certainly will try that. Thanks

It won't charge even when the phone is powered off? Have you tried a different USB cable? Maybe you know someone else with a Defy that you can swap batteries with. Or get one of those external battery chargers. It's starting to sound more like a hardware problem, then a software problem with your ROM.

The phone doesn't boot...

Hi guys, please help me!
My sister's phone ( i9003 as mine ) doesn't boot anymore...
It had froyo and today it stop to work...
i have tried to flash xxkpe and the xxkpq but it no boots!
Do you know any solution?

Have you tried anything such as flashing another phone's ROM? Can you access Download Mode?

It had froyo stock rom...it's my sister's phone and doesn't boot today...i don't kmow why...i tried to flash another stock but nothing, should i need to change kernel?

How have you tried to flash? If you can boot in download mode (Vol Down + Home Button (the central one) + Power button) you'll be able to flash the phone with Odin.

you say "suddenly stopped", and it won't boot, and she has the same phone as you? try swapping batteries first
if nothing is working at all and it won't go to download or recovery and it's 100% stock and still under warranty, the service center will be the best solution if swapping batteries doesn't make it work (dead battery?)

it swich on but stops in boot animation of samsung...is the phone in warranty if i have put another stock rom like xxkpq or not?

The recvery shows while i'm trying to flash another stock...
"your storage not prepared yet, please use UI menu for format anc reboot actions."
and later "E:format_volume:rfs format failed on /dev/block/mmcblkOp3"
"data wipe failed"
those are the red one in the recovery

that's the one I hear happens all the time to those with certain hardware errors. just go tell 'em you were flashing through kies when it broke

if the homescrren doesn't apear the kies don't work...or not?

that would be my guess. I don't use kies, just installed it on my computer since it seems necessary in order to get the usb drivers.

kies wont work until the phone has completely booted
Sent from my GT-I9003 using XDA Premium App

if you can go to recovery then you can do dalvik and cache wipe.... then try to go download mode and flash using odin start with KPE or KPH (i used KPH) before going to anything newer

[RESOLVED] Screwed up - Recovery will not load, neither will RSDLite - stuck

My phone is a Motorola Milestone A853.
I was testing out the new CM9 mod by kabaldan when I found myself running into a huge screw-up. No, not one that I believe is not reparable. Just one that is hard to get out of. Let me explain:
Having a wi-fi problem on multiple versions of the CM9 alpha ROM for the Milestone, I found myself trying to debug the situation in many ways. i.e. reflashing the ROM, wiping data/caches repeatedly... and trying a purported fix in the CM7 thread that did not work. In the middle of things, I decide do to format my SD card.
Bad idea.
Since the SD card pretty much contains OpenRecovery among other things it got wiped. Now I pretty much cannot access my recovery (which is Androidiani OpenRecovery).
I actually had the OpenRecovery folder backed up onto my hard drive, but copying it back has resolved nothing. It gets to that icon, stays there for a second, then fails and reboots back into the main OS.
This has happened to me before during about when I just got into modding the phone ROM (recovery screw up), which I recovered from using RSDLite to reflash a recovery. But now RSDLite does not even recognize my phone - this may have to do with the fact that it's running the CM9 ICS alpha ROM. So I can't repair the recovery, and I can't get my phone back to where it previously was and solve the wi-fi problem.
Thank goodness this has happened on a free long weekend. My phone is actually okay to use when I turn it on(can make calls, messages) but has none of my apps and whatever on it and I cannot fix anything with recovery, so on-the-go usage is near-useless. At the least I have a backup (Novo 8 tablet) for on-the-go stuff. But I want to get my phone back right away.
I know that there is another way to do this (sbf_flash I believe). I have access to a laptop running Xubuntu Linux (my old laptop, which was replaced by my tablet) to use sbf_flash, but is it possible to use it from Windows? (I think so).
Thanks to anyone that can help. I've done a lot of searching so far but I haven't found a huge amount plus I want to focus on getting this done and fixed sooner. I'm looking forward to full-fledged use of ICS on my Droid; from my experience so far, it's much faster than what I have moved from (latest version of MIUI).

What os do you have now?
You've been flashing stock roms. This restores stock recovery. Hence the need to flash vulnerable recovery or OpenRecovery will not work.
Along with OpenRecovery folder you need update.zip file.
Try to reinstall drivers since RSDLite shouldn't care what OS is on the device. Maybe it'll solve pc->device conectivity.
RSD won't detect device unless in bootloader mode.
If recovery won't boot automatically press volume up + camera.
Everything you might need is on this thread! Look for it.
1) "My phone is a Motorola Milestone A853"
2) "I'm looking forward to full-fledged use of ICS on my Droid"
The second is a pet talk I guess?

I thought RSD required that Phone portal USB connection option through the phone be working for recognition. Nothing happens in bootloader mode, pretty much. But I'll look into it. If RSD really shouldn't care about the OS on the device then I def have some driver reinstalling to do; is that true?
Current OS installed is the CM9.0 (ICS Android 4.0.3) alpha by kabaldan.
Same occurs when doing volume up + camera. Loads for a second, then quits (i.e. files not present, cannot complete loading).

You use RSDLite to flash .sbf files. That works only in bootloader mode.
When in bootloader mode and when you plug in usb cable the device should respond with something like USB OK, don't remember anymore, as should rsd give some info that the device is connected (left and right parts of main window provide info about device and the sbf file, respectively).
RSD finishes, phone boots, you reboot in bootloader, flash vulnerable recovery, prevent booting to OS and instead boot to recovery (OpenRecovery by now) by pressing hw keyboard X, verifiy that /system/etc/install-recovery.sh does not exist but if there delete it! or system will restore stock recovery.
More detailed instructions can be found on this forum and this thread.
Prior doing any of above: verify that you have openrecovery folder and corresponding update.zip in the root of your sdcard. Then try to boot to OpenRecovery as it seems to me that your main (or only) problem is that recovery on sdcard is broken.

or get another sdcard with recovery on it,insert on your phone and tadaa

Actually I tried returning the OpenRecovery folder and files (which I backed up onto my hard drive) onto the SD card and it did not work. I did not, however, move back the update.zip file. Perhaps the update.zip file had something to do with the boot ability? Because when I restored that (I didn't earlier), it finally went into recovery. So, problem solved everyone thanks!

xd_1771 said:
Actually I tried returning the OpenRecovery folder and files (which I backed up onto my hard drive) onto the SD card and it did not work. I did not, however, move back the update.zip file. Perhaps the update.zip file had something to do with the boot ability? Because when I restored that (I didn't earlier), it finally went into recovery. So, problem solved everyone thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to prevent anyone else from having the same problem, I'm going to point out this:
update.zip from any of the recovery packages is needed every time you boot into recovery. It's a "special" update that is designed to crash the bootloader's update function and run unsigned code, such as a 3rd party recovery. Nothing ever actually gets flashed when this update is run.
Without the update.zip, you have no way to tell your device to launch the custom recovery, as we can not flash a replacement directly to the phone's memory because of Motorola's stupid signed-code-only checks.