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Going to root, am I doing it right?

I am on stock 4.0.4 with a locked bootloader. I want to have root with the stock rom, nothing else just root.
So I am gonna use the tool provided here,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1544940
I have already installed drivers and have the tool downloaded.
Then I would like to flash the stock google 4.0.4 rom that will let me receive OTA updates. Is this the right file?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1569509
Or can I just flash the stock rom from here?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1572307
I heard there are problems flashing stock rom with CWR if the stock recovery isnt removed? Thats why I dont know if I should flash the stock image.
Is the process of flashing rom with CWR recovery the same as with stock recovery?
My phone is the i9023.
Thanks a bunch in advance.

Gambler_3 said:
I am on stock 4.0.4 with a locked bootloader. I want to have root with the stock rom, nothing else just root.
So I am gonna use the tool provided here,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1544940
I have already installed drivers and have the tool downloaded.
Then I would like to flash the stock google 4.0.4 rom that will let me receive OTA updates. Is this the right file?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1569509
Or can I just flash the stock rom from here?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1572307
Is the process of flashing rom with CWM recovery the same as with stock recovery?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Baseband version? under about phone

billchen0014 said:
baseband version? Under about phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i9023xxki1.
Sorry should have specified my phone in the OP.

Best way is to do it manually. You can find all of the steps required here. The only difference is that you should be flashing the latest recovery from here and the latest superuser.zip file when flashing with recovery.
Note, unlocking bootloader will cause loss of EVERYTHING on the device that you have put on there (sdcard, apps, data partition, etc).

Harbb said:
Best way is to do it manually. You can find all of the steps required here. The only difference is that you should be flashing the latest recovery from here and the latest superuser.zip file when flashing with recovery.
Note, unlocking bootloader will cause loss of EVERYTHING on the device that you have put on there (sdcard, apps, data partition, etc).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You suppose thats better to do manually so I will have latest version of recovery and superuser?
And yes I am aware of the data loss waited sometime to finish all my games now I am ready to lose all my app data.

Harbb said:
Best way is to do it manually. You can find all of the steps required here. The only difference is that you should be flashing the latest recovery from here and the latest superuser.zip file when flashing with recovery.
Note, unlocking bootloader will cause loss of EVERYTHING on the device that you have put on there (sdcard, apps, data partition, etc).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do it this way. The one click is fine but using Android SDK and going through all that will help you in the long run. This way you know the process in case something goes wrong. It may be confusing at first but worth it. It will teach you a lot more than flashing a one click!
I learnt a lot from this and feel much more experienced and capable because of it. I know I will be able to solve any major issues using Android Debug Bridge (adb).

Okay then I am gonna try the manual way and gonna take out time for it. Now I just need to know what do I flash once I have unlocked bootloader and installed CWR?
I just want the stock google rom and receive OTA if nexus S continues to be supported by google.

You won't need to reinstall the ROM if you are currently on 4.0.4. The ROM stays there as-is. Feel free to do your wipes in recovery and reflash stock 4.0.4 through CWM if you must. You flash CWM to your phone and then superuser through CWM.
Steps:
Setup ADB/fastboot
Bootloader --> fastboot oem unlock --> agree
Bootloader --> fastboot flash recovery recovery.img --> this will give you CWM
Recovery --> flash superuser.zip and, if you must, wipe and reflash ICS (flash su AFTER this if done)
Reboot --> bingo
Also note, with stock ROMs it will replace your current recovery with stock recovery on each boot. If you want to keep CWM, delete /system/etc/flash-recovery.sh when you first boot. You'll have to reflash recovery afterward and it will stick.

Oh I was of the impression that unlocking bootloader wipes everything means it wipes the OS as well. That is nice if it's just data and not the OS, dont think I would reflash it if it's not needed.
Can you explain what you mean by will have to reflash recovery? I will have to do that even if I delete that file on first boot? And whats the drawback if I dont delete that file and stick with stock recovery?

As soon as you boot into stock android it will replace the recovery. So if that file is there on first boot, it will replace it while booting and you will be without CWM (stock instead). After first boot you can delete the file (you can reflash a ROM which has this deleted, or delete it yourself from a stock ROM, or even use adb or a recovery-based file manager to delete the file, then you won't have this problem at all) and it will no longer reflash stock recovery, but you would already have the stock one and need to flash CWM one more time to get it to stick. Easiest way is to just flash CWM and delete it within android imo, saves mounting commands and the such.
No downside really. If you need to flash something for one reason or another you'll just have to reflash CWM before you do so. Once rooted, ROM Manager can do this for you within android anyway.

I had already downloaded and installed the drivers from the one click root thread and my computer shows the android adb thing when I connect my phone with USB debugging.
But as you guys suggested I am gonna do the manual way. So do I just skip the installing driver on computer in the part 1 of this guide?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1007782

In my bootloader menu why is it showing my phone as an i9020?? Is it normal?

Gambler_3 said:
In my bootloader menu why is it showing my phone as an i9020?? Is it normal?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because you have a Nexus S with amoled. That's the i9020. The i9023 is SLCD.

DeuXGod said:
Because you have a Nexus S with amoled. That's the i9020. The i9023 is SLCD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He has the i9023 to my knowledge. It is completely normal, though. Bootloader and recovery for i9020 and i9023 series are the same, this can be attributed to the issue with 4.0.3 recovery backlight not turning on.
If fastboot recognises your phone in the bootloader (the fastboot menu), your drivers are installed an working perfectly.

Finally got to the unlock bootloader screen, didnt do it just yet but now I know how to do it.
I must say the guide is a bit outdated, the software has changed quite a bit seems. The most frustrating part was that the fastboot file is actually in the platform tools folder instead of the tools folder which I didnt figure for a while. I will hold off rooting when I have a whole day off because once I lose everything I would be very anxious to get my phone back to normal which will take time.
Thanks for the help harbb, if I have any problem flashing recovery and superuser I will come back for more help.
And yes I have the LCD version i9023.

Btw the guide said the fastboot will be in the tools folder but the tools folder had a read me that "adb has moved to the platform tools folder" this is how I figured to go to that folder and thats where the fastboot file actually was.
Now it says I should put the recovery image in the tools folder so should I do that or put it in the platform tools folder?

In the instructions for the flashing recovery I am not understanding one thing.
6 - Then back on the SNS select Power Off (Reboot also works)
Part 4 - Root
1 - Power ON the SNS
So after flashing recovery I have to reboot? Since I am on stock rom that would bring back the stock recovery so how would I flash superuser then?
If I delete the stock recovery can I still get OTA updates?

fastboot and adb is now in platform tools, that is correct. Easiest way is to put your recovery in there too so you don't have to type in the absolute file path to it, don't put it in tools.
Don't power off or reboot the phone. After you flash recovery go straight into the recovery menu and root, flash custom ROMs, kernels, etc. You can transfer files to flash via the mounts and storage --> mount usb storage menu. After this feel free to reboot.

Harbb said:
fastboot and adb is now in platform tools, that is correct. Easiest way is to put your recovery in there too so you don't have to type in the absolute file path to it, don't put it in tools.
Don't power off or reboot the phone. After you flash recovery go straight into the recovery menu and root, flash custom ROMs, kernels, etc. You can transfer files to flash via the mounts and storage --> mount usb storage menu. After this feel free to reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just wanted to update that I successfully unlocked and rooted. Thanks a bunch mate.

Gambler_3 said:
Just wanted to update that I successfully unlocked and rooted. Thanks a bunch mate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good work, been wandering what you were up to on this
Hope you enjoy the possibilities.

[Q] Uber noob stuck and scared

So I've been reading these forums for days on end now before I touch my phone again. Is my order of things to do correct? (HTC One XL (AT&T))
1. Root
2. Supercid
3. Unlock bootloader
---Currently here---
4. Install CWM/make a backup
5. Relock bootloader
6. Flash a RUU (1.88?)
7. Unlock bootloader
8. Flash a rom
9. Enjoy
As shown above, I rooted, have su on my screen and I can get into the bootloader by vol down+power. I had a scare trying to install RUU 1.85 but I think it failed because my bootloader is unlocked?
Basically everything I do on my phone scares me now. I opened my bootloader today so I can see what stock recovery looked like. I got some weird icons that scared me. I cannot stay where I am because I cannot get OTA updates, and I cannot flash updates myself. HELP!
Thanks, people on this forum are awesome, but you all know too much to be able to write a proper noobs guide.

Valitri said:
So I've been reading these forums for days on end now before I touch my phone again. Is my order of things to do correct? (HTC One XL (AT&T))
1. Root
2. Supercid
3. Unlock bootloader
---Currently here---
4. Install CWM/make a backup
5. Relock bootloader
6. Flash a RUU (1.88?)
7. Unlock bootloader
8. Flash a rom
9. Enjoy
As shown above, I rooted, have su on my screen and I can get into the bootloader by vol down+power. I had a scare trying to install RUU 1.85 but I think it failed because my bootloader is unlocked?
Basically everything I do on my phone scares me now. I opened my bootloader today so I can see what stock recovery looked like. I got some weird icons that scared me. I cannot stay where I am because I cannot get OTA updates, and I cannot flash updates myself. HELP!
Thanks, people on this forum are awesome, but you all know too much to be able to write a proper noobs guide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those steps are correct EXCEPT for 5, 6 and 7. You don't need those if you're flashing a custom rom, only if you're staying official and using an RUU. We can flash insecure boot.img files now which allow us to jump around firmware versions without blowing up. Just make sure you do a factory reset from recovery before flashing a new custom rom to prevent any weird bugs (you can use Titanium Backup to backup all your apps). Also, I would personally recommend flashing TWRP over CWM. It's a little more friendly in terms of UI and has a bit more functionality baked in.
Edit: And just FYI, the RUU did fail because your bootloader was unlocked. And now you know.

Are you on 1.85 already? If so you are set. But if you aren't, relock the downloader by connecting your phone to your computer via USB in fastboot and typing fastboot OEM lock, upgrade to 1.85 and then unlock the bootloader once again.

stnguyen09 said:
Those steps are correct EXCEPT for 5, 6 and 7. You don't need those if you're flashing a custom rom, only if you're staying official and using an RUU. We can flash insecure boot.img files now which allow us to jump around firmware versions without blowing up. Just make sure you do a factory reset from recovery before flashing a new custom rom to prevent any weird bugs (you can use Titanium Backup to backup all your apps). Also, I would personally recommend flashing TWRP over CWM. It's a little more friendly in terms of UI and has a bit more functionality baked in.
Edit: And just FYI, the RUU did fail because your bootloader was unlocked. And now you know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for confirming why the RUU failed. I was scared because it never said it failed or errored. I let it run for 90+ minutes and finally did a hard reset on my phone.
I downloaded Titanium but I don't understand where the backups go. How to save them or how to use them for recovery. I also don't understand how people talk about this phone having an SD card when it doesn't.
I saw TWRP and it looked like the better option but I thought a lot of the roms needed CWM to flash from. I guess I really don't fully understand how to flash a rom then.
This is so weird because I jailbroke my iPhone 3g, and tried multiple roms on my cousins Droid X a long time ago.
Easy question. If you stick with roms, any reason to ever relock the bootloader?
Thanks

Lilshaun said:
Are you on 1.85 already? If so you are set. But if you aren't, relock the downloader by connecting your phone to your computer via USB in fastboot and typing fastboot OEM lock, upgrade to 1.85 and then unlock the bootloader once again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on 1.73
As the previous poster said, if I want custom roms I shouldn't even bother with the RUU? Is the RUU just a way to get the most updated factory settings because of root? Also do RUUs cancel root?

Valitri said:
Thanks for confirming why the RUU failed. I was scared because it never said it failed or errored. I let it run for 90+ minutes and finally did a hard reset on my phone.
I downloaded Titanium but I don't understand where the backups go. How to save them or how to use them for recovery. I also don't understand how people talk about this phone having an SD card when it doesn't.
I saw TWRP and it looked like the better option but I thought a lot of the roms needed CWM to flash from. I guess I really don't fully understand how to flash a rom then.
This is so weird because I jailbroke my iPhone 3g, and tried multiple roms on my cousins Droid X a long time ago.
Easy question. If you stick with roms, any reason to ever relock the bootloader?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. You never need to relock the bl unless you're RUU'ing
2. TWRP and CWM do the same thing, what you can do with one you can pretty much assume you can do with the other
3. Titanium Backup (I refer to it as TiBu) stores the backup files on your phone in a Titanium Backup folder on your sd card. You use the TiBu app itself to batch restore your apps. So this mean you're gonna have to redownload it manually from the Play Store after a factory wipe. You also have the option or restoring your apps with data and also restoring system data. In my experience, restoring system data is always a bad idea and will cause weird behavior. Restoring app data also sometimes has weird consequences, depending on the app, so I usually just restore my apps without data and individually restore data to apps I know will have no issue and are a pain to set up again.
4. We refer to it as an sd card because it technically still is one, just soldered onto the board.
5. Yes, RUU will get rid of root. It returns your phone to its factory state (except it doesn't touch your user data)
---------- Post added at 02:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:33 PM ----------
Lilshaun said:
Are you on 1.85 already? If so you are set. But if you aren't, relock the downloader by connecting your phone to your computer via USB in fastboot and typing fastboot OEM lock, upgrade to 1.85 and then unlock the bootloader once again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Upgrading to 1.85 isn't necessary since we can flash boot.img and jump between versions

Thank you. I will run a backup from titanium and download it to my computer. Then I will flash TWRP, then try some roms.

Valitri said:
Thank you. I will run a backup from titanium and download it to my computer. Then I will flash TWRP, then try some roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can have TiBu sync to a Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box account too. The scheduling feature is real nice. I have mine running the 2 default scheduled backup tasks every morning at 6am and then automatically uploading to Google Drive provided that I am plugged in and on WiFi.
I have it run every morning just in case I do something stupid during the day.
Oh and make sure to watch your internal storage space. CWM/TWRP backups take up A LOT of space, around 1GB (that's off the top of my head, I know it's around there somewhere). Manage your backups carefully, deleting ones you don't need.

you dont need to bootloader unlock before you upgrade to 1.85. just get the unlock code and then, with a locked bootloader, update RUU to 1.85. then afterwards unlock bootloader with unlock code.bin.

Valitri said:
Thank you. I will run a backup from titanium and download it to my computer. Then I will flash TWRP, then try some roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium is just for backing up apps not the entire phone. Sorry if you knew that, it just sounded like you didn't.
You need to flash TWRP and do a backup with it. This will backup your entire phone. In case you ever run into issues you know that you have a backup of your phone from when it was fully functional. This stays on your phone and if you ever need to restore it you do so from within TWRP.

pside15 said:
Titanium is just for backing up apps not the entire phone. Sorry if you knew that, it just sounded like you didn't.
You need to flash TWRP and do a backup with it. This will backup your entire phone. In case you ever run into issues you know that you have a backup of your phone from when it was fully functional. This stays on your phone and if you ever need to restore it you do so from within TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, think of a TWRP/CWM backup as the equivalent of a Windows System Restore Point or a Mac Time Machine Backup. It's pretty much a snapshot of your system that you can jump back to in order to revert anything you did that screwed things up.

HELP, did I brick my xoom???

/I had the touch recovery on there and cyanogenmod 10 I think.. worked fine for a year.
Then I wanted to format and start over, so I did a wipe of everything and now anything I try to flash gives me an error, I can still get into the touch recovery but every rom I've tried won't install, keeps saying error.
I'd like to just throw a rom on it and be done, or go back to stock.
Also, when I try to reboot from the touch flash program it tells me its not rooted and would I like to root it now, swipe to confirm or just exit to deny.

Try to rsdlite/sbf to 100% stock
Sent from my dlx using Tapatalk 4

do what? what does that even mean?
thanks

I hope you have your ROM on your sdcard, if so then "Format Data". You'll lose everything on your internal memory but it should solve your ROM errors, considering your ROM isn't the issue to begin with. Especially if you are trying to go from 4.3 back to 4.2. If it's on your internal storage, then you'll need to do alot more searching on how to use adb and fastboot or hope someone is willing to find it for you and post a link.
You might also what to mention what ROMS / version you are trying to install and what version Xoom you have. If you are trying to install the latest EOS Roms they don't work.
And just as every post mentions before flashing something new... do a Nand backup (backup in recovery).
As for your root issues, it's known for 4.3 and has been mentioned many times on these forums. Do some searches about it here or simply go back to 4.2.
The Xoom is pretty hard to brick.

Domunus said:
I hope you have your ROM on your sdcard, if so then "Format Data". You'll lose everything on your internal memory but it should solve your ROM errors, considering your ROM isn't the issue to begin with. Especially if you are trying to go from 4.3 back to 4.2. If it's on your internal storage, then you'll need to do alot more searching on how to use adb and fastboot or hope someone is willing to find it for you and post a link.
You might also what to mention what ROMS / version you are trying to install and what version Xoom you have. If you are trying to install the latest EOS Roms they don't work.
And just as every post mentions before flashing something new... do a Nand backup (backup in recovery).
As for your root issues, it's known for 4.3 and has been mentioned many times on these forums. Do some searches about it here or simply go back to 4.2.
The Xoom is pretty hard to brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have nothing on my SD card or Internal Memory, its completely empty!
Every rom I try to flash gives me an error, I tried a few now and it won't work.
I'm at a loss of what to do

I have Twrp recovery ver 2.5.0.0
I tried to flash later version recoveries but I just get an error

what are trying to flash recovery with? should be using fastboot. with an unlocked bootloader, you, quite literally, CANNOT brick the device
also, ignore the idiot who talked about rsd. that would be beyond stupid.
because you can still get into recovery, you can use adb to sideload the ROM.
adb sideload /path/to/ROM.zip
Sent from my Nexus 5

notbrodie said:
what are trying to flash recovery with? should be using fastboot. with an unlocked bootloader, you, quite literally, CANNOT brick the device
also, ignore the idiot who talked about rsd. that would be beyond stupid.
because you can still get into recovery, you can use adb to sideload the ROM.
adb sideload /path/to/ROM.zip
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I can get into recovery. Where can I read up on how to use adb again?
I'd love to try that.
THANKS

just download the android SDK and pull adb and fastboot executables ( should be in android-tools). as I use Ubuntu, I don't use the SDK any more.
once you have the adb file, if you place it in the same directory as the ROM, you would just need to 1) open command line 2) CD to directory where the files are 3) in Xoom recovery, go to advanced > sideload 4) on computer, type adb sideload ROM.zip
this is will flash the ROM over. do the same thing for gapps. then reboot Xoom
Sent from my Nexus 5

Yea, problem is, what you're saying, makes no sense to me.
I downloaded android SDK installed the 500 meg program.. Now what
also, it seems I cannot get my computer to recognize my xoom.. I downloaded the drivers and all,comes up unknown usb device.
This just really BLOWS!

I went ahead and did some quick searches for you in google. Hope this helps you, if not, do more searches for ADB Sideload xoom rom. If you don't understand something during one of the steps, google it. BTW, you need to update your TWRP if you plan to mess with 4.3.
If you need a visual guide, go to youtube and type in adb sideload. Good luck.
This is a bit old, but it's simplified and may help you setup ADB.
http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-hacking-guides/1838-setting-up-adb-windows-7-64-bit-other-windows-platforms.html
This guide may also help you, it's for HTC but obviously change anything HTC related to Xoom. It shows you how to sideload with every detail.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2317985

ok.. does it matter that no matter what I try no computer can recognize my xoom.. Always says unknown device.. I downloaded moto's drivers and everything.
While in recovery and going to mount it still never recognizes my xoom..
Tried in 2 computers, same results

No operating system left after GPE flash fail - plz help!

After literally two weeks of reading thread after thread attempting to understand this , I tried to go from a sense ROM to a GPE ROM and I tried to flash the GPE firmware following Digital high's instructions here..
Things did not work out as instructed I'm afraid and that is probably due to my not understanding enough....nevertheless following DH instructions left me with repeated flash failures. Finally the following flashes got me from firmware 5.0.1- the firmware I was already on- to this:
fastboot flash zip VZWm8LfirmwareTWRP.zip - success; followed by the same ' flush" flash - again, success:
then:
fastboot flash zip 5.1_6_firmware+hboot.zip - and again another "flush" flash with success
From the way I read it we are then to reboot to bootloader and proceed further with recovery flashing the rom, blah, blah.... , however, my little android guy is overlaid with a black screen (instead of white) and he is dead. I rebooted to recovery to see if I could flash the sinless GPE ROM which is my goal in the first place (yes I realize it is a 4.4.4 but NOTHING flashes in recovery now) but now I m out of ideas. I have no workable phone and I have to get my ass to a new job in the afternoon. Can anyone help with either finishing my goal to install the sinless ROM or restore back to the adrenaline ROM I was running? I don't want to restore as I am afraid I may have altered the firmware and thus brick if I do restore...PLEASE HELP!!!! PLEASE!
right now my phone is sitting on the charger on the dead android screen. i don' dare touch it. What should i do?
Update: I am flashing digital highs GPE_5.1-multi_dh_051215.zip and I am getting a bootloader remote 24 "parsing android info fail". Does anyone know what that means or how to fix?
Update again: Figured out this needs to be flashed in recovery and not fastboot. Now I have been booting for about five minutes now. Hope I'm not bootlooped. ....

Figured it out
Got it figured out.
Mods, could you please close the thread. thanks!

kerryh said:
Got it figured out.
Mods, could you please close the thread. thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rather than end things with a statement that you figured it out, could you elaborate on the solution and/or describe what went wrong to cause the problem (if you happened to figure that out while finding your fix)? Someone else could come here with your same problem and you are likely poised to help them out with your newly found solution.

cntryby429 said:
Rather than end things with a statement that you figured it out, could you elaborate on the solution and/or describe what went wrong to cause the problem (if you happened to figure that out while finding your fix)? Someone else could come here with your same problem and you are likely poised to help them out with your newly found solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe me, I thought about trying to do just that. That's when I realized I am not sure that I totally understood what it was I did wrong in the first place. I believed the underlying issue might have been the order in which I flashed but I can't be sure because I ended up flashing files that probably shouldn't have been flashed to begin with . What I do know is that some firmware files needed to be flashed in RUU mode while others in regular fastboot and the GPE zip flashed through recovery, not regular fastboot as I thought it needed to be. And all that even being understood I still wasn't sure if I needed the firmwares with the hboot, without hboot, with or without recovery/boot .img's....
Going back and looking at my cmd window it appears the following worked in the following order:
FastbootRUU flash 5.0.1 firmware
fastboot VZWm8Lfirmware.zip
fastboot write superCID
fastbootRUU flash 5.1 firmware
reboot to hboot (dead android here) then reboot to recovery
Recovery flash GPE_5.1_muliti_dh_date.zip
Follow the promps to install and then reboot to glory...
I am still not clear on as to whether or not I can go back to my nandroid backups as those were taken on different firmwares obviously. Instinct tells me I would brick but idk...Looks like I am stuck on GPE for a while...
That probably confused more people than helped...See why I didn't post it?

kerryh said:
Believe me, I thought about trying to do just that. That's when I realized I am not sure that I totally understood what it was I did wrong in the first place. I believed the underlying issue might have been the order in which I flashed but I can't be sure because I ended up flashing files that probably shouldn't have been flashed to begin with . What I do know is that some firmware files needed to be flashed in RUU mode while others in regular fastboot and the GPE zip flashed through recovery, not regular fastboot as I thought it needed to be. And all that even being understood I still wasn't sure if I needed the firmwares with the hboot, without hboot, with or without recovery/boot .img's....
Going back and looking at my cmd window it appears the following worked in the following order:
FastbootRUU flash 5.0.1 firmware
fastboot VZWm8Lfirmware.zip
fastboot write superCID
fastbootRUU flash 5.1 firmware
reboot to hboot (dead android here) then reboot to recovery
Recovery flash GPE_5.1_muliti_dh_date.zip
Follow the promps to install and then reboot to glory...
I am still not clear on as to whether or not I can go back to my nandroid backups as those were taken on different firmwares obviously. Instinct tells me I would brick but idk...Looks like I am stuck on GPE for a while...
That probably confused more people than helped...See why I didn't post it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When compared to the steps I took to flash the 6/15 build as cleanly as I could manage, here's what jumps out to me as strange or unnecessary:
-I don't know what the '5.0.1 firmware' is but I suspect it's the same as the 'VZWm8Lfirmware.zip' you flashed next. I chose to run the 5.0.1 RUU and considered that as complete of verizon 5.0.1 firmware as there is.
-I don't think that superCID has been necessary for DHs GPE for some time. I don't know that it would necessarily cause a problem but I've never gone to superCID and have had no problems
-flashing DH's carrier-agnostic 5.1 firmware is stated as optional in his OP and I think DH himself admitted a little while back that it may actually be the cause of some folks' wi-fi issues
Regarding restoring old nandroids to a system with updated firmware, I can say that each time a new official software has been released, I've flashed tigerstown's firmware-only zips alongside whatever custom rom I was running at the time with no issues. This points to a trend of successfully running roms on top of newer firmwares without issues. I know of many 5.x roms saying that you must update firmware but I've never read about a 4.x rom having issues with 5.x firmware. I don't think there's much risk of flashing a custom rom (or restoring a nandroid) from recovery that doesn't match the firmware beyond a possible bootloop.

Where to find stock recovery images for the Nexus 5?

Hi xda community.
Maybe I'm blind, but I can't find stock recovery images for the LG Google Nexus 5. I run all my devices rooted, with unlocked bootloader, TWRP and Cyanogenmod 13. However, due to security concerns I would like to flash a stock recovery again and lock the bootloader.
However, I can not really find first-hand stock recovery images. Searching yields only unsigned third party downloads like this one. No way I'm going to flash this.
The official Google developer factory images only contain a bootloader image and a radio (?) image and the hammerhead stock ROM zip archive. But what I'm looking for is the recovery image!
Any idea where to get them first hand and singed or at least check-summed? Thanks!

Ok for some reasons, the factory image contains all images in the zip, including a recovery zip.
However, flashing that renders recovery unusable - little android with a red sign. I don't really worry (yet), but what would be the cause for that?
Is there any issue to run Cyanogenmod with a stock recovery? Should I prefer the CM recovery instead? Is the CM recovery as secure as the stock recovery?

The Android logo with a red exclamation is the stock recovery (recovery.img in the factory images) with its basic features.
You should be able to run CM13 with a stock recovery but locking the bootloader seems enough IMO. Actually I keep it unlocked because it could be my last chance to recover my device without loosing all my data.

Hi, not sure if you still need this but if you check page 1 of this XDA thread under "Nexus 5 Specials", you can find all of the stock bootloaders, radios, recovery, stock/ custom ROMs and stuff like that.
I've flashed a lot from this guys thread and I know the stuff there is legit and reliable. You're right though, only flash what you trust from a Official source.
You should be able to find what you need on that thread, good luck whatever route you choose.
Link to thread: (Page 1: Nexus 5 Specials.)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/goo...gle-nexus-5-roms-kernels-mods-t2475401/page50

Primokorn said:
The Android logo with a red exclamation is the stock recovery (recovery.img in the factory images) with its basic features.
You should be able to run CM13 with a stock recovery but locking the bootloader seems enough IMO. Actually I keep it unlocked because it could be my last chance to recover my device without loosing all my data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, okay. It shows only the logo, no menu or something. Does that sound correct?
The issue with keeping it unlocked is basicly that anyone can recover my device. I use backup synchronization from within android and when the devices fails, I can simply whipe it and start fresh because I have all data synched to my computer (using syncthing).
Rooted Droid said:
Hi, not sure if you still need this but if you check page 1 of this XDA thread under "Nexus 5 Specials", you can find all of the stock bootloaders, radios, recovery, stock/ custom ROMs and stuff like that.
I've flashed a lot from this guys thread and I know the stuff there is legit and reliable. You're right though, only flash what you trust from a Official source.
You should be able to find what you need on that thread, good luck whatever route you choose.
Link to thread: (Page 1: Nexus 5 Specials.)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/goo...gle-nexus-5-roms-kernels-mods-t2475401/page50
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, will look into that one.

5chdn said:
Ah, okay. It shows only the logo, no menu or something. Does that sound correct?
The issue with keeping it unlocked is basicly that anyone can recover my device. I use backup synchronization from within android and when the devices fails, I can simply whipe it and start fresh because I have all data synched to my computer (using syncthing).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock recovery offers basic features: reboot, wipe cache, factory reset...
This is the bootloader.
You have a rooted phone so anyone can install BootUnlocker app to unlock the bootloader without wiping anything.

Primokorn said:
Stock recovery offers basic features: reboot, wipe cache, factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I don't have that, it looks like this issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoJ_vRTRX7g However, the CM recovery works. Edit, after watching the video, I understand it's a non-issue
Primokorn said:
You have a rooted phone so anyone can install BootUnlocker app to unlock the bootloader without wiping anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mind elaborating how _anyone_ can install an app on my phone? No custom recovery, no debugging enabled, bootloader locked, phone encrypted, pin set up. How to access my phone to install a bootunlocker?

5chdn said:
Mind elaborating how _anyone_ can install an app on my phone? No custom recovery, no debugging enabled, bootloader locked, phone encrypted, pin set up. How to access my phone to install a bootunlocker?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Anyone" is excessive for an encypted phone of course
Using a long password was enough to hack Android phones having Lollipop; hacking a 4 digits password can get cracked in minutes with a computer; thanks to the software FROST, security researchers extracted photos, web history and contact lists from locked & encrypted Android phones,...
Anyways, Android is not a secure OS and I never trust those security tools. I don't store precious information on my device and I'm safe from day one lol