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[Q] Can't find zip in recovery mode when trying to install rom

Hi All.
I'm new to this and trying to install my first rom (aiming for cynagenmod 7- it has the language support i need, or so they say)
I rooted my phone and followed a yourtube video titled "How To Install CyanogenMod 7 Nightly on T-Mobile G2x after Nandroid Backup"
When i get to the part where i need to install zip from sd card, i can't find the file. I went back and copied the zip file into a few different folders, and although i can locate the folders, it tells me that the file cannot be found.
How do i get around this? Your help is much appreciated.

Maholly said:
Hi All.
I'm new to this and trying to install my first rom (aiming for cynagenmod 7- it has the language support i need, or so they say)
I rooted my phone and followed a yourtube video titled "How To Install CyanogenMod 7 Nightly on T-Mobile G2x after Nandroid Backup"
When i get to the part where i need to install zip from sd card, i can't find the file. I went back and copied the zip file into a few different folders, and although i can locate the folders, it tells me that the file cannot be found.
How do i get around this? Your help is much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you download it? Through rom manager or from the phones xda app, browser? Look in folders with xda or rom manager?? Next time just copy and paste it to the root of the sdcard, not in a folder.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

Downloaded it on a computer and then copied it to sd card

and you can't find where you put it? did you place it in a certain folder already created... you can plug your phone in to pc then enter recovery mode, go to storage and mounts at the bottom select mount usb then copy the zip to your sdcard in no folders.

When i try to do that t tells me unable to write to ums lunfile (no such file or directory).
From recovery mode there are some folders i can't see when i browse the folders on the computer when the phone is booted up normally - and vice versa. Is this an indicaiton of a problem?

Silly question: do you actually have an SD card inserted in your phone? If so, what did you use to format it?

i do have an sd, and i actually didn't format it. should i format? if so, what is the best way?
Your help is much appreciated

Maholly said:
i do have an sd, and i actually didn't format it. should i format? if so, what is the best way?
Your help is much appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try, while in recovery, taking the back off your phone, pop out the sd card, wait 1 second, then pop it back in?

Stupid question, but it's a mistake some beginners make, but did you unzip it by any chance? That could be a reason CWM isn't seeing it. Once you DL the ROM you need to leave it untouched. Then place on SD.
After that in CWM go to choose zip from sd.
And you attained CWM via NVFlash correct?

buru898 said:
Did you try, while in recovery, taking the back off your phone, pop out the sd card, wait 1 second, then pop it back in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, tried that and still no luck

mackster248 said:
Stupid question, but it's a mistake some beginners make, but did you unzip it by any chance? That could be a reason CWM isn't seeing it. Once you DL the ROM you need to leave it untouched. Then place on SD.
After that in CWM go to choose zip from sd.
And you attained CWM via NVFlash correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, didn't unzip, left it as cm_p999_full-201.zip
and yes, did get the CWM via NVFlash

Maybe you accidentally copied it to internal memory instead of the sdcard. You can check in cwm under internal sdcard I believe is what it is called.
When you connect the phone through USB it mounts both internal and the sdcard.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

My file explorer sees it in both the root and the folder I created in the root - both can't be seen in recovery mode.
Should i list the directories i see in both views?

In cwm are you selecting install zip from sdcard or install update from sdcard
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

I ask it to install zip from sd and not update

Maholly said:
My file explorer sees it in both the root and the folder I created in the root - both can't be seen in recovery mode.
Should i list the directories i see in both views?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you may have put it on the "internal sd card" instead of external sd card, however this is not an issue if you flash CWM 5.0.2.0 or later, it has an option to install zip from internal sd and external. i renamed my external sd card to avoid future confusion (otherwise i see two "removable disks" when i plug my phone into my computer)

Check your file names on your SD card. Check what you see listed in Recovery. If you see differing file names, then you're accessing the wrong memory.
I'm going to assume you tried booting with the physical buttons. Try booting with CWM which should give you a blue menu.

i did try to boot both ways and both times i did not find it... for the millionth time i took the sd card out and put it back in and rebooted using cwm, and funny enough, it found the direcotry... and yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, cynagenmod7 is my new rom
thanks for all your help, support and commiseration... really, much appreciated. i do ve a few more issues that i have to research now... again, external sd not found though... will probably solicit more help
again, thanks

Facing the same problemm
Hello,
new to this rooting and stuff.. I rooted the rom , installed clockworkmod... Now the rom is just not getting detected... Did it a million times.. What to do.. facing exactly the same problems.. I did all that was mentioned... The file is unzipped only card is inserted, using the cmw reboot and stuff itself so no tension.. plzz let me no what to do... stuck here since hours.. !!

hippoalways said:
Hello,
new to this rooting and stuff.. I rooted the rom , installed clockworkmod... Now the rom is just not getting detected... Did it a million times.. What to do.. facing exactly the same problems.. I did all that was mentioned... The file is unzipped only card is inserted, using the cmw reboot and stuff itself so no tension.. plzz let me no what to do... stuck here since hours.. !!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't unzip the file. When you flash anything via clockwork, it flashes using .zip files.

Can't install from zip in CWM!

Hi!
I'm on SGS2 with Resurrection Remix v2.0 w/ Siyah v 3.2.6+ kernel.
My version of CWM is 4.0.1.5.
For some reason, I can't longer flash anything from CWM.
Whenever I reboot into CWM and choose the "choose zip from sdcard", I only get this error message: "E: Can't mount /sdcard". I don't have any external SD card on my phone, I have always used this method.
I've already tried to wipe cache without luck. If I choose "mount /sdcard", I only get "Error mounting /sdcard!" (This however, may be because it's referring to any external sdcard?)
I appreciate any answers!

RealSpZ said:
Hi!
I'm on SGS2 with Resurrection Remix v2.0 w/ Siyah v 3.2.6+ kernel.
My version of CWM is 4.0.1.5.
For some reason, I can't longer flash anything from CWM.
Whenever I reboot into CWM and choose the "choose zip from sdcard", I only get this error message: "E: Can't mount /sdcard". I don't have any external SD card on my phone, I have always used this method.
I've already tried to wipe cache without luck. If I choose "mount /sdcard", I only get "Error mounting /sdcard!" (This however, may be because it's referring to any external sdcard?)
I appreciate any answers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, when you put the .zip on your 'sdcard', are you putting it on the internal memory, or the external SD card?
And yep you're right - it's looking for an extsdcard to 'mount'.

juzz86 said:
So, when you put the .zip on your 'sdcard', are you putting it on the internal memory, or the external SD card?
And yep you're right - it's looking for an extsdcard to 'mount'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm putting the .zip file in my /mnt/sdcard directory. Btw, when I can boot into the stock recovery, I have an option called "install zip from internal sd card". When I choose this option, I can access all my files and install the update that I want, but in CWM I can't!

RealSpZ said:
I'm putting the .zip file in my /mnt/sdcard directory. Btw, when I can boot into the stock recovery, I have an option called "install zip from internal sd card". When I choose this option, I can access all my files and install the update that I want, but in CWM I can't!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried sticking the .zip on an external SD, and seeing if it shows up that way just to confirm? I remember having a similar issue on the Infuse a while back now, and I had to start flashing off the internal memory.
I think a re-install of CWM fixed things up, but that was a high-Development time, and we were getting new versions every day
Try the external thing, I reckon that's the problem. Might require an update to CWM in order to restore functionality. Alternatively, you may like to look into a replacement such as 4EXT or TWRP.
I found this kernel by Chainfire, which adds root and SU, and also CWM. You can flash it through ODIN as normal, very detailed instructions in there.
I also found this article, which may shed some light on the issue for you?
I cannot believe how hard it is to find a Recovery in the GS2 section. What a nightmare!

juzz86 said:
Have you tried sticking the .zip on an external SD, and seeing if it shows up that way just to confirm? I remember having a similar issue on the Infuse a while back now, and I had to start flashing off the internal memory.
I think a re-install of CWM fixed things up, but that was a high-Development time, and we were getting new versions every day
Try the external thing, I reckon that's the problem. Might require an update to CWM in order to restore functionality. Alternatively, you may like to look into a replacement such as 4EXT or TWRP.
I found this kernel by Chainfire, which adds root and SU, and also CWM. You can flash it through ODIN as normal, very detailed instructions in there.
I also found this article, which may shed some light on the issue for you?
I cannot believe how hard it is to find a Recovery in the GS2 section. What a nightmare!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi juzz86!
Thank you for your response!
I do not have an external sd-card to try atm. I will look into the CWM alternatives if this does not work.
I found out that I had replaced my stock recovery with the CWM touch version, and this version allows me to use the "internal sd card" menu. This however, only works when shutting down my phone, and holding volume up+power+home. When using the fast option "reboot into recovery" from my phone, I still get the ordinary CWM - and I'm facing the same problem over again.
When trying to "mount /sdcard" in CWM, I get a standard "failed to mount" message
After looking into the Directory-bind app, I see that all my data is stored in my /sdcard folder, and nothing in the /sdcard/external_sd folder, so I followed the guide just for fun (since it doesn't really describe my problem), but it didn't work, and I still can't mount my /sdcard folder in CWM.
I'm going to see over the forums about the mount sdcard error in the forums, and try the kernel as suggested if nothing else works BB!
EDIT: I see that in newer versions of CWM, there should be an option for installing a zip from the internal sd card. My question is: Is it possible for me to update my version of CWM, while using the same kernel? I can't do this in ROM Manager.

Should be, yes. You'll probably need to use Fastboot or ODIN to flash it, so.e devices get zips but I'm unfamiliar with the GS2 Development.
Your best bet will be to find the CWM thread in one of the GS2 forums, and follow the instructions in there.
I wasn't aware that flashing a recovery through ROM Manager changed your kernel?

juzz86 said:
Should be, yes. You'll probably need to use Fastboot or ODIN to flash it, so.e devices get zips but I'm unfamiliar with the GS2 Development.
Your best bet will be to find the CWM thread in one of the GS2 forums, and follow the instructions in there.
I wasn't aware that flashing a recovery through ROM Manager changed your kernel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It didn't. My answer was a bit messy, sorry. I understand that you can flash a new kernel through odin or CWM, and therefore get a new version of CWM bundled - like the customized versions (like the link you provided). I only want to update my version of CWM, but stay on the same kernel as before. What Rom Manager is able to do, is updating your version of CWM (the official ones).
If I'm mistaking, please let me know.

No, that's right you can update CWM by flashing a kernel, but you can also find a standalone recovery.img, sometimes a flashable zip, or you can use ROM Manager. All three of these methods won't touch your kernel

I got the oposite problem...
Hi all i am new .. but basicaly my issue is:
I'm trying to install a custom ROM on my rooted Galaxy SIII I19300.
I've placed the rom inside an external sdcard, entered Recovery mode (clockworkmod CMW-based Recovery) and clicked "install zip from sdcard" then "choose zip from sdcard", after that the console presented me with an error "E:Can't mount /sdcard/".
I've tried to select "mount /sdcard" in the mounts menu and it errors:
"Error mounting /sdcard!"
The sdcard works fine and I'm able to read/write from/to it without any issues in GSIII and in others cellphones..
The SDCARD got 2 gb and its formated in FAT32.
Any one help plz?

Format your sd card !
respected sir,
format your SD card , since cwm, twrp, and other recovery mods require mostly 'FAT32' format.
so, please take a bkp and format it to go ahead without probs!

Need to format SD card...

My ROM does not have a format button in the settings, is there another way to format the internal SD space within Android itself?

Jessical said:
My ROM does not have a format button in the settings, is there another way to format the internal SD space within Android itself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite possibly, kinda. Are you rooted? If so, what recovery are you using? Most recoveries allow you to do this.
Why do u need to format within android? Why not just format from your pc?
Using SeanZ's SkyICS 4.2F r2 v6B ROM / XDA Premium

Boot into recovery, select Mounts and storage then format sdcard/ or emmc whichever one you are wanting to format
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

gs2usr said:
Boot into recovery, select Mounts and storage then format sdcard/ or emmc whichever one you are wanting to format
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is correct, or as an alternative u could either a) hook it up to a computer, mount it and format, or b) use adb, but I recommend either a or the method gs2usr suggested

im gonna post in this thread instead of making a new one since im having a similar issue.
In CW recovery it'll tell me it cant mount my sd-ext and as well give me an error when trying to install a custom rom from my emmc, so do i need to do a format of both of those in order to get a custom rom to finally install again?
i've had this error ever since i switched back to rogers stock 4.0.4 to try it out

I'm getting errors in cwm too. How can I do it in ADB? Macs don't do fat32 correctly and I don't have a Windows machine.

confyzone said:
im gonna post in this thread instead of making a new one since im having a similar issue.
In CW recovery it'll tell me it cant mount my sd-ext and as well give me an error when trying to install a custom rom from my emmc, so do i need to do a format of both of those in order to get a custom rom to finally install again?
i've had this error ever since i switched back to rogers stock 4.0.4 to try it out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Figured it out. Please try this and see if it fixes your internal aswell.
So go ahead if you don't have it, ADB install a copy of Root Explorer.
Go into the emmc folder and give it read and write permissions.
Now, in the settings, under storage, it should let you reformat the disk again and you should be okay.
I have no idea what's up with CWR, but we were told not to use it anymore on our Kindles due to it messing with partitions. But this is how I just fixed my Skyrocket, just in time for the fireworks tonight.

when in cwm, mount the emmc first

Jessical said:
Figured it out. Please try this and see if it fixes your internal aswell.
So go ahead if you don't have it, ADB install a copy of Root Explorer.
Go into the emmc folder and give it read and write permissions.
Now, in the settings, under storage, it should let you reformat the disk again and you should be okay.
I have no idea what's up with CWR, but we were told not to use it anymore on our Kindles due to it messing with partitions. But this is how I just fixed my Skyrocket, just in time for the fireworks tonight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gonna give it a go I don't use root explorer but i use es file explorer which is the same pretty much
Sent from my SGH-I727R using xda app-developers app

[Q] Can't flash anything

Flashed instigator kernel onto chimera mod without explicitly checking to see if it would work (i know)
phone soft bricked
fixed using CWM, restored back up, but could not flash anything afterwards
error looks something like this
E:Can't open /sdcard/ROM/vincom/[rom name].zip
(bad)
Installation aborted
Restored to stock using odin, reinstalled CWM but same error. Installed TWRP but same error
everything works perfectly fine but can't flash anything, same error for any flash
never seen this problem before, don't think its in this forum anywhere
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Tried formatting your SD card yet?

T.J. Bender said:
Tried formatting your SD card yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on TWRP 2.2.0 right not, can't get back to CWM because of no flashing thing.
as far as i can see no format sd option on TWRP
is wipe SD the same as format on here?

Turn your phone off, then remove the SD card and plug it into your PC with an adapter. Format it from there. I've had better results that way.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

T.J. Bender said:
Tried formatting your SD card yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah both internal and external no change

Brownsugar064 said:
Flashed instigator kernel onto chimera mod without explicitly checking to see if it would work (i know)
phone soft bricked
fixed using CWM, restored back up, but could not flash anything afterwards
error looks something like this
E:Can't open /sdcard/ROM/vincom/[rom name].zip
(bad)
Installation aborted
Restored to stock using odin, reinstalled CWM but same error. Installed TWRP but same error
everything works perfectly fine but can't flash anything, same error for any flash
never seen this problem before, don't think its in this forum anywhere
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the md5 for the rom? What's with the E: prompt?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

Out of curiosity, what are/were you trying to flash?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727

Ya its like you are trying to flash the path to the rom instead of the rom itself. Is that error message showing up in the cwm ui or in the odin window on your pc?
If it's in odin.. You can't flash a zip file. You'll need to unzip the zip (7zip?) and flash the tar file inside if it is a odin type file. Otherwise flash the rom with cwm or better yet TWRP.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

stoopendis said:
Ya its like you are trying to flash the path to the rom instead of the rom itself. Is that error message showing up in the cwm ui or in the odin window on your pc?
If it's in odin.. You can't flash a zip file. You'll need to unzip the zip (7zip?) and flash the tar file inside if it is a odin type file. Otherwise flash the rom with cwm or better yet TWRP.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not trying to flash a zip file in odin.
That appeared in CWMT 6.0.1.4, similar message appeared in TWRP.
In each case it has trouble opening the zip file containing whatever rom i'm trying to flash, doesn't matter the path, rom, sdcard, whatever.
pretty sure there's nothing wrong with any of the files or the sd cards, the phone just can't open a zip package from anywhere.
However, CWM worked, once, going from CWM 5 to CWM 6, only time it's done anything in a recovery.
I have attempted to flash multiple roms including cm9, cm10, superlite, and chimera, in CWM 5, CWM 6 sk8terwitskil's version, and TWRP 2.2.0
EDIT:
i had some luck with flashing a zip that just contained google now.
I noticed today that the sd card worked without my normal files on it (the zip was in the downloads folder) and the major difference that I see is before I restored the sd card files android.secure wasn't on the sd card.
I have android.secure on both the internal and external sd cards, (since restoring my original ext sdcard files) not sure if that's normal or not.
Should i just remove android.secure and see if it works? Can the phone do without it if that's not the problem?
is android secure supposed to be on both cards? My gut says no.
What the **** is android.secure anyway?
are zips that contain just apps or services like google now (non-wipe) fundamentally different from ROMs in some way that would let them flash but not the ROM zips?
Thanks to everyone who has responded and helped so far.
If anyone has answers to these questions I would appreciate it.

Failed to mount SD card in stock recovery

So Im starting my gamut of backups before i begin unlocking/rooting this thing and Ive run in to a little roadblock. Im currently trying to backup my IMEI/EFS per this thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1852255). Step one check. Step two no check: While trying to run the synergy zip, I am unable to mount the sdcard in stock recovery to "install the package". Apply update from external storage>E:failed to mount /sdcard (invalid argument). I have a 64GB scandisc mini that I have watched some movies off of ect. I didnt format it just used it out of the box. Any thoughts? Ill post if i figure out my user error...
Coming from droid charge mostly at rootzwiki, I would have posted this question to the thread linked above but XDA sayz I noob no can post developer thread X/

You have to be rooted to run the zip and on a custom recovery.
Edit: I'm not sure if you must be unlocked but I know you need to be rooted to run the Synergy zip. Also, custom recoveries only see your external sd card if its formatted to Fat32.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

yea thats what i ended up doing, but it sounded like it could be done on a fully stock rom...
SlimSnoopOS said:
You have to be rooted to run the zip and on a custom recovery.
Edit: I'm not sure if you must be unlocked but I know you need to be rooted to run the Synergy zip. Also, custom recoveries only see your external sd card if its formatted to Fat32.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse