Database Info

[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 see .zip in CWM recovery

I looked for an answer before posting but couldn't find it and hoping someone can help out. I rooted my rogers skyrocket and installed ClockworkMod Recovery. I am trying to install a new ROM but when I boot in recovery I cannot see the .zip file on the SD Card but I can see it in file manager. Any ideas or solutions?

Is the zip on the external or internal SD?
rocketed to da sky using mah brain and mah thumbs...

If on internal u have to select install from internal
rocketed to da sky using mah brain and mah thumbs...

Its on the external card.

Is it on the root of external sdcard? Excuse me for asking the obvious question but a lot of times its something silly that's been overlooked.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

cdshepherd said:
Is it on the root of external sdcard? Excuse me for asking the obvious question but a lot of times its something silly that's been overlooked.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, its on the root of the external SD card but I can only see the folders and no other files.

Look at the file format. Make sure its .zip and not .zip.zip. sometimes copying files from your computer to your phone will do this.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

cdshepherd said:
Look at the file format. Make sure its .zip and not .zip.zip. sometimes copying files from your computer to your phone will do this.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its .zip and not .zip.zip but I am only seeing it in the file manager or on the computer when the phone is connected but in CWM all I see is the folders of the SD card and no other file.

This is really starting to piss me off, I downloaded about 5 different roms and none of them is showing on the SD card in CWM recovery in order to install. Is there any other way to install the ROM or anything I could do to see the files in CWM? I am sure the .zip file is on the SD card and I can see it when i file manager but once I go into CWM to install I cant see it. If anyone had this problem and has a way to fix it please let me know. Thank you.

I think I found a way to do it and its through Rom manager, there is an option to install ROM from SD card I clicked it and now i think its installing. Hope it works. I'll post my results in case someone has the same problem.

Solved the problem. I can only flash new ROM from ROM manager.

Try flashing cwm again or flash touch cwm.
www.golazo.ca said:
Solved the problem. I can only flash new ROM from ROM manager.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] I screwed up (Solved)

I was trying to update a friends transformer to ICS (revolver) and I forgot that you have to put the zip on the internal storage (at least that's the only way I know how to do it) I'm using roach CWM based 5.5.0.4, I was playing around in there and, this is where I really screwed up, wiped /system. I have adb access and I'm in recovery but there's no rom installed on the tab because of me wiping /system. The rom is on the sd card (not the internal storage labeled as sdcard, an actual sd card). I tried pushing it from adb but I was probably doing it wrong. I was looking for a way to mount the internal storage but I didn't see any. I've tried several options but none have worked so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

so why don't you just install the rom from the microSD?
You have a 5.xxx recovery, and that allows you to install zips from microSD. Just pop that into a PC and copy the rom file on it. Select install from microsd and there you go...
PS: wiping /system doesn't format the internal storage...

zdalin2003 said:
so why don't you just install the rom from the microSD?
You have a 5.xxx recovery, and that allows you to install zips from microSD. Just pop that into a PC and copy the rom file on it. Select install from microsd and there you go...
PS: wiping /system doesn't format the internal storage...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the rom on the external sd card. I tried the flash from sd and it was looking at the internal "virtual" sd card. I didn't see an option to switch to the external sd and I think there are some recoverys that use the external sd as default but I haven't been able to find one. If I did find one it would have to be an image so I could flash it through bootloader.
I was looking for a .img file to flash through bootloader but couldn't find one of those. I tried adb push to get the .zip onto the internal storage but, and I'm sure I was doing something wrong, that didn't work.

wait wait wait... just to clarify, are you using the full size sd card on the dock?
LE: what's your sbk version? if you're sbk1, you can also use nvflash

zdalin2003 said:
wait wait wait... just to clarify, are you using the full size sd card on the dock?
LE: what's your sbk version? if you're sbk1, you can also use nvflash
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the guy said MicroSD up there, the one you inserted on the side. But the onboard CWM only detect the internal virtual SDcard.
Now he screwed because of the full wipe prior flashing while the intended Rom was placed in the MicroSD..
Yea, if the transformer comes with B70 or below, then you can use Flash to do the magic.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app

zdalin2003 said:
wait wait wait... just to clarify, are you using the full size sd card on the dock?
LE: what's your sbk version? if you're sbk1, you can also use nvflash
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, no dock. I'm using the external micro sd.
So I finally got it to push, I renamed the file ics.zip because I didn't feel like typing out the whole file name and because I used .zip at the end the file was actually ics.zip.zip, that's why it couldn't find it.
cmd says:
C:\Transformer>adb push ics.zip /sdcard
1333 KB/s <268182367 bytes in 196.431s>
It pushed but now I just tried "choose zip from sdcard" and I got "couldn't open directory. No files found"
Edit: For some reason nothing was showing up at all on the internal storage so I rebooted back into recovery and all the files that were there before returned. I didn't see my ics.zip in there though which was odd but in searching through the folders i found an older version of a rom I flashed on there when I first rooted it. It's on the welcome screen right now.

Thanks for your input, you were most helpful.
BTW, I did research and the problem is solved now, you'd have noticed if you read.

horndroid said:
I posted at 8:27
You edited your post at 8:28
I can't read the future.
And no you didn't research anything.
Any ADB guide would tell you to push files to /data/media for internal storage, not /sdcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again, thanks for your assistance /sarcasm

horndroid said:
Any ADB guide would tell you to push files to /data/media for internal storage, not /sdcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm interesting... Why wouldnt you be able to push to /sdcard/ (notice the extra slash)?
Is that folder not mounted correctly while in recovery? Ive never tried ADB in recovery, only in android and push to /sdcard/ works just fine.
pushing anything to /sdcard does not work though (notice the lack of the extra slash). Might be my rom but doubt it since its the same on my phone and other tablet...

Like you said, /sdcard is wrong.
The correct paths are /sdcard/, /data/media, and /data/media/.
Most ADB guides posted on this forum use /data/media(/) though.

horndroid said:
So much fail in this thread.
1. Because his version of CWM doesn't support microSD
2. Since when does 5.xxx recovery support installing from MicroSD?
3. wiping /system doesn't format internal storage but it wipes out the OS so there is no OS to boot into.
The correct path for pushing files to internal storage on TF101 is /data/media
Do some friggin research before you do things, wow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.&2. his version might not support it and since i'm using Rogue XM Recovery v1.3.0 (CWM-based Recovery v5.0.2.7), i just thought being v5 it would. It was just a fast answer, no need for your superiority complex.
3. *you don't say meme*

Your sarcasm doesn't work because I wasn't trying to assist.
I was just pointing out what an idiot you are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the thread would eventually solved even without your intervention.
Don't help if you don't feel to.. With your high in moron wouldn't do good for the public seeking for assistant here.
There's alot others intelligent guys around with good manner will come forward..
I respect your knowledge level but you too come from zero at some point way before in the past..
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app

farsight73 said:
I think the thread would eventually solved even without your intervention.
Don't help if you don't feel to.. With your high in moron wouldn't do good for the public seeking for assistant here.
There's alot others intelligent guys around with good manner will come forward..
I respect your knowledge level but you too come from zero at some point way before in the past..
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are a lot of people like him in all the forums, it's best just to walk away. I'm not new but I wasn't thinking clearly due to lack of sleep. Also the tf101 wasn't mine, I forgot how Asus had the storage set up, and I was thinking it would have the same path whether you were booted or through ADB. I knew I screwed up, that's why I said it right in the title. Oh well, it's fixed now. The problem is that a lot of people turn developers and newbies away by acting like that.

Picked up a g2x off craigslist.

So I picked up a LG g2x off craigslist for 80 bucks and I had to buy a new battery for it. I don't know much about the phone besides the fact that it has Ice cream sandwich and that I think it might be rooted. The previous owner has ROM manager on it, and so forth.
The phone allows me to text back and forth and the speakers work great EXCEPT when I try and make/receive calls, there is a loud clicking sound. I can't hear what the person is saying and they can't hear me.
I'm not very experienced with rooting and was reading that this might be part of the problem for the clicking noise? Could I just do a factory reset and maybe this would help? Any suggestions would be very helpful.
P.S. I'm not sure if this helps but the phone is running android version 4.0.4 and EBloodMod version build5-aosp.
Thank you.

What base band are you on?
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

cainG2x said:
What base band are you on?
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
M6600A-SCAUTNZ-2.0.9720T 1
MP: TRULGE_08.09.02R_MDM
I don't know if this makes things worse, but my phone rejects my SD card.

What date does your baseband say? I.e. March 2012
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

I'd head over to the development threads. Search for new baseband fix, dL the zip, put on phone SD (preferably external SD), reboot phone while holding down power button and volume down button until u see a second LG logo, logo should have blues in it, than let go of buttons. This will bring you into CWM (recovery) select install zip from SD and depending on if u used a microsd card or the phones internal SD u need to navigate to the correct location, select the newbaseband.zip and select ok to flash. Select go back than reboot device. You should be fixed. I have same issue with nearly all Rom. This should fix ya up.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 02:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:37 PM ----------
Here.
http://owain.hopto.org/T-Mobile LG G2x (p999)/Domination/new_baseband.zip[/QUOTE]
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

Baseband version says March 11th, 2012
I'm not really phone savy. :/

Go to the link the guy posted right above your post and flash it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

So according to that link you presented, I just save that zip to my computer, open it up and then what?
Which do I click on? META-INF or system folder? Where do I go from there?
I'm sorry I'm not very good at this haha. Is there anywhere I can find a step by step process? I just really need this phone to work as I am short on cash.

Angrystraw69 said:
So according to that link you presented, I just save that zip to my computer, open it up and then what?
Which do I click on? META-INF or system folder? Where do I go from there?
I'm sorry I'm not very good at this haha. Is there anywhere I can find a step by step process? I just really need this phone to work as I am short on cash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Download the .zip file to your SD card, the root of it, not in any folders or anything, just to the SD card.
2. Turn the phone off.
3. Hold power and volume down until you see the second LG logo(when you see the second lg logo, let go of the buttons), this will take you into ClockworkMod Recovery
4. From there, if the version says 5.0.2.0 you can use the volume buttons to scroll, and the power button to select an option. If the version says 5.8 then just use the screen to select options.
5. Go to install zip from sd card
6. Choose zip from sd card
7. Now find the new_baseband.zip by scrolling through the list, it should be at the bottom. Find it, click it.
8. Select yes-install
9. Go all the way back out, select reboot and calling should now work.

noahk423 said:
1. Download the .zip file to your SD card, the root of it, not in any folders or anything, just to the SD card.
2. Turn the phone off.
3. Hold power and volume down until you see the second LG logo(when you see the second lg logo, let go of the buttons), this will take you into ClockworkMod Recovery
4. From there, if the version says 5.0.2.0 you can use the volume buttons to scroll, and the power button to select an option. If the version says 5.8 then just use the screen to select options.
5. Go to install zip from sd card
6. Choose zip from sd card
7. Now find the new_baseband.zip by scrolling through the list, it should be at the bottom. Find it, click it.
8. Select yes-install
9. Go all the way back out, select reboot and calling should now work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it okay If I use a used SD card I got from my girlfriend? Also I'm guessing I plug my phone via usb into my computer and is there a certain way to download the file to the SD card and not just your computer?

Angrystraw69 said:
Is it okay If I use a used SD card I got from my girlfriend? Also I'm guessing I plug my phone via usb into my computer and is there a certain way to download the file to the SD card and not just your computer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use any SD card, or the internal if you'd like. And you can just download it straight to your phone. Just go to the link on your phone and download it. If you have an SD card it'll download straight to the download/ folder on the sd card, so in clockworkmod you'd have to find the zip there. if you downloaded using no SD card, just select choose zip from internal rather then sd when it gives you the option.

For some reason when I click that link you supplied on my phone it says: An SD card is required to download new_baseband.zip and doesn't give me the option to use my internal SD.
Thanks for all your help so far.

Angrystraw69 said:
For some reason when I click that link you supplied on my phone it says: An SD card is required to download new_baseband.zip and doesn't give me the option to use my internal SD.
Thanks for all your help so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the browser settings and see if it gives you an option to where you want to download it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

noahk423 said:
Check the browser settings and see if it gives you an option to where you want to download it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went to my browser and checked my settings, and all the browser options and there was nothing to do with downloads.

Angrystraw69 said:
I went to my browser and checked my settings, and all the browser options and there was nothing to do with downloads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, ok, there's two ways to doing this, drag and drop from your computer, or borrow an SD card. If you choose to do it from your computer, make sure you have the USB drivers, just Google lg g2x USB drivers and install them.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

Okay I went to http://www.lg.com/us/mobile-phones/G2X-Driver/index.jsp and downloaded the latest drivers on my computer. Now my phone is connected to my laptop via USB. What exactly do I do next? I'm guessing I go to that link you posted earlier(ZIP) but once I get to the zip which exactly do I chose?
Keep in mind, I DO NOT have an SD card.

Angrystraw69 said:
Okay I went to http://www.lg.com/us/mobile-phones/G2X-Driver/index.jsp and downloaded the latest drivers on my computer. Now my phone is connected to my laptop via USB. What exactly do I do next? I'm guessing I go to that link you posted earlier(ZIP) but once I get to the zip which exactly do I chose?
Keep in mind, I DO NOT have an SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Choose USB storage on your phone, and then your phone should pop up on screen, it should say lg p999 or something, it'll have internel storage there, drag and drop the new_baseband.zip to your internal space.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

So I'm not sure if your explaining this correctly but my phone is plugged into my computer and my phone says it is connected as a media device and the only other option is for it to be connected as a camera. AND there is no such thing as USB storage on my phone, I checked all the settings.
So I'm guessing you meant go to DEVICES on my laptop. Well I did that and I see my phone(LG-P999) under devices. So I clicked that link you shared earlier and saved the ZIP to my computer. Well the WINRAR popped up and there are 3 things I can click on there are 1. ... 2. META-INF and system.I have no idea if I have click any of those But I tried to go to my downloads and drag the basic file of new_baseband.zip and it would not drag.
I have no idea what I'm doing here. Bare with me here, I'm sorry.

Angrystraw69 said:
So I'm not sure if your explaining this correctly but my phone is plugged into my computer and my phone says it is connected as a media device and the only other option is for it to be connected as a camera. AND there is no such thing as USB storage on my phone, I checked all the settings.
So I'm guessing you meant go to DEVICES on my laptop. Well I did that and I see my phone(LG-P999) under devices. So I clicked that link you shared earlier and saved the ZIP to my computer. Well the WINRAR popped up and there are 3 things I can click on there are 1. ... 2. META-INF and system.I have no idea if I have click any of those But I tried to go to my downloads and drag the basic file of new_baseband.zip and it would not drag.
I have no idea what I'm doing here. Bare with me here, I'm sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Copy the file to it then if it will not drag.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

noahk423 said:
Copy the file to it then if it will not drag.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm attaching a photo show you what I'm looking at. When I right click the "file" the only option it gives me is to copy the download link and there is not an option when I right click my device(lg) to paste anything.

[Q] Help! Stuck on Gingerbread 2.3.6

My friend got a Skyrocket for free from a friend. He gave it to me to put a custom ROM on it. It is currently on Gingerbread 2.3.6. I started looking into it only to find it is already rooted with clockwork mod on it. Everything would be easy from here I thought. Well, I connected it to my computer to copy over the new ROM files only to find it will never connect as mass storage, only charge. The phone beeps like it connected, but never gives the option to connect as mass storage. No big deal, I'll just put it on the SD card and flash from clockwork mod. Well, clockwork mod doesn't see the external SD card, only the internal. I tried to copy the files from the external SD to internal storage using OI file manager on the phone, but the phone doesn't see the external SD. I tried to download directly to the phone using internal storage, but every download starts and immediately fails, giving me the message download unsuccessful.
From here I just wanted to set the phone to stock and start from scratch. I made sure I had the drivers installed from Samsung, then I downloaded the files and fired up ODIN. Well Odin doesn't recognize the device (like it's never connected). I tried downloading Samsung Kies, but it doesn't recognize the device either. Everything on he phone functions perfectly normal, I can reboot into recovery and download mode just fine. It is just I can't access the storage of the device and the computer doesn't recognize it.
I really want to get this device off of gingerbread for my friend, I just can't figure out how to get it done.
I have tried accessing the phone using Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit and Ubuntu 12.10. Doesn't matter, no access to the storage.

Use Odin to flash a newer recovery
Or Odin to ics
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

Read the all in one noon sticky. The Samsung drivers u downloaded probably dont have adb support and other thing u need. That thread will provide all the info, just follow instructions exactly

If you can only access internal storage just download a flashable recovery that uses external storage and just flash it from recovery
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
---------- Post added at 11:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 PM ----------
Or install Goo Manager and install TWRP from it. You'll have working external and internal storage for flashing
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

holeindalip said:
Use Odin to flash a newer recovery
Or Odin to ics
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't connect via Odin. It never list my device as connected. (Yes, it is in download mode)
kriEv said:
If you can only access internal storage just download a flashable recovery that uses external storage and just flash it from recovery
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
---------- Post added at 11:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 PM ----------
Or install Goo Manager and install TWRP from it. You'll have working external and internal storage for flashing
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try goo manager, but I have tried downloading from web pages and the download always fails.

Well the other option would be to get on wifi at home, get an FTP server of the Play Store and transfer what you want from your computer to the phone via FTP. That can't fail.

You can try the app "Download All Files" to download files from the web. I haven't used it but have friends that say it works for them.
Or use Dropbox to transfer files between your computer and phone.

Most likely a faulty USB cable.