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[Q] TWRP not installing right on GS3

Hey Guys!
I have rooted 3 other GS3's using the method listed here:
http://theunlockr.com/2013/04/02/how-to-root-the-verizon-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-running-android-4-1-2/
All other roots worked great! I was able to flash TWRP (I realize that the specific tutorial above calls for CWM instead of TWRP) and then install a CyanogenMod ROM. However, this time it did not go well.
I forgot to enable USB debugging before flashing VRALEC the first time, and when I went to run TWRP (2.7.0 for d2vzw) I realized that it did not mount the file system I thought that this was unusual and then realized that I need to enable USB debugging. I completely unrooted the phone and installed stock recovery and rom (VRBMF1, Android 4.1.2) once this was done I figured that I would go back to a personally tried and true version of TWRP (2.5.0 for d2vzw). At this point I was careful to ensure that I enabled USB debugging before proceeding with the root process.
With TWRP 2.5.0 I was prompted with a password. This befuddled me and upon some reading on the forums I came across a solution that worked for others but NOT ME. (Essentially you clear the cache and to a factory reset 3x in TWRP recovery and it will stop prompting you for the password and mount your file system correctly). For me I was unable to mount the cache for dalvic-cache to wipe it and factory reset does nothing.
I have rooted and unrooted my phone approx seven times trying different versions of TWRP, CWM, and even trying to use a seperately downloaded VRALEC file just in case if mine had an error.
I also came across this thread (below) and it did look somewhat promising however it is for android 4.2.1 and I don't want to mess up my phone any more than it already was. I am getting similar (not exactly the same) errors in my TWRP. I also made sure to use the same bootloader that I used on other 4.1.2 android systems in addition to using the d2vzw version of TWRP (It is for this reason that I am not sure that flumpster's comment applies to me). I figured that I would include this information just in case it was helpful:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2228447
Any Ideas? I am really looking forward to trying Liquid Smooth 3.0!

Just a quick addition: I was able to use Casual's root method however I am still running into the password prompt in recovery and 3 wipes is not getting rid of that password prompt..
Thanks in advance for any help!

Root = bootloop on 5.0.1

Hi all,
So I'm far from a noob at at all of this (doing the custom android thing for years). But I'm not exactly constantly fiddling with my phone all the time anymore either. Basically I get a set-up that works for me, and I stick with it.
I've patiently been waiting to update to Lollipop. And today I did it. I did it by flashing the required factory images with fastboot.
AND IT WORKS. No problem. It boots. I go through the initial set-up. I can let it restore all my apps and passwords from the google servers, etc. So far so good.
My problem is that I cannot root. After I try, it bootloops (stuck at the Google splash, with my unlocked icon).
I tried to root before my first boot. I tried after the initial boot (before set-up and signing in). I tried rooting after setting it all up, and singing in, and letting google restore all of my apps. No matter which sequence I try, it will reboot a couple times at the first Google splash, and then fall back to Recovery.
(So, I'm on back on my rooted 4.4.4 nandroid, I think it's Mahdi Rom-- I forget)
Vital Stats:
Trying to install factory images of 5.0.1, all stock (system, boot (kernel), radio, bootloader)
Factory reset
(the above works fine)
TWRP 2.8.1.0
SuperSU-v2.40 (flashed via recovery)
Any ideas? Thanks for any help.

No, but could you try the previous version of SuperSU? Just to rule out the new version that I haven't tested please?

I updated to 5.0.1 earlier
Flashed all the img files exact userdata and then booted in to Android.
I then flashed TWRP 2.8.1.0 and used that to flash SuperSU 2.37
All that worked fine.. I then did a play update and SuperSU updated to 2.40
All working fine as far as I can tell. Apps needing root are working!

iowabeakster said:
Hi all,
So I'm far from a noob at at all of this (doing the custom android thing for years). But I'm not exactly constantly fiddling with my phone all the time anymore either. Basically I get a set-up that works for me, and I stick with it.
I've patiently been waiting to update to Lollipop. And today I did it. I did it by flashing the required factory images with fastboot.
AND IT WORKS. No problem. It boots. I go through the initial set-up. I can let it restore all my apps and passwords from the google servers, etc. So far so good.
My problem is that I cannot root. After I try, it bootloops (stuck at the Google splash, with my unlocked icon).
I tried to root before my first boot. I tried after the initial boot (before set-up and signing in). I tried rooting after setting it all up, and singing in, and letting google restore all of my apps. No matter which sequence I try, it will reboot a couple times at the first Google splash, and then fall back to Recovery.
(So, I'm on back on my rooted 4.4.4 nandroid, I think it's Mahdi Rom-- I forget)
Vital Stats:
Trying to install factory images of 5.0.1, all stock (system, boot (kernel), radio, bootloader)
Factory reset
(the above works fine)
TWRP 2.8.1.0
SuperSU-v2.40 (flashed via recovery)
Any ideas? Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try not doing that? When you go through the initial configuration, choose "Set up as a new device". Maybe the restore is somehow corrupting SuperSU?

BirchBarlow said:
Try not doing that? When you go through the initial configuration, choose "Set up as a new device". Maybe the restore is somehow corrupting SuperSU?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It happens even if I try to root before setting anything up at all.
albert_htc,
Are you saying: I should also flash the stock recovery first. Then boot for the first time. Then re-flash TWRP. Then flash SuperSU.
I never flashed the stock recovery. TWRP was on already on it.
Thanks guys. I'll give it another rip (doing stock recovery, then flashing back to TWRP) sometime soon.

iowabeakster said:
It happens even if I try to root before setting anything up at all.
albert_htc,
Are you saying: I should also flash the stock recovery first. Then boot for the first time. Then re-flash TWRP. Then flash SuperSU.
I never flashed the stock recovery. TWRP was on already on it.
Thanks guys. I'll give it another rip (doing stock recovery, then flashing back to TWRP) sometime soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, flash the factory image using the batch file so every partition gets re-flashed. Now I'm thinking maybe your recovery is corrupt.
Run flash-all.bat and when your device reboots, go through all of the initial configuration and download all of the Gapps updates. Once that's all completed, go ahead and route using TWRP. If you find yourself still having the same problem, try live booting TWRP to flash SuperSU.

BirchBarlow said:
Yes, flash the factory image using the batch file so every partition gets re-flashed. Now I'm thinking maybe your recovery is corrupt.
Run flash-all.bat and when your device reboots, go through all of the initial configuration and download all of the Gapps updates. Once that's all completed, go ahead and route using TWRP. If you find yourself still having the same problem, try live booting TWRP to flash SuperSU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not going to flash over my user data, nandroids, app back-ups, etc. I'll stay with kit kat forever on my nexus 5 before I do that. Version numbers aren't that important. Hours wasted getting things set-up again are.
My recovery works fine. Both on kit kat and lollipop. My only problem is a boot loop when I flash SuperSU (via TWRP), on lollipop. I will try flashing stock recovery, though and then reflashing TWRP.

iowabeakster said:
I'm not going to flash over my user data, nandroids, app back-ups, etc. I'll stay with kit kat forever on my nexus 5 before I do that. Version numbers aren't that important. Hours wasted getting things set-up again are.
My recovery works fine. Both on kit kat and lollipop. My only problem is a boot loop when I flash SuperSU (via TWRP), on lollipop. I will try flashing stock recovery, though and then reflashing TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a tedious process, but it really isn't all that hard to back everything up to a computer, and you can do it easily with fastboot and a single command line.
Or what I'd recommend doing is just booting up, backing up all folders to a PC and then resetting and restoring later, backup apps with Titanium Backup (what I always do). A lot of us flashed factory images when Lollipop came out, so it isn't that bad once you start on the road.

Have you tried rooting from the bootloader via Chainfire's cf-auto root? I know I've read that sometimes rooting from recovery doesn't work properly, and that only certain zips will work. I've used the auto root each time (from stock fastboot flashing 5.0 & 5.0.1) with lollipop and it works fine. Link
Unzip and run batch file in bootloader. It will wipe everything if you haven't already unlocked bootloader (fastboot oem unlock). If you are already unlocked it won't wipe anything.

snappycg1996 said:
It's a tedious process, but it really isn't all that hard to back everything up to a computer, and you can do it easily with fastboot and a single command line.
Or what I'd recommend doing is just booting up, backing up all folders to a PC and then resetting and restoring later, backup apps with Titanium Backup (what I always do). A lot of us flashed factory images when Lollipop came out, so it isn't that bad once you start on the road.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just backed the /sdcard, to my PC. I just re-ran titanium.
I can deal with "/sdcard issues" from updating to lollipop easy enough. That's a 30 second fix. I can deal with setting up my email accounts to my email client app. I can deal with launcher settings, and all the other apps, widgets, etc. Those are things that I can slowly get back to where I want. They aren't critical. But yeah, very tedious.
I think "starting over" may be much more tedious for me than most people though. I run ssh servers and clients on all PCs, servers, and phones (disabling passwords and using rsa encryption keys for security). It's very nice, once I get it all set up in that I can access everything (from anything) very easily. I do need root for that though also.
But if I can't just hit a "restore" to get it all my ssh addresses, keys, fingerprits, etc back to where it was and then I have to: reverify new fingerprints, generate new keys, re-enable passwords to transmit new keys for everything, then disable passwords (for all machines) ... well... I just get very very grumpy.

anactoraaron said:
Have you tried rooting from the bootloader via Chainfire's cf-auto root? I know I've read that sometimes rooting from recovery doesn't work properly, and that only certain zips will work. I've used the auto root each time (from stock fastboot flashing 5.0 & 5.0.1) with lollipop and it works fine. Link
Unzip and run batch file in bootloader. It will wipe everything if you haven't already unlocked bootloader (fastboot oem unlock). If you are already unlocked it won't wipe anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll check that out. Thanks.

Phone bootlooping if i update to CM12, working with CM11S and ColorOS

Hi everyone, i've got my OPO when CM12 still wasn't a thing, and it always did his job wonderfully, i've updated to CM12 when it first came out, then updated it every time a new stable version was out, YNG1TAS2I3 version included (with root access and TWRP). A few days ago, while i was listening to some music with Google Play Music, the phone started to reboot itself for no apparent reason, and after around 10 reboots with random timings, i found out there was a problem with google play services, so i blocked them with Titanium Backup, deleted updates, updated them again, reactivated, and everything went fine.
Yesterday, my phone once again rebooted by itself, but every time it was rebooting, while showing the boot logo, it rebooted again without actually loading android. I first tried to wipe cache, then dalvik cache, then data and system partitions, factory reset, but it kept rebooting no matter what, until i tried to flash CM11S on it. After a few tries and total wipes, CM11S was running with no reboots, and it worked flawlessly, no root, no custom recovery, everything stock flashed from official fastboot images zip.
After that, i tried to update via OTA to the more recent versions of CM11S, no problems so far, but as soon as i updated to CM12 via OTA once again, the phone started to reboot itself after the update, it says "Upgrading Android" like when you wipe the dalvik-cache, and then it freezes for a second, then reboots.
Things i've tried so far:
full wipe and factory reset from TWRP
erase and flash again all partitions
erase and flash again persist partition
flash colorOS and then flash CM12
After flashing the persist partition it managed to work for a minute on CM12, but then it started rebooting itself again, and i've managed to save the last part of logat log , but i'm not sure if it's worth anything to find out the problem! (i can't post it on forum because of the new user link restriction, but if you want to have a look at it, let me know)
So, basically, my phone works only on android 4.x and not on 5.x, I would think some app on it can make it crash, but even after a full wipe it still behaves like this, what could be the reason and how can i try to fix it? thanks in advice!

I recommend you to flash fastboot images of CMOS12 without skipping any file
Steps to flash >> http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/general/guides-bacon-timmaaas-how-to-guides-t2839471

xKylesx said:
Hi everyone, i've got my OPO when CM12 still wasn't a thing, and it always did his job wonderfully, i've updated to CM12 when it first came out, then updated it every time a new stable version was out, YNG1TAS2I3 version included (with root access and TWRP). A few days ago, while i was listening to some music with Google Play Music, the phone started to reboot itself for no apparent reason, and after around 10 reboots with random timings, i found out there was a problem with google play services, so i blocked them with Titanium Backup, deleted updates, updated them again, reactivated, and everything went fine.
Yesterday, my phone once again rebooted by itself, but every time it was rebooting, while showing the boot logo, it rebooted again without actually loading android. I first tried to wipe cache, then dalvik cache, then data and system partitions, factory reset, but it kept rebooting no matter what, until i tried to flash CM11S on it. After a few tries and total wipes, CM11S was running with no reboots, and it worked flawlessly, no root, no custom recovery, everything stock flashed from official fastboot images zip.
After that, i tried to update via OTA to the more recent versions of CM11S, no problems so far, but as soon as i updated to CM12 via OTA once again, the phone started to reboot itself after the update, it says "Upgrading Android" like when you wipe the dalvik-cache, and then it freezes for a second, then reboots.
Things i've tried so far:
full wipe and factory reset from TWRP
erase and flash again all partitions
erase and flash again persist partition
flash colorOS and then flash CM12
After flashing the persist partition it managed to work for a minute on CM12, but then it started rebooting itself again, and i've managed to save the last part of logat log , but i'm not sure if it's worth anything to find out the problem! (i can't post it on forum because of the new user link restriction, but if you want to have a look at it, let me know)
So, basically, my phone works only on android 4.x and not on 5.x, I would think some app on it can make it crash, but even after a full wipe it still behaves like this, what could be the reason and how can i try to fix it? thanks in advice!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1)Are u tried cm 12.1
after u flashing cm 12 then reboot and again go back to recovery and flash cm 12.1
2) try to use different kernels supporting to cm 12 like boeffla /AK etc
3) try to flash cm 12 firmware via fastboot flash installation process

Stuck in a bootloop, please help

Hey,
Quick rundown: Stuck in a bootloop to some sort of empty bootloader screen which has the readout:
"Start/Restart Bootloader/Recovery Mode/Power Off"
"Press volume key to select, and press power key to select"[Regarding above options]
"FastBoot Mode
PRODUCT_NAME - sdm845
VARIANT - SDM UFS
BOOTLOADER VERSION -
BASEBAND VERSION -
SERIAL NUMBER - [Gonna leave this out for now]
SECURE BOOT - yes
DEVICE STATE - unlocked" [this line is in red]​
Every choice besides Power Off returns me to the same window. What can I do to recover from this?
Background:
So I was trying to update my OP6 to the current OxygenOS while keeping my root using TWRP and Magisk, which I've done in the past without any issue(i.e. go in recovery flash OS, flash current TWRP, reboot back to recovery, flash current Magisk as I understand it). However this time I was running into an issue flashing the Oxygen update getting an error that said it "failed to map file" for the zip. My first instinct was to update TWRP to see if the newest version didn't run into this issue so I flashed that followed by the current Magisk(no reboot in between). After booting back to standard operations everything seemed fine. I went back into recovery and tried the OS update again, but hit the same issue.
I couldn't find anything specific to OP6 with this issue, but similar questions with other devices suggested clearing the dalvik cache, which I tried to no useful effect. Then I came across this thread (forums.oneplus.com/threads/oxygen-os3-i-have-a-problem-please-help.440587/page-2 too new to hyperlink) and did what I think really messed me up which was boldly follow this guy's advice to do an advanced wipe of everything but internal storage(I also left USB storage intact) from TWRP. This failed to fix the issue with the file mapping error when I subsequently tried to flash the update, though I was able to flash TWRP and Magisk successfully again before rebooting and ending up in this loop.
Any assistance in fixing this or general tips on how to not be foolish when messing around with this stuff is greatly appreciated.

Update:
So I followed the advice gleaned from the resourceful person here(https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-6t/help/bootloader-baseband-versions-blank-t3927565) to try working with the device from my computer with fastboot. At first it would recognize the device as "Android" but be unable to find a driver for it and adb/fastboot both failed to recognize it as a device. After installing MiniTool(more as a way to backup what was on the SD card) the proper device driver also got installed and I was able to access it with fastboot; I ran into similar issues as the linked thread above, solved it by switching to b(still failed) then back to a.
Currently I've got it booted into TWRP and I'm working on getting the current Oxygen .zip copied onto the phone storage but the transfer keeps failing after moving a negligible amount.
Update 2:
Via TWRP was able to sideload the current up-to-date standard OS onto it, however my Google backup seems to have decided to disappear on me and the only OP backup I have is ages old. Anyone have recommendations on data recovery tools?

next time just dont change the build.prop file.
serious, it just breaks the system.
heppened to me too.

NickTheHuy said:
next time just dont change the build.prop file.
serious, it just breaks the system.
heppened to me too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know, thanks for the info!
I assume that happened when I messed around with advanced wipe, do you know which of the folders I selected that would have been under? And just for future awareness, would that have not occurred had I just used TWRP's standard wipe instead?

You can run a program that will install 9.0.6 from scratch, running a batch file...
Save my life before yesterday....

Your device is bricked
If able to access the TWRP recovery then boot into twrp and try to get all the data stored in your computer.
Then use the Qualcomm flash tool to completely recover from your hard bricked OP6.
from here https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-6/how-to/op6-collection-unbrick-tools-t3914109
Then its easy, again unlock boot-loader flash TWRP and magisk.

Question Stuck in BootLoop, unable to flash boot.img via TWRP or ADB

Hi, I run LineageOS 19.1 on my Vayu. It is obviously unlocked and I have Rooted it with Magisk.
I have put off updating the System but did it just now through the Updater in the Settings. From 20220916 to 20221104.
I ran into a Bootloop and went into Fastboot, installed TWRP with ADB sideload. (Had stock Recovery before)
I then tried to just revert back to 20220916 (which was not so smart). I tried to sideloaded the boot.img, but it showed "failed".
--> Still in Bootloop after Rebooting
Now I am unable to flash any boot.img or boot at all.
I tried to flash something else (Magisk.zip), which worked. I have removed all magisk modules, tried to boot with
magisk --remove-modules.
Does anyone have any Ideas? I don't really want to Reset my Phone, even though I have abundant Backups.
Thank you )

Moving back to old version almost all the times is not possible without full reset, new version contains new scripts and possibly new files, how would you explain this for system?

By flashing old version over new one, you probably messed up your system, might as well just backup your data and start from scratch.