I got my Motorola DEFY recently, and I'm new to Android, but I want to install stuff that needs root. However, I want to be able to restore everything to how the phone was when I got it, should the need arise.
I successfully rooted using z4root and installed ROM manager, at which point I did some googling and discovered that if I install ClockworkMod Recovery it's not easy to revert back to the normal recovery console. It's not that hard, but I understand it requires an image of the original recovery console. I thought that the backup option on ROM Manager would help, but it requires ClockworkMod Recovery to be installed.
So the question is, can the recovery console be backed up prior to installing ClockworkMod Recovery, or alternately can the entire phone state be backed up, including the recovery console and the rest of the ROM.
Help would be appreciated. Thanks!
If you install CWM Recovery you can do a nandroid backup of your stock ROM so that you can revert later. You don't need to worry about a stock recovery image because once you restore the backup you made, the custom recovery will be overwritten with the stock one with every reboot.
Hey everyone,
My situation sounds pretty similar to what's described in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1840030
"there is a risk of the /system and /data partitions not wiping correctly thus leading them to be formatted with R/O permissions rather than R/W. This makes it impossible for the phone to boot up because no data can be written. Not even a typical ODIN flash back to stock or rooted stock will fix this."
I was prepared to follow the instructions, but have read around about permanent bricking or bootloader locking by downgrading after having upgraded to 4.3, so I'm seeking advice. Unfortunately, I'm not certain which bootloader/chain/modem/whatever I'm using right now.
The Source of the Problem
I was on the latest stable CM11
I upgraded to M7 using TWRP
The Google Apps were constantly crashing. I didn't realize I had upgraded to 4.4 from 4.3, so my first instinct was not to flash a newer gapps package. I did a factory reset followed by a ROM flash (same M7 package).
Booted successfully this time. Flashed gapps, downloaded Titanium.
Restored previous ID with Titanium and installed Super SU (don't remember what order).
Normal method failed for Super SU, so I used TWRP.
Installed a bunch of apps, tweaked a bunch of settings.
Restored things from Titanium. Rebooted. Bootloop.
Factory Reset (or maybe cleared cache+dalvik, don't remember) which resulted in "E:/error opening '/data/lost+found'" about thirty times in a row
Found this thread, followed mitchallica's instructions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-4/help/solved-e-error-data-lost-factory-reset-t2147501 which must have been a bad idea since he described having one l+f file, wheras I had duplicate directories
When trying to create the lost+found directory, it ended up creating the same thirty or so I had just deleted. It was impossible to create just one. I deleted it and rebooted to recovery.
This is where things get fuzzy. I performed a barrage of flashes, wipes, permission fixes, and tried a few times unsuccessfully to create the lost+found using the recovery terminal
What Doesn't Work
Normal boot lands on CM boot animation, remains there indefinitely (bootloop)
Factory Reset, Restore, Terminal Commands, and File Manager navigation that involve /data result in half second hang followed by reboot.
What Does Work!
I'm able to boot into recovery and download mode. I'm able to connect to ADB.
Current Stats That I Know Of
TWRP Version: 2.6.3.1
Last used Android version: 4.4.2
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.
Hello,
I am new to rooting so I hope what i say makes sense.
I recently rooted my Samsung galaxy s6 G920IDVU3EPC6 yesterday. After seeing a update notification pop up it took me to twrp where I tried everything to get out of it, install the .zip thing. reboot. Nothing would get me out of the twrp menu. stupidly, I did an advanced wipe and it appears I got rid of all the system files or something like that.
Now the only thing I can do is enter the blue download menu or get stuck on the boot logo screen forever. I have made backups of my files on my PC. How do I get my phone back? please help me!
Hi,
Samsung OTAs (Over The Air) updates won't work on a rooted device. It has rebooted into TWRP, because normally it reboots into it's original Samsung recovery and installs the update. But because TWRP replaces the Samsung recovery, it doesn't work.
And if you have wiped the System partition, you no longer have anything installed. No Android, nothing.
The easiest thing to do would be to flash the original firmware for your device. Then you can do the update, then root your device.
A good habit to get into when you have TWRP installed is to do regular TWRP full backups. That way, if anything happens (like wiping your device), you can just restore that backup from TWRP, and the phone will be exactly as it was, with all partitions intact
the_scotsman said:
Hi,
Samsung OTAs (Over The Air) updates won't work on a rooted device. It has rebooted into TWRP, because normally it reboots into it's original Samsung recovery and installs the update. But because TWRP replaces the Samsung recovery, it doesn't work.
And if you have wiped the System partition, you no longer have anything installed. No Android, nothing.
The easiest thing to do would be to flash the original firmware for your device. Then you can do the update, then root your device.
A good habit to get into when you have TWRP installed is to do regular TWRP full backups. That way, if anything happens (like wiping your device), you can just restore that backup from TWRP, and the phone will be exactly as it was, with all partitions intact
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't flash the original ROM. When I try to flash it on odin it never gets past setup connection or NAND write start. I tried different versions and cable and port and it doesnt work. PLEASE HELP
I can enter the TWRP menu but whenever I do something it says no OS installed.
Couldn't find any info on this on xda or while googling.
This guide assumes you're on an official MIUI rom, with root, and twrp either installed or bootable from fastboot through computer i.e. your bootloader is already unlocked etc.
Dirty flashing new rom actually is a lot easier than on recent devices from other manufacturers (I've just leaved Motorola after running their G-series phones since 2015).
Go to https://xiaomifirmwareupdater.com/miui/tucana/ , download the latest ROM under type Recovery, i.e. a flashable zip. Make shure it's from the same region as you're currently running.
Backup all your apps using titanium backup. Reboot to twrp, do a twrp backup of everything. Then copy everything from your phone over android file transfer from twrp to pc while booted to twrp (all this can be skipped if you don't care of your files, apps etc if something goes wrong).
Put downloaded zip from above on phones internal storage in the same way as backup. Install as zip from twrp. Pray for working dirty flash (downloaded zip recoveries seem all to be dirty flash ones, i.e. doesn't format data and internal storage).
Before rebooting, make shure to install twrp again as it gets overwritten. Also apply your root by installing magisk zip again. Reboot and pray.
If your phone boots, everything's intact, but either root or twrp is gone, reapply the same way as before. As your bootloader is unlocked, you can flash twrp.img as recovery with fastboot from computer without your device gets formatted.
Above worked for me going from V11.0.8.0.PFDMIXM to V11.0.9.0.PFDMIXM while rooted, without looseing anything.
What partitions "NEED" to be backed up ? I'm using twrp 3.3.2b-0219 by wzsk150 and theres 31 partitions ( never seen that many ever)
Petesky said:
What partitions "NEED" to be backed up ? I'm using twrp 3.3.2b-0219 by wzsk150 and theres 31 partitions ( never seen that many ever)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no partitions "need" to be backed up. for safety purposes, back up everything you can select though, that way you maximize what you can restore and go back to. you can delete the backup after a successful upgrade.
Finally got round to doing this , flashed orangefox recovery then dirty flashed Global_V12.0.1.0 over Global_V11.0.8.0,
then flashed orangefox again with magisk, everything working ok