Hi all, glad to find this
I have ..., guess what ? a RAZR i (Ok, it's a friend's one) that I repaired changing the mad battery after factory resets didn't do anything. Then found OTA was available, applied and the RAZR i was 4.1.2 IIRC and the new battery went OK. My mistake, another OTA went soon, which I applied too, making the RAZR i a 4.4.2 kitkat piece of crap (no more write access to sdcard, this is well known ... by the ones aware , know I'm one).
Then I thought I could make the phone free and search the web for days to try to understand, found a french forum which said I can't do anything without unlocking the bootloader, what I did.
They directed me there to remove the boot-logo-warning but that's a razr hd thread and nothing worked for me. I can't remember where I read I should have CWM to do this, but as the french guy said he rather like twrp I didn't do anything at the moment, only failed to flash some logo from fastboot with various errors....
Well, I'm there, and it's cool because I hope this is the good place to have answers to questions that are still in my mind for years, and 2/3 new ones... fortunately they'll overlap and self-resolve once I get one. I'm not at all skilled in android, I only flashed a phone in 2010 and that's why I still have android SKD in my ubuntu (I also have a xp box, but I couldn't do anything for my old Acer LiquidMT). As you see, I'm a vintage things amateur (... okay, I'm vintage too).
Now the scene is built, please let me dare ask what still puzzles me :
1) For the Razr i 4.4.2 (french from sfr-vodafone kia20.74 now used with another carrier) do I have to search a specifically dedicated recovery ? Parsing this RAZR i Q&A, I found twrp seems to the preferred recovery, but I'd rather like to get confirmation from skilled ones, and also for version.
2) And please tell me if I'm wrong thinking the [RECOVERY] Unofficial TWRP 3.0.2-0 thread aim is to bring support to the RAZR i which is not supported by official teamw.in ? (BTW, @Hazou, the 1st link in the thread - DataMedia - is dead)
3) Assumed I have to go the TWRP way and I only have currently the stock recovery, do I guess right the only way is download img.zip and extract then do
Code:
./fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
, then only after that the phone can be rooted ?
4) You see I'm puzzled here because I still don't have understood the logical path: is this one the good ? unlock boot loader -> fastboot flash reco -> is the device rooted at this point ? If not, install su from recovery option "install zip from sdcard", then it's done and I get a so called "rooted stock ROM" ? Then only I can figure installing a custom ROM if exists for the RAZR i ?
5) And I should always flash a custom ROM based on the same 4.4.2 android release as my current stock one AND disable OTA updates ?
I read so many threads with guys having issues with hard-bricked RAZR i and all are about ICS and JB, so I wander the only custom are for ICS or JB, and still don't understand why they want to revert back.
Thanks for advices.
1stStep said:
Hi all, glad to find this
I have ..., guess what ? a RAZR i (Ok, it's a friend's one) that I repaired changing the mad battery after factory resets didn't do anything. Then found OTA was available, applied and the RAZR i was 4.1.2 IIRC and the new battery went OK. My mistake, another OTA went soon, which I applied too, making the RAZR i a 4.4.2 kitkat piece of crap (no more write access to sdcard, this is well known ... by the ones aware , know I'm one).
Then I thought I could make the phone free and search the web for days to try to understand, found a french forum which said I can't do anything without unlocking the bootloader, what I did.
They directed me there to remove the boot-logo-warning but that's a razr hd thread and nothing worked for me. I can't remember where I read I should have CWM to do this, but as the french guy said he rather like twrp I didn't do anything at the moment, only failed to flash some logo from fastboot with various errors....
Well, I'm there, and it's cool because I hope this is the good place to have answers to questions that are still in my mind for years, and 2/3 new ones... fortunately they'll overlap and self-resolve once I get one. I'm not at all skilled in android, I only flashed a phone in 2010 and that's why I still have android SKD in my ubuntu (I also have a xp box, but I couldn't do anything for my old Acer LiquidMT). As you see, I'm a vintage things amateur (... okay, I'm vintage too).
Now the scene is built, please let me dare ask what still puzzles me :
1) For the Razr i 4.4.2 (french from sfr-vodafone kia20.74 now used with another carrier) do I have to search a specifically dedicated recovery ? Parsing this RAZR i Q&A, I found twrp seems to the preferred recovery, but I'd rather like to get confirmation from skilled ones, and also for version.
2) And please tell me if I'm wrong thinking the [RECOVERY] Unofficial TWRP 3.0.2-0 thread aim is to bring support to the RAZR i which is not supported by official teamw.in ? (BTW, @Hazou, the 1st link in the thread - DataMedia - is dead)
3) Assumed I have to go the TWRP way and I only have currently the stock recovery, do I guess right the only way is download img.zip and extract then do
Code:
./fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
, then only after that the phone can be rooted ?
4) You see I'm puzzled here because I still don't have understood the logical path: is this one the good ? unlock boot loader -> fastboot flash reco -> is the device rooted at this point ? If not, install su from recovery option "install zip from sdcard", then it's done and I get a so called "rooted stock ROM" ? Then only I can figure installing a custom ROM if exists for the RAZR i ?
5) And I should always flash a custom ROM based on the same 4.4.2 android release as my current stock one AND disable OTA updates ?
I read so many threads with guys having issues with hard-bricked RAZR i and all are about ICS and JB, so I wander the only custom are for ICS or JB, and still don't understand why they want to revert back.
Thanks for advices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey 1stStep,
A lot off assumptions and questions. And most of them are right.
1. Afaik there are 2 recoveries for the RAZR I. Stock and my build TWRP 3.0.2-0 unofficial. (Thanks for the heads up about the link)
2. Answered in 1.
3. Yep. If your bootloader is unlocked it gives u the function to flash non-stock firmware to the phone. Stock firmware are signed to prevent normal users flashing wrong firmware. Firmware consist of a couple of images. Those images contain data for the partition, just like in your PC. Every image does something else. Most known are boot, data, system, recovery and cache. There are many more. Some needed, some unnecessary.
To answer your question: when u have flashed the TWRP recovery u override the stock one. The TWRP can flash zip files and images to the most known device partitions. From here on u can flash a superuser zip(gives root access on the current ROM/system). Make sure u have the right superuser zip. There are many.
4.
Path to root on stock:
Unlock bootloader->install custom recovery (TWRP)->install superuser zip->reboot and test root on device
Path to custom ROM:
Unlock bootloader->install custom recovery (TWRP)->install ROM zip and extra's if needed like (Gapps(needed for Google playstore and more))->reboot and play with your new ROM.
Off course if u already have the bootloader unlocked and installed a custom recovery, u can skip those.
In the recovery u can also make backups, called nandroid backup. Read up on them and everything u wanna do.
5. The only thing u never want/should do is flashing Android 4.0.4 stock firmware without prior modifications. This is because from 4.0.4 to 4.1.2 there was a change in bootloader (the thing u unlock). If u go back it corrupt a part of the firmware which is difficult to overcome or even impossible without some factory stuff. Everything above 4.1.2 is save. And can always be flashed. The latest stock is 4.4.2 (KIA 20.74) and latest available custom ROM is 4.4.4 (CM11 or soon Lineage 11).
Good luck!
Thanks so mush great dev to spend time and even surely repeat yourself (hope you're not under stress) for a newb.
In your answer for path to custom ROM you say "Unlock bootloader->install custom recovery (TWRP)->install ROM zip and extra's if needed like".
Do I have to understand custom ROMs are yet rooted (OOTB), or root yet made on stock will survive flashing the custom (I though flashing a custom was some kind of infant clear brain graft?
BTW, is it general good advice to test recovery before flashing? I found this in Moto Play unofficial recovery 3.0.2-r5 from Vache:
Code:
fastboot boot recovery.img
?
Thanks again
1stStep said:
Thanks so mush great dev to spend time and even surely repeat yourself (hope you're not under stress) for a newb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not at all , just replying if I have some time.
1stStep said:
In your answer for path to custom ROM you say "Unlock bootloader->install custom recovery (TWRP)->install ROM zip and extra's if needed like".
Do I have to understand custom ROMs are yet rooted (OOTB), or root yet made on stock will survive flashing the custom (I though flashing a custom was some kind of infant clear brain graft?
BTW, is it general good advice to test recovery before flashing? I found this in Moto Play unofficial recovery 3.0.2-r5 from Vache:
Code:
fastboot boot recovery.img
?
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Most custom roms are prerooted.
- Cyanogenmod/LineageOS are prerooted
- Root installed by a zip will not survive any system flashing (rom flashing)
- Any modification to your system partition will not survive and system flashing (rom flashing), though 1 exception:
- installed gapps package (google apps/play store etc.) will survive system flashing on cyanogenmod based roms. But only when updating the rom to a newer version on the same android version. So:
CM11 version 1 to CM11 version 2. (because of a special script in the install zip)
Pre testing a boot or recovery image is blocked on our bootloader. So u can't do it. It's a shame they did it. Working on any boot or recovery changes is a pain in the spoken ass.
If u flash the recovery with:
Code:
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
there is nothing to be afraid off. The TWRP 3.0.2-0 recovery is well tested on this device.
Thank you again man for all detailed answer.
You're right, it's a shame all these locked things in our phones. I'm sure the guys that agree (our security, blah blah) with these ways to do won't be so happy the day their computers will be locked the same way.
bye bye Hazou.
[Edit] .... hmmm, how long does it take to flash? Yet a 1/4h elapsed and razr still says "Flashing recovery..."
Please, what is the md5 of the image (not the zip, this you give us)? Thanks
[Edit] : Downloaded twice and get md5sum 60dff26f3ee5e9338ee4a6f8cf7df098
but still same forever Flashing recovery ...
[Edit] : I've been puzzled for days being stuck in endless "Flashing recovery ..."
In the ended I decided, after saying 1 hour waiting a hypothetical "success/congrats message", NOT QUITTING the current fastboot screen, to select the recovery option in this very fastboot menu (on a Razr i : Vol- to highlight recovery item, then Vol+ to select) and bang I was in TWRP menu. What to do next once in, it is another story.
Related
Fellow androiders,
I believe I am in a really rare brick situation that no matter how I try, it still does not show any turn around.
[Introduction]
I bought a Korean version Milestone(Moto Qrty, as they put], and I took it to China. Because the original phone did not support sending Chinese text message, plus, too much telco provided apps are making the phone sluggish, I decided to follow my friend advice, to switch to widely available open-sourced Froyo (I wanted the CM).
[Problem]
I thought that the flashing process would not be too difficult and I could handle it by myself. But, it turns out that I have become a victim of an overly simplified version of flashing guide. I don't know what exactly have done wrong, after successfully rooted the phone, I vaguely remember that I have used CM ROM for Droid, instead of CM ROM for Milestone.
And that made my phone a brick. My phone will turn on, but will restart again and again after M logo(So-called M boot loop).
[Background information of the Phone and my PC environment]
Phone Model: A853
Original Bootloader version: A0.20
Original Android System: Froyo
RSD lite version: 5.3.1. (later switched to 4.6 due to the suspicion of RSD bug)
Operating System: Windows 7 64 bit, English
[What I have tried so far]
I have tried to follow many tips on the internet. Tips from Korean websites, from Chinese websites, and from English websites. Basically, these tips will let you flash back to the original ROM by using RSD lite.
But, no matter what I try, it will not fix the boot loop problem.
I've tried to
1) Bring the phone to the original status [did not work.]
- flash the bootloader into A0.20 (the original bootloader) with RSD lite;
(bl_a020_umts_sholesumts_skt_consumer_replacer.sbf)
- flash with original Froyo sbf (following the advice from Korean websites, flashed Clair first, and then flashed Froyo) with RSD lite.
(A853_2.1(Eclair).SBF / A853_2.2.1(Proyo).SBF)
* According to what Koreans say, it would make your phone into the original status, will even remove signs of root.
2) Used many combination of following bootloader and ROMs
- flash the bootloader into 90.78ch
(BL_9078_umts_sholes_GC_HS_Consumer_replacer.sbf)
- flash the bootloader into 90.78
(BL_9078_umts_sholes_HS_Consumer_replacer.sbf)
- GOT221 ROM
(GOT_RTEU_2_2_1FULL.sbf)
- And some other un-name-able ROMs
SGC_U2_03.04.0_USASHLSGCB1B2B5008.0R_PDS06A_HWp2a_1FF.sbf
3) Used many different OpenRecovery Variations
OpenRecovery v1.46
OpenRecovery 3.3
OpenRecovery GOT mod v2.1
4) Restore Nandroid backup which I made right before I made my phone brick.
5) Cleaned data/cache/dalvic as I do every flash, and tried boot without SIM card and SDCard.
[Some discoveries and successes]
- With 90.78ch + GOT2.2.1, it will show "Android" screen, but it will reboot as soon as the phone OS interface show up.
- According to my friend, when he flashed back to the original bootloader A0.20 + original froyo Rom, it showed TelCo Symbol "T" once (which is the booting screen right after M).
[Final Comment]
What I really want to know is that is it the time I give up on it? or is there any value of pursuing other knowledge on bring this phone back?
I really need this phone, and it will take some times to save money to buy another smartphone, I would really really appreciate if you can help me bring this phone back to normal.
Thank you.
some users reported problems with sdcard. try to boot without sdcard, and wipe everything after or before the flash process.
and i don think it's hard bricked...
Sir, I have tried so, somehow, I did not have lucks other had.
roofghost said:
Sir, I have tried so, somehow, I did not have lucks other had.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you've tried flashing different bootloaders, with no success? I always thought flashing another bootloader version different from your own was risky.
If not, you can just try flashing the SBF from here: http://android.doshaska.net/rootable , then installing OpenRecovery, rooting the phone, flashing a custom ROM, etc.
..... my bad
I have the same issue,
in recovery there is message when wiping data/factory reset:
E:Error in CACHE:fota/log
(no space left on device)
I am wondering, if I move CACHE to SD would it help??
Yesterday I have installed original Rom (shols~) and phone booted once to android and when I have rebooted it, there is M bootloop again.
Please help me
skadude66 said:
So you've tried flashing different bootloaders, with no success? I always thought flashing another bootloader version different from your own was risky.
If not, you can just try flashing the SBF from here: android.doshaska.net/rootable , then installing OpenRecovery, rooting the phone, flashing a custom ROM, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, did not work.
I have a feeling that the "doshaska" will know how to solve this. Anyone know how to contact or PM him?
Thanks.
By the way,
in this case, is there anyway can fix the brick via "console" in the OpenRecovery?
Thanks.
So... you have open recovery and can get to the console...
What happens if you copy CM to the updates folder and flash CM?
zeppelinrox said:
So... you have open recovery and can get to the console...
What happens if you copy CM to the updates folder and flash CM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I can enter OpenRecovery and can get to the console.
And,
sorry about the CM, I think I will have to try that again and let you know then.
Is there any CM ROM you want me to try? (Hopefully with a reliable instruction. If you are busy, you can just leave this part, I will look for myself about the instruction.)
Truly thank you and glad to see new reply under this topic.
Well, use OR's mount as usb function and plug into your computer.
Copy the latest CM7 (I think that's what you want - or any ROM really) to the updates folder.
Wipe all caches
Then apply the update
It should "just work"
I mean, the hardest part is getting into OR lol
I'm surprised that your battery hasn't died yet
zeppelinrox said:
Well, use OR's mount as usb function and plug into your computer.
Copy the latest CM7 (I think that's what you want - or any ROM really) to the updates folder.
Wipe all caches
Then apply the update
It should "just work"
I mean, the hardest part is getting into OR lol
I'm surprised that your battery hasn't died yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I install CM7 on Froyo? I thought that was for the Android 2.3.
I have just flashed back to the original bootloader of A0.20 (it was 90.78 as I play around with it.), and flashed the original korean .sbf froyo. Just to follow your suggestion.
I will try to install vulnerable recovery. I think in this way, I can use OpenRecovery again.
About my batter, I purchased a separate battery charger.
I will keep my status updated as soon as I try this out.
Thanks.
same problem and flash so many rom My milestone can't acess sdcard on recovery mode and android os.
Sent from my Milestone using XDA App
guys same problem here, help us
Hello All,
I would like to start by saying that i am a huge fan of XDA DEV and everything that has been done here for the android community. I myself am a noob , more or less , so i basically bricked my phone.
I decided to update my viper one rom to 4.3 9 from (2.3 ) and came across zero access to CWR and bootloops.
SOMEHOW... i managed to use ADB as well as tool kits to reinstall a cwm ( after about 100 attempts ) .. and reflash my old 2.3 viper rom.
Now i cannot access my nandroid backup which i made before flashing to 4.3. I am going to try to reflash an older version of CWRM and maybe it will be there.
Furthermore, i would like to know what the proper procedure to upgrade my device . If anyone would be so kind and instruct me, i will appreciate it.
Thank you!
EDIT :::
- I am S-on ( probably makes a difference )
AlexG236 said:
Hello All,
I would like to start by saying that i am a huge fan of XDA DEV and everything that has been done here for the android community. I myself am a noob , more or less , so i basically bricked my phone.
I decided to update my viper one rom to 4.3 9 from (2.3 ) and came across zero access to CWR and bootloops.
SOMEHOW... i managed to use ADB as well as tool kits to reinstall a cwm ( after about 100 attempts ) .. and reflash my old 2.3 viper rom.
Now i cannot access my nandroid backup which i made before flashing to 4.3. I am going to try to reflash an older version of CWRM and maybe it will be there.
Furthermore, i would like to know what the proper procedure to upgrade my device . If anyone would be so kind and instruct me, i will appreciate it.
Thank you!
EDIT :::
- I am S-on ( probably makes a difference )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI, You are NOT bricked. (bricked means non fixable)
TWRP is clearly mentioned by op on viper thread "AT LEAST Twrp 2.6.3.3 required (If you experience issues with Twrp 2.6.3.4, please downgrade by flashing TWRP 2.6.3.3 through the ViperOne installer main menu)
Sprint and Butterfly support is not available on 4.x.x yet. Last working rom for Sprint and Butterfly S is 3.5.0"
Are you on sprint? see above
Also, when s-on, need to extract boot.img and flash it via fastboot (fastboot flash boot bootimg).
clean install imminent for that huge update.
read first page again for better understandinghttp://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2334294
don't mention "bricked" and will find more help
Every time I trie to update to the latest ROMs I notice they specifically target the new bootloader. I have no idea what the old vs new bootloader dilemma is about but I bet my device runs the old one, I read somewhere the white LG logo on startup hints to an old bootloader,
My question is how to upgrade my bootloader or ROM directly to Kitkat the easiest way possible, I bought my handset already CMed and unrooted but I have never done it myself.
Thank you in advance, and if you could bother throw in some links to relevant threadshttp://forum.xda-developers.com/images/icons/icon8.gif
xdaCyborg said:
Every time I trie to update to the latest ROMs I notice they specifically target the new bootloader. I have no idea what the old vs new bootloader dilemma is about but I bet my device runs the old one, I read somewhere the white LG logo on startup hints to an old bootloader,
My question is how to upgrade my bootloader or ROM directly to Kitkat the easiest way possible, I bought my handset already CMed and unrooted but I have never done it myself.
Thank you in advance, and if you could bother throw in some links to relevant threadshttp://forum.xda-developers.com/images/icons/icon8.gif
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for tonyps kitkat , the only one for daily usage workign at the moment. you need his version of twrp 2.6 or as i know the cwm version 6.0.4.7, which can be found somewhere in the development forum.
tonyps cm11 : tonyps Cm11
kowalski kernel: kowalski kernel by pengus
dl links: cm11 by tonyp and bs86
working twrp by tonyp
They are New Bootloader only! The process seems as easy as full wipe + flash the zip (my phone came with ROM Manager 4.5.0.1 with old recovery) but I fear my bootloader in incompatible. Is there a way to update or something.
Also does my sd card and all applications get removed, and how to back them up, also if I brick my device does the recovery still work to flash the back up or what? very noob I know, I learned alot of terms but never managed to make good sense of it all, thank you.............
Oh one minute my ROM Manager has an Install ROM from SD Card button, can I do it right inside ROM Manager?
xdaCyborg said:
They are New Bootloader only! The process seems as easy as full wipe + flash the zip (my phone came with ROM Manager 4.5.0.1 with old recovery) but I fear my bootloader in incompatible. Is there a way to update or something.
Also does my sd card and all applications get removed, and how to back them up, also if I brick my device does the recovery still work to flash the back up or what? very noob I know, I learned alot of terms but never managed to make good sense of it all, thank you.............
Oh one minute my ROM Manager has an Install ROM from SD Card button, can I do it right inside ROM Manager?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With that you can backup/resotre and change the bootloader and alot more AiO-Toolkit
If you change the bootloader layout, as i know all stuf will be removed. so make a nandroid backup, if your new rom is not working and make a sdcard backup(also in aio) to get appdata back if you want.
If you dont want to download all apps new after having new rom use titanium backup. the recovery is not breakable. it will always work. not important if you **** your rom
xdaCyborg said:
They are New Bootloader only! The process seems as easy as full wipe + flash the zip (my phone came with ROM Manager 4.5.0.1 with old recovery) but I fear my bootloader in incompatible. Is there a way to update or something.
Also does my sd card and all applications get removed, and how to back them up, also if I brick my device does the recovery still work to flash the back up or what? very noob I know, I learned alot of terms but never managed to make good sense of it all, thank you.............
Oh one minute my ROM Manager has an Install ROM from SD Card button, can I do it right inside ROM Manager?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As you do have CM 7.1 installed, I guess you've got a custom recovery installed too? I don't think you can directly use ROM manager to install a kernel, but you can use ROM manager to boot into recovery mode and flash the zip from there Just be sure to make a nandroid backup, just in case KK isn't compatible with 7.1.
If you ever want to get tonyp's CM 11 though, the AIO toolkit, as @Zubeplanet pointed out, is really easy to use to get the new bootloader.
Happy flashing!
I recently got my TF701T back from repairs and they of course factory reset it (they put a new battery in). We all know it needs factory reset for that right? Anyways. I do a check for updates and nothing. I know I was running 4.4 previously but updater says no updates and stuck on original. So I start reading and download the latest US 4.4 firmware directly from ASUS, unzip it and put in main directory (verified mine was US) and reboot. Says all is fine, would I like to update, yes, reboot and I get the Android gear guy for about 10 minutes then it reboots. He shows up again and dead android shows up.
Now it just loops forever to this. I spent about 5 hours reading forums here, attempted a restore, but 1. the recovery.img link is bad and 2. my tablet isn't rooted.
Any suggestions? I can access the fastboot screen that gives me "RCK, Android and "Wipe Data". I tried Wipe data 3 times, no good still getting dead guy. I tried copying the latestest zip file to an sd card with boot.img and blob and file and ran RCK and it says match then reboots then dead guy again...
the fastboot screen says "released by: "US_epad-10.14.1.45-20131014" which I believe is the original.
You did a good job on your research. What might have tripped you up could be just a bad download. Files do get corrupted during download once in a while.
The recovery seems to have initially recognized the digital signature of the update file and started to flash it. And then something went wrong....
Download the firmware again. Unzip it once (the result should be a ....user.zip) and place that file onto a microSD formatted fat32 and not into any folder on the card. Boot to recovery (RCK).
If that does not work, try to rename the ...user.zip on the microSD to T4_SDUPDATE.zip and boot to recovery and report back.
Good luck!
So, I had downloaded 3 different versions multiple times before with zero success. But, once I took one and renamed it to T4_SDUPDATE.zip bam!
You just so made my day!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Devan
I have a question along these lines. What is the difference between the software update and firmware update and when do you do each? I understand the difference between what they are I suppose just not sure if updating is the same. Should I update kernel too or is that updated in an SW or FW update?
Thanks
Anyone?
I have seen these terms used very differently on different device forums.
Here on the Asus tablet forums people mostly talk about firmware when they mean the whole stock package. The stock firmware always comes with everything: Bootloader, recovery, rom and kernel
On the HTC M8 forum for example, they make a clear distinction: Software is rom and kernel, firmware is bootloader, radios, baseband etc.
The recovery seems to fall somewhere in between
Your bootloader version determines everything else. You should only flash a recovery, kernel or rom compatible with that particular bootloader.
You can, or have to, update it if you want to run a rom that requires a later or newer bootloader. Asus encrypts their BLs, so bootloader updates can only come from them - so far only with the release of a new version of the OEM "firmware".
If you as an unlocked, custom rom'd user then want to install a rom based on that new firmware, you have to update the bootloader and possibly but not necessarily your recovery before flashing the new custom rom.
Custom recoveries get more frequent updates. CWM, TWRP or some enterprising dev release new versions every few months. Always make sure it is compatible with your bootloader and rom. In most cases you can easily skip a few versions. But if you update your rom, let's say, from JB to Lollipop you should also update your recovery.
The kernel is considered to be part of the rom. At least every rom I know of comes with a kernel, some even with several to choose from. And it is a popular sport to try the same rom with different kernels.
You update the rom whenever the developer releases a new, updated version - or not if you're happy with what you got.
The safest place to be is always up-to-date: The latest roms usually require the latest bootloader and it's best to run both with the latest recovery.
If you have a working combo you can stick with it for years if you like.
But if you've been away for a while, did not follow the latest development, and want to update, you always have to:
Check if your bootloader is still current. If not, update it
Update your recovery
Wipe data, cache and Dalvik
Flash the new rom.
Nice explanation, I knew all of this but there is no way I could have explained it.
berndblb said:
You did a good job on your research. What might have tripped you up could be just a bad download. Files do get corrupted during download once in a while.
The recovery seems to have initially recognized the digital signature of the update file and started to flash it. And then something went wrong....
Download the firmware again. Unzip it once (the result should be a ....user.zip) and place that file onto a microSD formatted fat32 and not into any folder on the card. Boot to recovery (RCK).
If that does not work, try to rename the ...user.zip on the microSD to T4_SDUPDATE.zip and boot to recovery and report back.
Good luck!
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THANK YOU!!!! IT worked like a miracle... Thank you !!!! :good::good::good:
Hi All---
I'm an old-time flashaholic who hasn't flashed in a long time.
However, I'm so sick of the memory bug, that I'm going to try out CM12 on my xt1095.
However, I want to verify that there is a way to later return my phone to stock so that I can recieve the OTA when the fix (eventually) comes.
I can't find a thread that tells me how to do it (on the old moto x you would use an sbf, but i don't see anything about that around here.)
Thanks so much for your help in advance...
1 Making a backup in recovery of your actual stock rom and restoring when needed (with twrp for example)
2 Flash via bootloader with fastboot official rom (no zip to flash)
3 using RsdLite using official rom (no zip to flash)
Cheers
Ps: ota is another thing already discussed here
michyall said:
1 Making a backup in recovery of your actual stock rom and restoring when needed (with twrp for example)
2 Flash via bootloader with fastboot official rom (no zip to flash)
3 using RsdLite using official rom (no zip to flash)
Cheers
Ps: ota is another thing already discussed here
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Click to collapse
Any clue where I'd find the official ROM (either for fastboot flashing or rsdlite)? I can't find any links...
My phone is already on 5.0, fwiw.
Thanks for the help
There is a lot of topic about stock roms on this forum, in your settings you have to search what version do you have (see picture) and download that one.
But i don't kno if you're expertor maybe you know what you are going to do. I ask you: twrp installed? Rooted? Why not doing a backup without downloading tons of mb and going crazy flashig 10 files?
That's my opinion.
Last word, search this forum, there is a lot of discussion like this one
Forgot screenshot
I don't have the link but the XT1095 retail/tmobile 5.0 full image can be directly downloaded from Motorola just like the images for the Moto X 2013.