[Q] Cancel OTA update to avoid brick - Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Running 2.3.4 version 4.5.91 ATT/US SBF I believe, stock kernel, unlocked bootloader, rooted, and have Tenfar's CWM recovery.
I accidentally accepted the download for update to v4.5.141 (after hitting "Later" 1000 times), but had wifi turned off at the time and the download never started... now I can't turn back on wifi because the download will automatically start (triangle! with "Enable Wi-Fi to start download update" in notifications), and I don't want to brick the device if it runs and I can't cancel the install.
What can I do to cancel the OTA download and/or install and avoid bricking the device?
Any help is appreciated.

Hmm. I know it's possible to "freeze" the update notification (that is, either use the pro version of titanium backup, or put .bak after the appropriate system app). A few other threads have detailed how to do this.
You just accidentally downloaded it, right? It shouldn't install automatically; it would pop up another "install" vs. "later" prompt once the download finishes. I know there's another post around here (stickied?) that details how to back up your OTA update. You could probably use that thread to find your downloaded file & delete it.
Alternately, since you're unlocked you could always install another rom and skip the OTA process entirely. For example, Nottachtrix is based on the 4.5.141 build and comes with a stock Gingerbread theme if you want.

Thanks, I did see those threads you mentioned.
Before my mistake, I had already tried renaming /system/app/Upgrader.apk to .bak with root explorer, and rebooting to stop the download update popup... it didn't work, and kept prompting me, which I eventually accidentally accepted instead of hitting "Later".
I don't have the Pro version of TiBU Pro; I was thinking of upgrading it to freeze Upgrader when I was trying to stop the download update prompts, but as I mentioned I accepted the download before I could do that.
I was also considering flashing Nottachtrix since that seemed to be the only safe way I saw to update to 4.5.141 with the unlocked bootloader. can I safely flash that now, even though the update is pending?

I'll be honest and say I don't know with certainty. BUT -- I don't see why you couldn't download Nottachtrix on your computer, drop it onto your phone's SD card, and flash it from there (without ever turning your phone's wifi back on). Your phone is booted & not in the middle of an active install. It's just waiting to download a file which would requires your input to begin installing anyway.
If you're really concerned about it, you could do the Seriously Complete Wipe before flashing the new rom by using the following method (thanks CaelanT):
For the best results, when you want to flash a new ROM you should always perform a full wipe in fastboot per the following to make sure you will avoid any unforeseen complications:
reboot to recovery
wipe Dalvik
reboot to fastboot
fastboot erase boot
fastboot erase system
fastboot erase userdata
fastboot erase cache
fastboot erase webtop
fastboot erase preinstall
fastboot reboot (to recovery)
flash ROM
reboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more note: it looks like Tenfar's recovery is considered "old" round these parts, and most roms don't play well unless you flash them using romracer's CWM recovery. So that should probably be your first step. It's here.

thanks for the recommendations. I guess I will uninstall Tenfar's recovery, install romracer's recovery, do the Seriously Complete Wipe, and then flash Nottachrix. Let me know if any of that sounds wrong.
Will I lose my apps or my titanium backup of apps & system data by doing the Seriously Complete Wipe? If so what do I need to do to be able to restore my apps and system data after the wipe & flash?

Hey, no problem at all. (by the way, you don't need to uninstall your current recovery, just flash the new one per the instructions.)
Oh yeah, a second note: you'll need to rename two particular files before flashing the new recovery. From another stickied thread:
Anyone having issues not being able to boot into CWM recovery after flashing it (such as seeing android guy with exclamation mark):
Delete or rename /system/etc/install-recovery.sh AND /etc/install-recovery.sh I renamed mine to bkup.install-recovery.sh in case i ever wanted to use them again for some reason.
/etc/install-recovery.sh will automatically be placed in /system/etc if /system/etc/install-recovery.sh is not found on boot.
So, you must delete or rename both, THEN INSTALL CWM recovery.
rename the files using ROM Toolbox's root explorer as some file explorers will not give you the proper access levels to delete or rename the files correctly.c
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, on to apps & data. Yes, you're going to lose all your data in the wipes, but the backups you made will be intact. TiBu is fine for your apps; I use "MyBackup Root" (free on the market) for my contacts, SMS, MMS, etc. After flashing the new rom, you'll have the market pre-installed. Use it to re-download TiBu, restore your backed-up apps (NOT EVER system data. Just apps+their data.), then restore the rest from there.

I did everything, and it worked well. thanks for confirming it was safe and the extra tips!
I had already uninstalled Tenfar's recovery by the time I saw your response. I thought it may conflict, didn't know.
I didn't have to rename those 2 files to be able to boot into CWM recovery... the files weren't present before or after installing CWM recovery and it worked.
Thanks again for the tips on the seriously complete wipe and the MyBackup Root, they worked well.
Almost everything was restored after flashing the ROM except for a few minor settings. I somehow have a ton of contacts because I have all my Google contacts, my Blur contacts (a lot of dupes of Google ones), and a lot of extra old gmail e-mail contacts that I wish it didn't populate. Nothing to complain about because I would rather there be extra unnecessary contacts than missing ones.
The only issues I have is that the ROM shows the 3G img at all times... so I have to do some speed tests and troubleshooting to see if I am stuck in 3G or if it is just the known bug in the ROM where 3G is always displayed.
I have N_01.77.30P radio and I saw some people are running 36 or 37, and some people on AT&T installed an additional APN that improved performance.
If anyone has any input on the 3G, radio, or APN issues, please let me know.

atrix issues
Hello members,
i am new to android and learning to understand the jargon of experts here. Reason for joining xda is following:
I (from India) have a motorola atrix 4g that i purchased from a friend in US (it was on AT&T.)
1) when I start my phone -is says on top unlocked. Does it means it is unlocked / unrooted? and I cannot install the OTA updates from Motorola like ICS 4 coming in Q3?
2) I clicked on system update and downloaded the update over wifi. When it started the install it got failed with a triangle and ! mark. I had to remove the battery and start the phone after which it kept on rebooting . Saw in some forum that i had to do a factory reset and after doing that it worked but I lost everything. I had to reinstall all the apps. Is there a way to reinstall the latest OTA updates from Motorola with doing / playing much with ROM? if not then please let me know a simple and safe way.
3) After doing factory reset i accidentally clicked on system update and now the update is downloaded over wifi but i did not install by selecting "install later" . However the popup keeps coming up and i want to disable it. kindly advise how this notification can be stopped.
Thanks in advance

Related

[Q] Every Reboot is a Hard Reset

Hi,
I have an lg c800 -- mytouch q by lg
I rooted it yesterday and removed all the bloat. I also installed several root only apps to optimize the phone.
It ran smoother than even right out of the box.
So, I figured it be a good idea to backup the rom, and maybe later try cyanogenmod... So I installed Rom Manager by clockworkmod
It said i needed to install clockwork recovery rom. I went in there but it said my device was unsupported (only like 12 were) so I backed out,
and stupidly hit TWRP listed under "Recovery Already Installed". (thinking that meant what options I had to SETUP a recovery/backup)
I hit backup rom. almost instantly the phone restarted. After the bios, but before android it went to a screen with a box, and an arrow pointing from the inside of the box to the little android man. Then went to the regular android boot screen.
It does this every reboot now. The SuperSU is still there, whenever Rom Manager (which I have to reinstall each reboot) asks for root access I get that dialog box, so it hasn't actually hard reset the phone I don't think. But all the user data, contacts, apps, wifi passwords, google id "(to access Play) get wiped out.
I understand what I did wrong. I think I understand what its doing (booting to the factory rom as it was, and I can't set it to stop doing it each reboot)
What I need help with is getting back, if possible, to what I had previously, among other things, I had a bunch of tasker profiles and notes that will be time consuming to replace.
Thank you for your help.
EDIT: SuperSU is now listed among the factory installed apps. This is unchanged each reboot.
Question: If I unroot the phone what that invalidate Rom Managers ability to run before android boots?
where the people at?
dosmastr said:
where the people at?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
going off of this page:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1752704
for cwm recovery
drivers are all installed (I was able to root phone)
but the adb devices command comes up empty.
what gives?
dosmastr said:
going off of this page:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1752704
for cwm recovery
drivers are all installed (I was able to root phone)
but the adb devices command comes up empty.
what gives?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK so its not in the guide, but one is to exit the shell BEFORE keying adb devices. it does show.
but sadly I don't think this gets me closer to fixing what is broken.
Can anybody at least tell me if my stuff is still there or gone?
I have the impression that the boot loader is grabbing the stock rom and just expanding it and running it each boot, but that the old functional rom is still there but being unused --- like a dual boot type thing.
Am I off in left field here or?
dosmastr said:
Can anybody at least tell me if my stuff is still there or gone?
I have the impression that the boot loader is grabbing the stock rom and just expanding it and running it each boot, but that the old functional rom is still there but being unused --- like a dual boot type thing.
Am I off in left field here or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
more info: the bloat from the original rom is still gone, and SuperSU is intact and functional
Chui says its some flag in CWM that isn't getting cleared when the device boots.
I'm just trying to get the data my apps help at this point.
cmon phone nerds i still need some help!
no help.
The original ROM of your phone got modified after you rooted, hence no bloat and SuperSU intact even after many wipes.
I suggest re installing the factory ROM again, including the bootloader, radio and other stuff. That ought to fix the issue.
What phone do you have ?
So when it was modifying the rom that was running at the time, also the recovery rom was modified?
how do you reinstall factory rom if the phone never enters fastboot?
I'm all about wiping the bootloader (so it STOPS running recovery) but I have only made a little progress in finding how to do that without fastboot.
What I can do is run a root viewing file manager. I even found the log for the recovery it keeps running. But not what to kill so that it STOPS recovering.
Phone is LG C800DG
The LG rom update software has a recovery option but that didn't work.
One youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDFO6H1XObI
Says I can get around this by using a flash utility the installs as an apk. I doubt I'll find one compatible with this phone though as support is very limited.
looks like everything out there says I need a 3rd party recovery already flashed...so that I can flash a stock rom.
sounds like the damn chicken and egg to me, to get stock fixed you need 3rd party but since you have stock you cant get 3rd party
It seems to be a general problem with your set as many others too have posted the same issue.
For stock ROM this should work.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1825818
And a flashing guide
http://blog.androidia.net/8/how-to-flash-stock-lg-rom/
You can also see these for CM9
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/C800_Info
and
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1801622
Dumb e3 recovery. There been any updates on the cwm recovery? Thing takes forever to backup and restore rom

[Q] Reverting back original stock rom

Hi all. I've kinda screwed up the wifes gtablet and am now in the doghouse and need some help. I tried searching for this info in the forums and have had no luck getting the info I need. I am running android 2.2 tap ui version 1.2-5699 kernal 2.6.32.9-svn4979 [email protected] #2. I would really like to get back to original stock setup as the email, android market facebook app all don't work thus making this tablet the worlds most expensive clock. I have read that there are issues trying to go from 1.2 back to 1.1 and I can't find a comprehensive guide explaining how to do this. Any help or suggestions regarding this matter would be extremely helpfull. Thanks to all.
1. Version 1.2-5699 is the latest stock firmware from Viewsonic, so there's no need to install another version.
2. If only the ROM, or the apps on it are screwed up, and if you have the stock recovery, then just wipe data. This will bring the stock ROM back to the original, newly-installed, state.
3. Depending on where the apps you mentioned are installed (either in /system/app or /data/app), after a wipe data in stock recovery, you may not, or may, respectively, have to re-install the apps. All application data, however, will have been wiped.
Gtablet app problems
rajeevvp said:
1. Version 1.2-5699 is the latest stock firmware from Viewsonic, so there's no need to install another version.
2. If only the ROM, or the apps on it are screwed up, and if you have the stock recovery, then just wipe data. This will bring the stock ROM back to the original, newly-installed, state.
3. Depending on where the apps you mentioned are installed (either in /system/app or /data/app), after a wipe data in stock recovery, you may not, or may, respectively, have to re-install the apps. All application data, however, will have been wiped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have taken your advice and have went into recovery mode and wiped all caches and have done a factory reset. The system appeared to boot up like I had just taken it out of the box for the first time. After initial setup I am still having the same issues. I can't enter a valid email address. I can't get into any android store (and I've tried them all) and the same web sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc) are erroring out. This is why i was wondering if there is any way to go back to original stock as before i tried using vegan tab everything worked properly. I bought this for the wife when it first came out and vegan tab appeared to work for about 6 months before apps started force closing and i couldn't access the mac address on the tablet to set it up on my new router. I think my ROM might be dirty? I have seen ways on here to bring the system back to original if you are still running on the 1.1 branch but I am on the 1.2. BTW clockworkmod .08 doesn't work on 1.2 branch. All it does after installation is kill access to recovery mode. Any ideas? Oh and thanks for your help. Cheers
Dedhed007 said:
I have taken your advice and have went into recovery mode and wiped all caches and have done a factory reset. The system appeared to boot up like I had just taken it out of the box for the first time. After initial setup I am still having the same issues. I can't enter a valid email address. I can't get into any android store (and I've tried them all) and the same web sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc) are erroring out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll need to look at logs and run some commands to figure out what's wrong (but see below).
This is why i was wondering if there is any way to go back to original stock as before i tried using vegan tab everything worked properly. I bought this for the wife when it first came out and vegan tab appeared to work for about 6 months before apps started force closing and i couldn't access the mac address on the tablet to set it up on my new router. I think my ROM might be dirty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no reason to go back to the stock VS ROM--or an older version of the stock ROM--just to fix problems. Better to install a custom ROM and then fix problems on that.
BTW clockworkmod .08 doesn't work on 1.2 branch. All it does after installation is kill access to recovery mode. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CWM .08 won't work on a 1.2 bootloader because the kernel in it is built for the 1.1 bootloader. You'll have to install a different version of CWM. See this thread.
However, if you really like CWM .08 and want to keep using it, then let me know. It's not hard to run CWM .08 on a 1.2 bootloader.
Suggestions:
1. Set the correct date and time always. This is very important.
2. Install CWM.
3. In CWM:
a) Repartition the internal SD card (remove any microSD cards first).
b) Format /cache (mount and storage menu)
4. Transfer and install a custom ROM.
Do steps 1 - 3 first, then I'll tell you how to collect some logs. After that's done, tell me which ROM you want to install.

Will I lose root?

Forgive my novice status with both my first Android phone and this site. Galaxy S6 which I rooted using Odin and I believe a kernel it was, from here.
If I run the os upgrade from Smartswitch, what effect will that have one the phone as far as being rooted and all the stuff I've done since being rooted. Thank you very much.
If you update, you will lose root. I would not update via Smart Switch, being that you are rooted with a custom kernel. Your best bet would be to update via Odin. Check the subforum here @ xda for your variant of the S6 for further info. You should find what you need in the General forum of that subforum.
es0tericcha0s said:
If you update, you will lose root. I would not update via Smart Switch, being that you are rooted with a custom kernel. Your best bet would be to update via Odin. Check the subforum here @ xda for your variant of the S6 for further info. You should find what you need in the General forum of that subforum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you sir. Is it simply a matter rerooting the device? Or will every other change I made from root be gone too?
It will wipe your phone, so you will have to redo any mods or settings.
es0tericcha0s said:
It will wipe your phone, so you will have to redo any mods or settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It wipes the phone every time you do an operating system update? Why would anybody ever do it unless something wasn't working? Unless it's only when rooted? I have good pc skills and some understanding of Linux even, but man I have a lot to learn about these phones.. What about Smart Switch backups? It wipes the phone, how close to before the update will that get somebody? I don't have time to research all this. I may just leave it. This update I'm talking about is a gigabyte btw. That seems pretty huge for a phone.
It wipes the phone when you update via Odin (unless modded by a dev to not wipe for some versions). The reason that this needs to be done is that when you are rooted and have changed system files, OTA updates usually cause issues like bootloops / soft brick. Typically when you have a Samsung with a modded kernel and system, the regular Samsung tools like Kies and Smart Switch fail. Your results may vary, but I would have the firmware downloaded to reload via Odin in case that does not work. I am not familar with Smart Switch as it just came out for the S6 and newer stuff and I have never had use for Samsung's tools like that because I prefer to use Google and Titanium Backup to backup and restore my apps, contacts, texts, call logs, etc. As far as the updates go, 1 GB is actually kind of small for newer versions. It's probably bigger once unzipped. Some newer phones have systems that are well over 2 GBs. Most people here usually update via custom rom as it's easy to do on the phone once you have a working custom recovery and doing a factory reset there will not wipe the internal storage @ /data/media. If you prefer to be stock rooted, there most likely is a version already posted in the subforum for your phone. If you are updating whole Android versions and not minor updates, it might be required to install additional firmware files with Odin or Chainfire's Flashfire tool. If so, the developer will mention that in the OP of the thread.
es0tericcha0s said:
It wipes the phone when you update via Odin (unless modded by a dev to not wipe for some versions). The reason that this needs to be done is that when you are rooted and have changed system files, OTA updates usually cause issues like bootloops / soft brick. Typically when you have a Samsung with a modded kernel and system, the regular Samsung tools like Kies and Smart Switch fail. Your results may vary, but I would have the firmware downloaded to reload via Odin in case that does not work. I am not familar with Smart Switch as it just came out for the S6 and newer stuff and I have never had use for Samsung's tools like that because I prefer to use Google and Titanium Backup to backup and restore my apps, contacts, texts, call logs, etc. As far as the updates go, 1 GB is actually kind of small for newer versions. It's probably bigger once unzipped. Some newer phones have systems that are well over 2 GBs. Most people here usually update via custom rom as it's easy to do on the phone once you have a working custom recovery and doing a factory reset there will not wipe the internal storage @ /data/media. If you prefer to be stock rooted, there most likely is a version already posted in the subforum for your phone. If you are updating whole Android versions and not minor updates, it might be required to install additional firmware files with Odin or Chainfire's Flashfire tool. If so, the developer will mention that in the OP of the thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It just occurred to me. Firmware IS the Android OS on these phones. That's not the same as a kernel though? With the regular Linux os it isn't. Forgive my ignorance. Like I say this is my first one.
Unfortunalely, firmware is one of those terms that can mean a few different things depending on the situation (like flashing). Firmware in this instance refers to the bootloader and modem files as well for Samsungs. If you don't have the bootloader and modem files (which roms do not install) correctly matched to the OS then you might have issues like not being able to boot or cell service issues.
es0tericcha0s said:
It wipes the phone when you update via Odin (unless modded by a dev to not wipe for some versions). The reason that this needs to be done is that when you are rooted and have changed system files, OTA updates usually cause issues like bootloops / soft brick. Typically when you have a Samsung with a modded kernel and system, the regular Samsung tools like Kies and Smart Switch fail. Your results may vary, but I would have the firmware downloaded to reload via Odin in case that does not work. I am not familar with Smart Switch as it just came out for the S6 and newer stuff and I have never had use for Samsung's tools like that because I prefer to use Google and Titanium Backup to backup and restore my apps, contacts, texts, call logs, etc. As far as the updates go, 1 GB is actually kind of small for newer versions. It's probably bigger once unzipped. Some newer phones have systems that are well over 2 GBs. Most people here usually update via custom rom as it's easy to do on the phone once you have a working custom recovery and doing a factory reset there will not wipe the internal storage @ /data/media. If you prefer to be stock rooted, there most likely is a version already posted in the subforum for your phone. If you are updating whole Android versions and not minor updates, it might be required to install additional firmware files with Odin or Chainfire's Flashfire tool. If so, the developer will mention that in the OP of the thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I'm wondering is if there's any to have this galaxy s6 just like it is now after many hours of tweaking after one of these updates. I couldn't make heads or tails out of Titanium update.
You are being very helpful sir. Thank you.
Depends on what tweaks you've done and which update that it is. If it is a minor security update, then usually someone will post a flashable via custom recovery version and often you can get away with installing that over your current system while just wiping cache and dalvik cache. If it is a major update, like when Marshmallow comes out, it would benefit you to do a factory reset before updating. Yea, it sucks having to set up your phone again, though with all the tools available, it's really not that bad, but better to start fresh instead of wondering if the phone is slow or buggy because you didn't.
es0tericcha0s said:
Depends on what tweaks you've done and which update that it is. If it is a minor security update, then usually someone will post a flashable via custom recovery version and often you can get away with installing that over your current system while just wiping cache and dalvik cache. If it is a major update, like when Marshmallow comes out, it would benefit you to do a factory reset before updating. Yea, it sucks having to set up your phone again, though with all the tools available, it's really not that bad, but better to start fresh instead of wondering if the phone is slow or buggy because you didn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're making sense. I totally get it. (about starting from scratch) Can I then re-root it with the same UniKernel-v5-920P-072715.tar as before or will I need a new one of those too.? Thanks again.
This is the update SmartSwitch is telling me is available. I don't even know which of this stuff we've been discussing this is. Firmware, ROM or OS update.
Current version: PDA:0H1 / CSC:0H1/ PHONE:0H1 (SPR)
Latest version: PDA:011 / CSC:011 / PHONE:011 (SPR)
Size: 1612 MB
That's just a minor security update. I would not use that kernel to reroot. I believe the only option available for the update you are on and the update that is available is via TWRP + SuperSU zip.
es0tericcha0s said:
That's just a minor security update. I would not use that kernel to reroot. I believe the only option available for the update you are on and the update that is available is via TWRP + SuperSU zip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whatsa TWRP + SuperSU zip Is that a tool and file for getting this update?
Sorry man. I've had this phone for less than 2 months and it's my very first one.
I do appreciate your patience. I've been a PC support guy for 16 years. I know what it's like.
TWRP = Team Win Recovery Project. It replaces the stock recovery that the phone uses to perform factory resets and updates signed by Samsung. This allows you multiple benefits such as complete system/data/kernel backups, being able to wipe any combo of system/data/caches/internal storage, factory data reset without wiping internal storage, terminal commands, and installing custom files, roms, mods, etc not signed by Samsung to name a few. SuperSU is the popular root binary and root permissions app made by the developer Chainfire. If you needs links, I can provide, but assuming you're familiar with Googling things being a support guy. ☺
es0tericcha0s said:
TWRP = Team Win Recovery Project. It replaces the stock recovery that the phone uses to perform factory resets and updates signed by Samsung. This allows you multiple benefits such as complete system/data/kernel backups, being able to wipe any combo of system/data/caches/internal storage, factory data reset without wiping internal storage, terminal commands, and installing custom files, roms, mods, etc not signed by Samsung to name a few. SuperSU is the popular root binary and root permissions app made by the developer Chainfire. If you needs links, I can provide, but assuming you're familiar with Googling things being a support guy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have SuperSU already.
These are some truly terrible directions unless you already know enough to not need them.
https://twrp.me/devices/samsunggalaxys6sprint.html
Will installing TWRP effect the root method I've already used?
Will installing recovery effect any of the multitude of configurations I've already done?
Does this then allow manual installs of OTA updates without losing root or any of your configuration customizations?
Is it JUST the recovery partition were dealing which stands alone from the os?
Does Nandroid backup then encompass the recovery and os and rom etc? Meaning are they all backed up and custom recovery via TWRP was what made that possible? Or do you have to make your current config the recovery itself in order to do a ghost style backup and restore if you jack yourself up later? OR is not even this a ghost style restore?
Maybe it's just me, but the terminology is very confusing and I can't make heads or tails of what I'm even talking about with all this.
Tried to make backup with TWRP...
I guess whatever I flashed it with last time won't let it boot into recovery or the bootloader or whatever it's called. If I tell TWRP manager to reboot and do backup it just goes to the menu for rebooting and wiping cache etc. If I specifically go to "reboot to bootloader" it just reboots into android. I went to install a custom recovery and it said that if the location for the recovery is wrong it could brick the phone. I have no idea if it's right or wrong or if the root method I've already used is effecting this or not.
Installing a custom recovery will not affect your OS or any settings (as long as the recovery version is compatible with your phone and update). It is installed in a different partition than where the OS resides. It will not let you install official OTA zips. It is only for installing files not directly signed with Samsung's special key. When you do a nandroid backup, it will give you options on which parts of the phone you would like to backup. The important ones are boot, system, data, and EFS (though this is not typically needed when you restore, just as a precaution because it holds important data and settings of your IMEI and such - only restore if needed). Boot is the kernel, which controls many drivers for stuff like wifi, BT, CPU and GPU processes as well as others. System contains preloaded software, as in if you just restored boot and system, it would be like you factory reset the device and would need to setup your accounts and settings. Data is the apps, data, settings you have changed or added. A factory reset in the stock recovery would also wipe your /data/media storage which your phone sees as your internal storage. TWRP allows a factory reset that skips this so you will not lose the stuff you have accumulated on the phone such as pictures, music, downloads, etc.
The reason that when you are using TWRP Manager to install the recovery and reboot to it and it is still stock is probably due to the system has a script built in that notices if you change the recovery and will rewrite the stock recovery back to it upon rebooting. You can avoid this by renaming the script with a root enabled file browser. You will find this script in /system/etc/install-recovery.sh (or something similar). Just rename it to something like install-recovery.sh.bak.
es0tericcha0s said:
Installing a custom recovery will not affect your OS or any settings (as long as the recovery version is compatible with your phone and update). It is installed in a different partition than where the OS resides. It will not let you install official OTA zips. It is only for installing files not directly signed with Samsung's special key. When you do a nandroid backup, it will give you options on which parts of the phone you would like to backup. The important ones are boot, system, data, and EFS (though this is not typically needed when you restore, just as a precaution because it holds important data and settings of your IMEI and such - only restore if needed). Boot is the kernel, which controls many drivers for stuff like wifi, BT, CPU and GPU processes as well as others. System contains preloaded software, as in if you just restored boot and system, it would be like you factory reset the device and would need to setup your accounts and settings. Data is the apps, data, settings you have changed or added. A factory reset in the stock recovery would also wipe your /data/media storage which your phone sees as your internal storage. TWRP allows a factory reset that skips this so you will not lose the stuff you have accumulated on the phone such as pictures, music, downloads, etc.
The reason that when you are using TWRP Manager to install the recovery and reboot to it and it is still stock is probably due to the system has a script built in that notices if you change the recovery and will rewrite the stock recovery back to it upon rebooting. You can avoid this by renaming the script with a root enabled file browser. You will find this script in /system/etc/install-recovery.sh (or something similar). Just rename it to something like install-recovery.sh.bak.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sir, are one patient and helpful man I very much appreciate your suffering through my whining. Interestingly, the boot loop just stopped in it's own and now I have the TWRP interface in place of the stock menu where the option was to wipe the cache partition.
Does this THIS mean I have a custom recovery now? Meaning, a different restore image than the one that came with the phone? Or does this now let me install that?
About this....
You were saying up HERE that if I run this update with smart switch I would lose root, but if I use TWRP to do it, I won't? Is that right? Thanks again.
Tiribulus said:
You sir, are one patient and helpful man I very much appreciate your suffering through my whining. Interestingly, the boot loop just stopped in it's own and now I have the TWRP interface in place of the stock menu where the option was to wipe the cache partition.
Does this THIS mean I have a custom recovery now? Meaning, a different restore image than the one that came with the phone? Or does this now let me install that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should mean that the recovery is installed. You can verify by using the app to boot to recovery or via powering the phone on by holding the Power, Volume Up, and Home buttons together as you restart. You should notice a recovery booting message in the top left and then you can let go of the buttons. Once there, you should perform a backup of the boot, system, and data partitions. If you have an EFS option, I would back that up too for safe keeping. It's rare that it would get corrupted, but best to have a backup just in cause.
If you update via Smart Switch, you will definitely lose root, as well as TWRP. Most likely, a developer has posted a rooted version of the update that you can use TWRP to install.
So I was looking into this a little closer for you and realized that the preferred method of updating and rooting the update you are trying to get involves using Odin to install the full update package, then reflashing TWRP, and using a newer version of the kernel to root. However, from some of the user comments about it, it seems like it might be better to wait till Samsung has released the source code of the kernel for the OI1 update. The kernels based on the slightly older 5.1.1 builds will work, but some people were experiencing random issues such as reboots or other oddities. I don't think OI1 has anything in it that would be worth losing root over or possibly having things run oddly. The alternative would be to update via a rom like this http://forum.xda-developers.com/spr...ment/ram9200-ofe-rom-thread-v3-5-1-1-t3173417

OnePlus X soft-bricked after version update

tl;dr - Can't seem to find my way out of a software brick. Have sideloaded the stock OS from 1+ but still forever getting the spinning dots or fastboot screen, depending on which mode i boot into.
Hi all. Signed up to make this thread, but i've been lurking for years.
I have a OnePlus X that is about the least modded smartphone i've ever owned. I've never been pleased enough with a retail product that i didn't feel compelled to strip out the bloat and start over, until this phone. Other than stock, i've just got a gallery app, some apps for manipulating text files or compiling code, couple games, and social media apps.
Anyway, a few days ago i got a notification about a software update. Downloaded. Installed. Updated. No problem.
Maybe yesterday or the day before, it showed up again. This morning i downloaded, installed, and suddenly i have apps closing. It's been over 12 hours so i'm hazy on how it all started, but i was getting something like "package installer" errors when attempting to open some apps. Same deal when i went to adjust permissions of those affected apps. Every time i unfocused a box that had pulled up swype, i would get an error message saying swype crashed or closed or something.
So i started uninstalling third party apps (i don't keep many, and most i've had for years so i think they're probably trustworthy). Same deal. Started uninstalling updates to google apps. Same deal. Went to uninstall and reinstall some non stock apps that i'd kept previously. Nothing.
I went to cook breakfast while an app was reinstalling, and i came back to a red dot on my screen with two white dots chasing each other around it. From what i'm reading that's a sign of a bootloop or software brick. I've taken all steps i could find, including wiping cache and sideloading a fresh stock OS, but to no avail.
Is it that i've ruined my google apps somehow and need to restore them? How would i even go about figuring out what the problem is? Any advice or guidance is appreciated
Hi,
As your device is in bootloop state, try flashing the stock rom. Make sure you wipe data and cache. As far as after update problems, i faced it few times. After updating many app crashed and phone hangs. So i prefer clean flash over dirty flashing, to make sure everything is hazel free. For the time being i upgraded from 3.1.2 to 3.1.3 without wiping data or cache and facing no problem( of course since it was an OTA). But sometimes situation comes when after update phone act weird, so tbe option which i prefer then is clean flashing the stock rom. Hope this helps.
"A09" said:
Hi,
As your device is in bootloop state, try flashing the stock rom. Make sure you wipe data and cache. As far as after update problems, i faced it few times. After updating many app crashed and phone hangs. So i prefer clean flash over dirty flashing, to make sure everything is hazel free. For the time being i upgraded from 3.1.2 to 3.1.3 without wiping data or cache and facing no problem( of course since it was an OTA). But sometimes situation comes when after update phone act weird, so tbe option which i prefer then is clean flashing the stock rom. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have wiped cache, deleted data, tried a factory reset in the stock bootloader, and i have used ADB to sideload a full stock rom (not upgrade package) that i downloaded from OnePlus.
Flash old stock recovery then 2.2.3. From there you can flash any MM stock firmware.
Exodusche said:
Flash old stock recovery then 2.2.3. From there you can flash any MM stock firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pardon me for being nooby, but how do i do this? Do i just sideload in ADB like i did the ROM? Most instructions i'm finding assume access to the OS either normally or through fastboot. I'm just stuck in the default recovery.
Thanks for the tip, though. Looking for a copy of the old stock recovery now. Did OnePlus alter their stock recovery recently? In some threads i've seen people say that a recent update made them unable to load a non-stock ROM. Is that the new recovery blocking access to non-1+ operating systems?
jtg1984 said:
Pardon me for being nooby, but how do i do this? Do i just sideload in ADB like i did the ROM? Most instructions i'm finding assume access to the OS either normally or through fastboot. I'm just stuck in the default recovery.
Thanks for the tip, though. Looking for a copy of the old stock recovery now. Did OnePlus alter their stock recovery recently? In some threads i've seen people say that a recent update made them unable to load a non-stock ROM. Is that the new recovery blocking access to non-1+ operating systems?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fastboot flash easiest way. Make sure it's the old recovery from 2.2.2. Not the new mm stock recovery.
Yes, but how do i install the old stock recovery? I dug around on the forums and found the file, but the phone rejects it when sideloading and doesn't show the .img in the filesystem when inserted on a SD card.
Have to send it off to 1+ maybe? Literally all i can access right now is the (new) stock recovery. I never modded, rooted, etc before the software update sent me into the chasing dots
jtg1984 said:
Yes, but how do i install the old stock recovery? I dug around on the forums and found the file, but the phone rejects it when sideloading and doesn't show the .img in the filesystem when inserted on a SD card.
Have to send it off to 1+ maybe? Literally all i can access right now is the (new) stock recovery. I never modded, rooted, etc before the software update sent me into the chasing dots
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I m not a dev, i m a newbie like you. i hv done a lot of experiments with my oneplus-x, as for u the first update u got few days back should be oos 3.1.2 and the one u got 2 days before should be 3.1.3. When u upgrade from lollipop to marshmellow, even your stock recovery got upgraded to latest version, which is something different from old lollipop recovery.
You said you have access to recovery mode. thts pretty much gud, what u can do is that wipe data and cache through stock recovery and do a clean install of oos 3.1.3. I ll be providing all the necessary links down below. If you need assistance with fastboot cmds and anything feel free to ask.
Thanks to original link provider @Sachin7843
Useful Links: -
1. Stock Lollipop Recovery - https://s3.amazonaws.com/oxygenos.oneplus.net/OPX_recovery.img
2. Official TWRP Recovery - https://dl.twrp.me/onyx/
3. Blu Spark Recovery - http://forum.xda-developers.com/devdb/project/dl/?id=20236
4. SuperSU for OOS 3.x.x - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4K5cvm1zdldcmZpc3RuVnRjUUE/view
5. Unbrick Guide - http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-x/general/guide-mega-unbrick-guide-hard-bricked-t3272108
6. Official Oxygen OS 3.1.3 link - https://s3.amazonaws.com/oxygenos.o...OTA_018_all_201609291837_741146bcf28e4587.zip
7. SD Card Writable fix in MM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/fix-extsd-fix-v1-0b-2016-01-18-t3296266
8. For Stock MM Recovery - http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-x/general/oxygenos-3-1-0-marshmallow-community-t3445043
Sorry for my bad english
jtg1984 said:
Yes, but how do i install the old stock recovery? I dug around on the forums and found the file, but the phone rejects it when sideloading and doesn't show the .img in the filesystem when inserted on a SD card.
Have to send it off to 1+ maybe? Literally all i can access right now is the (new) stock recovery. I never modded, rooted, etc before the software update sent me into the chasing dots
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't sideload it, use fastboot to flash it. "Fastboot flash recovery name.img" - without he quotes and the image name.
Sorry for vanishing. Had a busy week.
Not sure what happened the first time i tried to put the 2.2.3 image on the SD card, because the file didn't show up in my recovery, but i tried again later (after giving up on flashing the old recovery, since i couldn't figure out how to do that in recovery) and managed to do a clean install of the older OOS version.
That did the trick, and after booting up, my phone proceeded to update again - this time without any crashes or errors with my apps afterward. The phone still does the red dot with the white dots chasing around it when it boots up, which must be the new boot screen. It also seems to stay on that screen for much longer than it stayed on the old morphing shape boot screen, but it still boots up reliably now after 30-60 seconds rather than freezing in boot forever.
I've since enabled dev mode on my phone. Is that going to be enough to enable ADB commands from recovery? I kind of like that i've kept my phone stock, so i'll leave it that way if i can, but it would have been much easier to fix this problem if i'd had access to most of my debug commands. As it was, without dev mode and in the standard recovery, it seemed that sideload was the only command i was able to use, and only when the phone was requesting a sideload over usb

Need help getting Magisk onto my x829

I got TWRP on it and working, no problem. When I initially rooted it, I used SuperSU, not knowing that would lock me out of some apps that refuse to run on a rooted device. When I uninstalled SuperSU (with the "remove root" button in its settings) and then tried to install Magisk, I kept getting the error that my boot.img is patched.
I'm on EUI 5.8.016S (US Version), and I would greatly appreciate it if someone could get me the (unmodified?) boot.img that Magisk will accept. (I'd ask for one pre-patched for Magisk, but then I wouldn't have the second unmodified copy for Magisk to work with, and I might as well use SuperSU.) Alternately, a Magisk installer that works with the 16S boot.img. I've tried fastboot flashing in the boot.img from every 16S ROM package I could find, with no luck. (Using the command .\fastboot flash boot boot.img.)
Please help? I greatly enjoy the openness that rooting brings, but the fact that some apps lock you out is supremely frustrating.
same happen to me and I wasn't able to solve it. I'm on SuperSu
First a disclaimer: I ditched EUI almost immediately, so I'm going off info I've read around the 'net and my personal experience with other phones.
First step is make a full backup, copy to your PC, Google Drive, or anywhere you trust other than on the phone itself. You may want to backup individual files as well.
Second step gather all the files you need for a clean install of EUI (not using the backup) on your PC. I don't have the files, but a quick search of the forums should get you what you need.
Third step Factory Data Reset. You'll lose everything. Reboot, try setting up as new, you can sign into your Google account, but don't restore apps yet just in case. Get the basics working (WiFi, APN settings, updates to installed apps, etc) then reboot into TWRP. Install the latest non-bleeding edge beta of Magisk (17.2 as of time of writing). Reboot and see if it's working.
Fourth hopefully unnecessary step: If the above steps still fail, destructively wipe the phone. DO NOT follow this step if you're not sure, if there's a nagging voice in the back of your head saying maybe you shouldn't, etc. You could wind up with a bricked phone or a multiple hour headache to get it working again. Restore your backup and hope someone posts a clean boot.img. OK, warning out of the way. Wipe everything except internal. You might need to individually format each type to be certain, formatting them to something other than ext4 then reformatting back to ext4. Reboot through TWRP back to recovery to avoid mounting issues. It will give you the no os installed message. Once back in recovery reinstall EUI, boot and set up as outlined in third step. You'll have to reinstall TWRP if EUI overwrites it with stock recovery.
I hope this helps if no one has a clean boot.img for you. One last piece of advice to everyone: if you think you'll ever install Magisk, skip SuperSU completely. Older versions, before the original developer left completely, were better but they're outdated. For some reason SuperSU currently leaves "pieces" behind, even when uninstalled properly, that often cause problems.

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