Help Stuck in bootloop

[techack]

Hi,

I understand that this thread is in wrong forum but I need a quick response, so request the mods to not move this thread immediately.

I have been using CM Nightly of 15Jan 2014. Today, I tried installing Nightly of 30Jan2014 through
Clockworkmod Recovery 6.0.2.3 but the installation failed with error:

set_metadata_recursive : some changes failed
error is /sdcard/0/Cyandelta/cm-11-xxx.zip
Status 7
Installation Aborted

Now, the tab is in a bootloop at Samsung logo and sometimes it boots into Recovery.

Please suggest a solution.

Thanks

 

[Thom]

Welcome to Android forums. You have found the appropriate forum for discussing cross-device root-related issues.

... Thom

 

[lunatic59]

Hi techack ... let's get right into it.

I am going to assume you don't have a nandroid backup available to restore your tab.

Since you can get into recovery, and you have CWM 6.0.2.3 this is what I'd do. First go get a stable build of CyanogenMod, probably 10 at this point, and the suitable copy of gapps and copy them to an SD card.

Put the sd card into the tab and you should be able to mount it in recovery. Then simply flash the stable rom and gapps. It would probably be a good idea to flush the caches before you flashed, too.

Once you can boot into CM10 (or whatever stable release you use), make a nandroid backup, especially if you are going to be experimenting with the nightlies. From that point forward you always have a restore point to go back to.

Once you've done that you can then try the CM nightlies with the safety net of a nandroid to go back to.

 

[funkylogik]

Also, i cant remember but is that a fairly up to date version of CWM?

 

[Rxpert83]

If I were you, I'd just wipe dalvik cache and cache and re-flash the latest working nightly (assuming you've still got it on the device storage).

Always remember to make a nandroid before flashing from this point on

 

[funkylogik]

Nandroid really is your saviour. i cant count the number of bootloops ive had from flashing dodgy test roms and even something basic like a boot animation so always always have a recent backup before doing anything to the system

 

[techack]

Thanks @lunatics

Will try it out today and let you know.

Also, can you plz tell me how I can take nandroid backups to prevent this in future?

 

[lunatic59]

It's the backup option in CWM recovery. Boot into recovery and select backup. It will take an exact snapshot of your phone in its current state. If anything goes wrong with a flash, you boot to recovery, select restore and in a few minutes you're right back to the point you backed up.

 

[techack]

Tried reflashing the previous ROM.
Still getting the same error

 

[Mikestony]

Perhaps check the md5 for the downloaded rom against what is posted at the download site.
Could be a corrupt download?
Try a fresh download?
See this about md5's if you are not familiar with that
http://androidforums.com/faqs/443074-md5-verification.html

Just throwing another idea out there

 

[funkylogik]

Also try updating CWM. my recovery is based on 6.0.4.5 and mine is kinda old. Ive seen people have problems flashing kitkat roms on old cwm versions :thumbup:

 

[techack]

I have upgraded the recovery to 6.0.2.7 but getting the same problem.
Can the problem be due to recovery?
Can I try flashing the same ROM using a different recovery? If yes, plz guide me how to do so.

 

[funkylogik]

That still isnt the latest CWM mate. If you got it from Rom Manager, thats sometimes a bit out of date.
Maybe its the latest for your tab though(?)
You could try TWRP recovery. A lot of people swear by it. Just do a search for the version for your device, put it on your sd card and flash the zip in CWM then reboot recovery :thumbup:

 

[lunatic59]

Not sure exactly which Samsung phone you have but CWM on most of the devices from the S2 on up seem to be using 6.0.4.5 as the latest. You can grab it FOR YOUR SPECIFIC PHONE here.

Now, please be advised that rommanager has never played nice with Samsung phones and I'd recommend NOT using it to flash. One of the things it is noted for is messing with custom recoveries.

 

[funkylogik]

I dont recommend it (or other tools like it) for any device tbh unless you really know how to do things manually in case something goes wrong

 

[techack]

My tab: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (GT-P5100)
Can CWM be used to flash TWRP and then I can flash CM 11 through it? There won't be any problem in using CWM to flash TWRP? Remember, my tab is not yet bricked!!

 

[funkylogik]

No problem at all man

 

[techack]

UPDATE
-------

CM 10.3 installed fine using CWM
Tried installing all the nightly of last 1 week but still getting the same error.

How can I contact CyanogenMod Team regarding this?
Could the problem be due to CWM 6.0.2.7 ? Should I try using TWRP? Any advice?

 

[funkylogik]

Either use the latest twrp or update CWM (lunatic posted a link above).
Kitkat roms (cm11) just wont flash on old recovery versions :thumbup:
Cyanogen will tell you the same thing

 

[techack]

Flashed latest TWRP..
Still getting this error with 13th Feb nightly

set_metadata_recursive : some changes failed

How can I contact CyanogenTeam regarding this?
Where can I find old nightlies (15th Jan) which used to work perfectly?

Thanks for ur help..

 

[scary alien]

techack,

A couple of ideas:

1. Can you tell us the download link / URL of the nightly you're trying to flash (or confirm that it's this link)

2. Can you verify that the MD5 checksum of the above download matches this:

8e0c1befd7412cd9356d07c356b2d1a1​

(or that the MD5 checksum of the file that you did download matches what is published on the CyanogenMod site for your device?)

As Mikestony alluded to above, a bad download might be the source of your issues bootloop issues...

3. It looks like there are two more recently nightlys (nightlies?) available that you might try instead..

4. There are several set_metadata_recursive updater-script entries in the above nightly that all try to recursively secure things in the /system partition:

Spoiler

set_metadata_recursive("/system", "uid", 0, "gid", 0, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0644, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/addon.d", "uid", 0, "gid", 0, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0755, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/bin", "uid", 0, "gid", 2000, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0755, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/etc/dhcpcd", "uid", 0, "gid", 0, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0644, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:dhcp_system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/etc/init.d", "uid", 0, "gid", 2000, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0755, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/etc/ppp", "uid", 0, "gid", 0, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0555, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:ppp_system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/vendor/bin", "uid", 0, "gid", 2000, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0755, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:pvrsrvinit_exec:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/vendor/etc", "uid", 0, "gid", 2000, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0644, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/vendor/lib/drm", "uid", 0, "gid", 2000, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0644, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");
set_metadata_recursive("/system/xbin", "uid", 0, "gid", 2000, "dmode", 0755, "fmode", 0755, "capabilities", 0x0, "selabel", "u:object_r:system_file:s0");

If you're familiar with using adb, you could do this:

- after you've experienced a boot loop

- re-launch your device in your custom recovery

- from your PC, do an adb pull /cache/recovery/last_log last_log.txt (also try adb pull /cache/recovery/log log.txt in case there's an old-school named version of that recovery log)

- that / those recovery log file(s) should show you exactly which assert command is failing and you could further use adb to navigate into your device and possibly see exactly why the recursive re-secure is failing *.

* I can tell you that I've experienced the set_perm_recursive failure and resulting bootloop on my Nexus 7, but that was because I had previously used OTA RootKeeper (and another app ) which had saved a copy of the su binary in the /system partition with an immutable status that keeps it from being removed or altered which subsequently causes the set_perm_recursive command to fail.

Best of luck!

 

[funkylogik]

Nice one Scary :beer:
Yeah op the reason we're trying to help here instead of you contacting the cm devs or posting in their thread is that people here will probably be a bit more patient and helpful.
You could also have a look in the CyanogenMod google+ community but it has a lot of idiot members (unlike AF)

 

[techack]

Thanks @scary for just a detailed reply...
Here is my point-wise response to your post:

1. Yes, the link is correct. My device is P 5100 GSM.

2. The MD5 of nightly of 13th Feb matches.

3. Last working nightly was around mid-Jan. Can I somehow get the link to download it?

4. Your point#4 seems a bit technical, any URLs to some help pages will be appreciated. CM 10.1.3 works fine for me (no bootloop)
So, for trying your #4, do I need to flash latest nightly and be in bootloop?

 

[scary alien]

Thanks @scary for just a detailed reply...
Here is my point-wise response to your post:

No problem--happy to help and that's what we're here for .

1. Yes, the link is correct. My device is P 5100 GSM.

Thanks for the confirmation! :thumbup:

2. The MD5 of nightly of 13th Feb matches.

Excellent! (glad you know how to do this--very good best practice)

3. Last working nightly was around mid-Jan. Can I somehow get the link to download it?

I see them all for your device here: CyanogenMod Downloads

4. Your point#4 seems a bit technical, any URLs to some help pages will be appreciated. CM 10.1.3 works fine for me (no bootloop)
So, for trying your #4, do I need to flash latest nightly and be in bootloop?

Well, this might be a last-resort type of deal--if you were conversant with adb, we could pull the aforementioned files off of your device and navigate into your /system partition to find the baddie.

Now, giving more weight to the other's responses since this device isn't my forte' (I don't own it and am just offering advice re. the troubleshooting aspects), I think I would:

- see if the other's above have any other advice feedback for you, and then
- take a Nandroid backup and save it off to your PC
- download (and verify the MD5) of the latest nightly
- do the requisite wipes and flash the latest nightly

If you still have an issue after this, then we could delve into having you download the adb utility and try to drill-down to the issue you're having (adb isn't too difficult, the USB drivers for Windows sometimes are, though). This would likely still only point-out what the issue might be and might not necessarily help you get around it.

The proper wiping and flashing of a known working ROM should get you going, though, so I'm guessing maybe you just missed a wipe? :dontknow: (like I said, this device and CM ROM is not in my domain).

 

[techack]

@scary Thanks for ur help..

The proper wiping and flashing of a known working ROM should get you going, though, so I'm guessing maybe you just missed a wipe?

Can u be more clear what "wipe" I might have missed?