[Verizon] Still Stuicking @ Boot Animation - LogCat.

[iowabowtech]

/data and /cache are both clean although it could still have to do with the timing of mounting/unmounting of various partitions though I have no idea how to qualify that.

Bottom line, we need a new theory I'm afraid although I do feel like we have some clues with those dates. All those various directories probably default to epoch until they get a system trigger to update to current. We see that /cache was able to do exactly that, evidently because it's mounting in recovery. I find it somewhat interesting that /root is the other oddball, showing a date of July 21, 2012. I would like to know the significance of that date.

Other than that, I'm back to head scratching for now.

 

[scary alien]

Okay guys, I have another idea how to get more information about what is going on: kernel messages.

There's a Linux utility called dmesg that will display kernel messages in real-time (you can also do a cat /proc/kmsg to do this--note that this file always shows a zero byte length when you list it).

Now, the trick here will be to figure-out how to install and invoke dmesg onto gapi's ROM to make it start displaying things (and in a way that's viewable).

Chainfire has an app that actually does this:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.livedmesg.lite&hl=en

but we, of course, can't use this app because we can't get it properly installed for gapi because his JB install won't boot-up.

My idea is to install Chainfire's app and see what it actually installs so that we can figure-out how to do this manually for gapi (I'm guessing / betting that it tweaks one of the init.rc scripts/files).

I'll let you know what I find...this would hopefully at least possibly shed some more light on things...

 

[iowabowtech]

Great idea SA. Looks like it could be a little on the tricky side and maybe involve some custom devsmanship.

Can't help much there but I certainly can offer my phone as a bootable JB test subject if that comes into play. No need to flash yours again unless you really want to. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

 

[scary alien]

Great idea SA. Looks like it could be a little on the tricky side and maybe involve some custom devsmanship.

Can't help much there but I certainly can offer my phone as a bootable JB test subject if that comes into play. No need to flash yours again unless you really want to. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

I think I've figured it out and am about to test it .

Back in a bit.

 

[iowabowtech]

^^ U gotta love that guy.

 

[scary alien]

Okay, I've got it to work and I've written an installation script for it, too--although the install.bat script is untested, the adb commands themselves should work).

updated 9/20/2012: View attachment dmesg-on-boot.zip

IBT, you're welcome to try this, but it really does exactly (as far as I know) the same thing as chainfire's [root] live dmesg lite app. All credit goes to chainfire for this!!!

It's really intended for gapi's device since there's no expectation of backing-out the changes. Feel free to examine the .zip file and the install.bat (MS/DOS) script.

gapi, for you to use this, download the above .zip file and extract it a temp file on your PC. Then start-up a Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe / command) and navigate to that directory.

You'll see four files in the .zip file that you've just extracted:

1. bootanimation - this file will replace the current bootanimation binary that's currently installed on your JB /system/bin directory

2. boot-dmesg - this is the actual binary created by chainfire that displays the boot animation (very cool!)

3. libcfsurface-dmesg.so - a library file presumably needed by the boot-dmesg binary

4. install.bat - this is an installation script that I tried to create for you to automate the installation; you should probably review the script to see what it's going to do just in case the script doesn't work

5. bootanimation-1, bootanimation-2, bootanimation-3 - alternate versions of the bootanimation file to push-over in case the original bootanimation file doesn't work or allow it's data to be captured

~ ~ ~

To actually do the installation, do this:

- install JB as you normally would / have

- reboot phone into CWM recovery (no need to boot normally into a boot-loop yet)

- from inside CWM

• mount /system (under Mounts and Storage Menu)
• return to the main CWM menu

- from your PC, either type-in these commands or invoke the install.bat script:

• adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation.bak
• adb push bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb push boot-dmesg /system/bin/boot-dmesg
• adb push libcfsurface-dmesg.so /system/bin/libcfsurface-dmesg.so
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 6755 /system/bin/boot-dmesg
• adb shell chmod 644 /system/bin/libcfsurface-dmesg.so

- reboot from CWM

~ ~ ~

Okay, finally, its really (really!) hard to read what is being displayed on the screen from the boot animation. If you don't find that you can read or glean anything useful from the display, we can try to alter the bootanimation file to redirect it's output to the /cache partition for later analysis. The bootanimation file that you push over in this process is simply a script that invokes the boot-dmesg binary that chainfire wrote.

So, here's what I would try, in order:

1. do the above and see how useful it is

2. if that doesn't work, try using the bootanimation-1 file instead which does this:

#!/system/bin/sh
/system/bin/boot-dmesg >> /cache/bootani-1.out

Here are the commands you'll need to enter on your PC:

• adb push bootanimation-1 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then reboot your phone to capture the bootloop behavior.

3. if that doesn't work, try using the bootanimation-2 file instead which does this:

#!/system/bin/sh
cat /proc/kmsg >> /cache/bootani-2.out

Here are the commands you'll need to enter on your PC:

• adb push bootanimation-2 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then reboot your phone to capture the bootloop behavior.

4. if that doesn't work, try using the bootanimation-3 file instead which does this:

#!/system/bin/sh
/system/bin/dmesg >> /cache/bootani-3.out

Here are the commands you'll need to enter on your PC:

• adb push bootanimation-3 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then reboot your phone to capture the bootloop behavior.

~ ~ ~

After you see the device bootlooping, do a battery pull like you've been doing (I believe), reboot into CWM, and grab the bootanimation captures from your /cache partition and post 'em up here for us to view (for whichever ones are actually there):

• adb shell ls -a -l /cache/bootani*.out
• adb pull /cache/bootani-1.out
• adb pull /cache/bootani-2.out
• adb pull /cache/bootani-3.out

My desktop access will be somewhat limited over the coming days, so IBT might need to help guide you through things if possible (he's more than knowledgeable and capable!).

Cheers and I hope this helps!
-SA

 

[iowabowtech]

:congrats:

 

[gapi]

Starting now. As far as looking at a script to see what it will do, heh! I would not know what I am looking at. I am going to follow your instructions though, wiping and flashing JB now.

 

[gapi]

I don't know how to envoke so I will enter the commands

 

[gapi]

Well, I put the zip and extracted in c:\temp. Where do I enter the comands to get them to work?

 

[scary alien]

Well, I put the zip and extracted in c:\temp. Where do I enter the comands to get them to work?

These are just adb commands like you entered before, right?

Start-up a Windows Command Prompt (this is the old MS/DOS window). Windows Start button and type "cmd" or "command" in the text box that pops-up.

If you need to, you can extract the file's contents to your C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools directory like you reported before since that's where your adb.exe executable lives.

 

[gapi]

I figured that but didn't read it.

Below is how it went. You will see the first command says cannot rename, no such file or directory...... but the rest of the commands seems to have taken. I then did the "adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation.bak" again and it looks like it took.


I rebooted and am now stuck on the google screen.

 

[gapi]

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb devices
List of devices attached
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx       recovery


C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /sy
stem/bin/bootanimation.bak
mv: can't rename '/system/bin/bootanimation': No such file or directory

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb push bootanimation /system/bin/bootani
mation
3 KB/s (40 bytes in 0.010s)

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb push boot-dmesg /system/bin/boot-dmesg

3238 KB/s (76277 bytes in 0.023s)

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>
C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb push libcfsurface-dmesg.so /system/bin
/libcfsurface-dmesg.so
1564 KB/s (9616 bytes in 0.006s)

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimat
ion

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell chmod 6755 /system/bin/boot-dmes
g

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell chmod 644 /system/bin/libcfsurfa
ce-dmesg.so

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /sy
stem/bin/bootanimation.bak

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>

 

[gapi]

Starting over.
Wiping, restoring the ICS.
Wiping and flashing the JB.
Rebooting to recovery.
Mounting Data and System
Going to platform-tools and try and run the batch.

 

[iowabowtech]

If the first command fails again, let us know. We might want to alter the command to get things set right from the get go. (speaking of the renaming to .bak ending)

edit: ok, i see you are running the batch file. nevermind for now.

 

[scary alien]

Oh, it looks like the version of JB you are using doesn't have the "normal" /system/bin/bootanimation file--that's okay since we're just trying to move it out of the way for the new bootanimation file you are pushing down.

You shouldn't have to re-install and wipe between attempts, etc. if you want to capture the bootloop in JB--at least for the purposes of this test.

I don't remember if you said you had seen the bootanimation screens before prior to you bootlooping. If that's the case, this might not work at all (but it was worth a shot nonetheless).

If you end-up tweaking the bootanimation script as I described above to try the other things (this is probably only useful if you see any of the kernel / dmesg boot animation of some sort), then you would:

- tweak the bootanimation script in Windows (use something like Notepad to edit it (not MS/Word or Wordpad); vi or gvim is good and okay, too)

- re-push and re-secure the bootanimation file back to your phone:

• adb push bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then simply reboot to hopefully capture the bootloop data.

I'll be up for a few more minutes if you have questions .

Good luck!

 

[scary alien]

Before I sign-off I thought I'd mention that mounting /data in CWM is not really necessary / needed.

I was originally going to have you push the files to the /sdcard, but realized and decided to have you push them directly to the /system/bin directory. So, /data is not needed / germane to the script / method.

I'll try to update the .zip file tomorrow (been a very long day ).

Cheers and good luck!

 

[gapi]

Well, you guys are getting over my head now. When you said to extract it to a temp file and run it I knew there was wrench in it right there. I could not figure out how running a file from a temp file was gonna work on the phone without being in the platform-tools directory.

I don't know how to invoke a bat file. I Googled and there is no help for a noob there. It seems to give everything but what to type in to invoke a bat file.

So, I put em in the platform-tools folder and tried the command lines and got the file or directory not found on the first one as posted earlier..

So, I'm still in the dugout on this one. Running DOS commands I have never done I can do but need a little guidance.

Like on that first line do I type in adb shell and hit enter then mv /system/bin/bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation.bak? See what I mean?

Sorry guys, I'm lost, tired, and going to bed, gnite and Thanks.

 

[scary alien]

gapi,

No worries, mate, we'll get you sorted .

1. I've updated the dmesg-on-boot.zip file above (several minor changes, but you should grab the new one). Go ahead and download it and re-extract it to your platform-tools directory again.

2. Don't worry if the adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation.bak command gives you an error. It just means that there's no bootanimation file to rename (i.e., move out of the way).

3. Invoking a .bat file is simply typing-in the name of the file like you did for the adb shell commands. In this case, you'll just do something like this:

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools> install.bat

(I actually think you could just type "install" and it would look for a file with the .bat extension).

4. If you run all of the adb shell commands and get the files pushed over to your phone after its setup with the JB ROM, then after you reboot, you should see the kernel messages being displayed on the screen in lieu of the normal boot animation. If you weren't ever seeing any of the boot animations before (but I think you should have been), then this might not work or be helpful.

5. If you do get the boot animation messages to display and we want to capture it in a file on the /cache directory. If the first one that uses the chainfire boot animation display doesn't give us anything useful in a text capture file, we'll have to try a few others that should give us something more readable.

I've created and included new bootanimation-1/2/3 files in the new .zip file and updated the instructions in the above post where I had all of the details.

You don't have to re-do all of the steps to try the new boot animation files--just replace the /system/bin/bootanimation file via the instructions.

So, let me know if you have questions.

Cheers and best of luck!
-SA

 

[gapi]

Thanks, I'll try tonight, but if not, tomorrow after 6PM EST. Got the GF supposed to be cooking for me this evening. The up @ 3AM to start FRI-SAT-Sun 12 hr shifts.

 

[gapi]

Getting started,

This is what happens when I enter install.bat -

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>install.bat
ECHO is off.
# ==========================================================================
# all credit goes to chainfire for this method
#
# this is all based on his very cool [root] live dmesg lite app:
#
#    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.livedmesg.lite
#
# Instructions:
#
#  1. install JellyBean as you normally would
#  2. reboot phone into CWM recovery (no need to boot normally into a boot-loop
yet)
#  3. from inside ClockworkMod recovery:
#
#     - mount /system (from under the Mounts and Storage Menu)
#     - return to the main CWM menu
#
#  4. press return to install the dmesg boot animation (here are the commands
#     that the script will install for you--they are included here for reference
):
#
#      - from your PC:
#
#       - adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation.bak
#       - adb push bootanimation /system/bin/bootanimation
#       - adb push boot-dmesg /system/bin/boot-dmesg
#       - adb push libcfsurface-dmesg.so /system/bin/libcfsurface-dmesg.so
#       - adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation
#       - adb shell chmod 6755 /system/bin/boot-dmesg
#       - adb shell chmod 644 /system/bin/libcfsurface-dmesg.so
#
#  5. after the above files are installed and secured, reboot your phone
#
# ==========================================================================
#
The system cannot find the file specified.
Press any key to continue . . .
[*] waiting for adb USB connectivity to your device
* daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 *
* daemon started successfully *

Here it is entered manually

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools> adb devices
List of devices attached
014682870C01600C        recovery


C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell mv /system/bin/bootanimation /sy
stem/bin/bootanimation.bak

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb push bootanimation /system/bin/bootani
mation
13 KB/s (40 bytes in 0.003s)

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb push boot-dmesg /system/bin/boot-dmesg

3385 KB/s (76277 bytes in 0.022s)

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb push libcfsurface-dmesg.so /system/bin
/libcfsurface-dmesg.so
2347 KB/s (9616 bytes in 0.004s)

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimat
ion

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell chmod 6755 /system/bin/boot-dmes
g

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell chmod 644 /system/bin/libcfsurfa
ce-dmesg.so

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>

What I got when rebooting was a black screen after the Google screen. While it was on the Google screen I could see a Driver loading via the balloon message over the tray.

Its sitting at the black screen right now.

Forgive me for being a bit dense but if I need to replace animations, what instructions? There are so many.

I'm sitting at the black screen a while waiting on you.

 

[gapi]

Think I figured it out. I did a battery pull and booted back into recovery, mounted system and ran adb push bootanimation-2 /system/bin/bootanimation.

Got the Google logo and the driver trying to load is theSamsung Mobile MTP device driver. It fails and the phone stayed black on the animation-1 but the animation -2 is stuck at the Google logo.

I'm gonna try the animation-3 in a few minutes.

 

[iowabowtech]

Think I figured it out. I did a battery pull and booted back into recovery, mounted system and ran adb push bootanimation-2 /system/bin/bootanimation.

Got the Google logo and the driver trying to load is theSamsung Mobile MTP device driver. It fails and the phone stayed black on the animation-1 but the animation -2 is stuck at the Google logo.

I'm gonna try the animation-3 in a few minutes.

Sounds like you may be back on the right track. Did you follow the adb push of these latest bootanimantion files with a chmod 755 command as Scary mentioned above?

 

[gapi]

No, I'm in a dizzy spin now, too much bouncing back and forth for me. Heh, I may be dyslexic. You cannot be vague with me because this adb stuff is new territory, or say territiry I do not cover on a regular basis.

I need a
1.
2.
3.
Kind of thing I guess. And when you say if that doesn't work try the instructions above, I look up and hoo boy!

Sorry

I gotta quit for tonight. Basically I get stuck at the Google screen or the blank screen after so far.

Thanks For Your Patience.

 

[iowabowtech]

Quoting Scary's instructs from a few posts up. The 1.) 2.) 3.) and 4.) are in there.

So, here's what I would try, in order:

1. do the above and see how useful it is

2. if that doesn't work, try using the bootanimation-1 file instead which does this:





Here are the commands you'll need to enter on your PC:

• adb push bootanimation-1 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then reboot your phone to capture the bootloop behavior.

3. if that doesn't work, try using the bootanimation-2 file instead which does this:





Here are the commands you'll need to enter on your PC:

• adb push bootanimation-2 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then reboot your phone to capture the bootloop behavior.

4. if that doesn't work, try using the bootanimation-3 file instead which does this:





Here are the commands you'll need to enter on your PC:

• adb push bootanimation-3 /system/bin/bootanimation
• adb shell chmod 755 /system/bin/bootanimation

and then reboot your phone to capture the bootloop behavior.

~ ~ ~