Root Hboot Not Downgrading No Matter how often I try

[sekhu]

I am tryibng to downgrade my Hboot from 0.93 to 0.8 and am following this guide:

[HOWTO] Downgrade Froyo (2.2) to Stock 2.1 (ANY HBOOT | WIN/LINUX/MAC | ROOT) - xda-developers

The reason I amn doing this is because with Unrevoked I get a Validation Error Backup CID Is Missing or words to that effect.

I understand that downgrading to an earflier Hboot version would make Unrevoked work and I can then root my htc desire.

This is where I have a problem:

Checking misc partition
/data/local/mtd0.image: ok
CID retrieved: H3__001
Modifying misc parition image
Flashing misc partition... mtd: not writing bad block at 0x00000000
error writing misc: no space left on device
Flash complete
If any error ocurred here, press ctrl-c and run this utility again

this I assume is talking about the little space i have ont he phone itself and not the sdcard as I have tried 2 sd cards. I did a factory reset, created the gold card and went throguh the process several times.

If I let it go and carry on it goes through a few more things before it finally finishes. Then it reboots my htc desire and a white screen with skateboarding androids shows up, from there in the instructions it tells me to push up for flashing if i do that it goes to the nerxt option which is sim lock and I dont think that is what it is meant to be.

If I boot into reocvery the phone freezes at a screen pic of the phone with a gtriangle and exclamation mark and so I take the battery out and reboot that way.

Please can someone explain where am I going wrong here?

Thanks in advance

Windows 7 x64
Android 2.1
Hboot 0.93

 

[Rastaman-FB]

you shouldnt of really continued down this path, there was no reason to downgrade the hboot as unrevoked supports latest windows and latest hboot.
if you were having problems with unrevoked then its likely that there is a problem with the device or the way the computer is interfacing with it
problem is now you have a half brick
Flashing misc partition... mtd: not writing bad block at 0x00000000 sounds like a problem.

what network are you on? you may need to try and use that to flash the device back to .93 stock for the network you are on.

there was really no need to do this

 

[sekhu]

I am on te 3 network (UK) and even after trying to downgrade the 0.93 I am still on 0.93. What can I do to fix this then? I'mnot sure what you mean by using the network to flash back to stock 0.93.

I went down this path because I was told by someone that I would need to downgrade my current 0.93 to 0.8 to enable unrevoked3 to work on it. and I wouldn't get the backup cid validation error.

Is the desire recoverable?

thanks for your patience

 

[Rastaman-FB]

I am on te 3 network (UK) and even after trying to downgrade the 0.93 I am still on 0.93. What can I do to fix this then? I'mnot sure what you mean by using the network to flash back to stock 0.93.

I went down this path because I was told by someone that I would need to downgrade my current 0.93 to 0.8 to enable unrevoked3 to work on it. and I wouldn't get the backup cid validation error.

Is the desire recoverable?

thanks for your patience

whoever told you to do that doesnt know what they are on about. unrevoked 3.21 is made to work with all bootloader versions
we now have quite an issue though as you are on a network that doesnt have a leaked RUU. luckily you made a goldcard for this process even though you shouldnt have attempted the downgrade.

its likely unrevoked failed due to the bad blocks.
you could try flashing a stock RUU from HTC if it will let you. (it may not work if your version is later then the RUU from HTC)
Shipped ROMs

 

[sekhu]

ok so my option is to flash using these ruu rom things.How will I know when it's been flashed, and what tool do I use to do the flashing> The unrevoked error came by before I did any of this messing up by my hands. It was unrevoked out of the box and I followed the instructions.

ruu is? And where can I find out what vesion mine is compared to the version from htc?

thanks in advance

 

[Rastaman-FB]

you cant now find the version as you cannot boot to it
you run the RUU as administrator on your pc with the device connected and booted into fastboot/bootloader (back-key + power)
iit will go through some prompts telling you the version it is going to flash from and too.

what do you mean by "it was unrevoked out of the box"?

RUU is the official flasher from HTC with the android rom integrated into the flashing tool

 

[sekhu]

So I can't flash like you said due to the bad blocks? I'm sol then? If I can upgrade from android 2.1 to 2.2 does that mean I'm still screwed and can't root the device?

I'm getting a bit lost now in what I can do to fix this now. By out of the box I mean that I prepared and set up unrevoked with the desire soon as I had the desire opened out of the box and before I tried to downgrade or manually flash

 

[Rastaman-FB]

right ok.
were you on 2.1 or 2.2?

you can try and flash it, what im saying is you wont know the version you were on untill you start the flashing proceedure.
if you succeed in flashing to the RUU stock rom from the link i provided (make sure your gold card is in) then it will be on 2.2 with bootloader .93
you should then try unrevoked again, if it doesnt work then its likely to be a dodgy device which you should be able to return to 3 as they were at one point selling unbranded HTC versions.
the flash however could fix the bad sector so thats your best bet

 

[sekhu]

I'm started off with 2.1 updated by accident to 2.2 then back to 2.1 via factory reset. Unfortunately due to some issues including a lost receipt I can't return the phone to 3 or where I bought it from.

I guess they could serial check it but I don't think they will accept without proof of purchase or will tell me to return it to the shop in Kent whereas I'm in London

EDIT: I've tried the RUU and it comes up with the following error:

ERROR [170]: USB CONNECTION ERROR
Thiserror message will appear when the Android phone is not correctly connected to the host PC. It might be a USB connection problem or a PC USB driver problem. Make sure the Android phone is connected to the host PC correctly and/or check if the PC driver matches the Android phone.


I tried with charge only, htc sync, and diosk drive mode is this the indication of a bricked or half bricked phone?


thanks

 

[Rastaman-FB]

I'm started off with 2.1 updated by accident to 2.2 then back to 2.1 via factory reset. Unfortunately due to some issues including a lost receipt I can't return the phone to 3 or where I bought it from.

I guess they could serial check it but I don't think they will accept without proof of purchase or will tell me to return it to the shop in Kent whereas I'm in London

EDIT: I've tried the RUU and it comes up with the following error:

ERROR [170]: USB CONNECTION ERROR
Thiserror message will appear when the Android phone is not correctly connected to the host PC. It might be a USB connection problem or a PC USB driver problem. Make sure the Android phone is connected to the host PC correctly and/or check if the PC driver matches the Android phone.


I tried with charge only, htc sync, and diosk drive mode is this the indication of a bricked or half bricked phone?


thanks

so hang on, you can boot into the device?
by the comments you made earlier i thought you could only boot to hboot.
what does it say about the device in settings>about phone> software information> build number:

you must boot into fastboot not main os (back + power) and run it from there
if youve installed the correct drivers it should show as "my htc" or "android bootloader" in windows device manager
the run the EXE
do not run it when booted in as it cannot find the bootloader

 

[sekhu]

yes I can boot into the device. THe phone functions as normal, but I got that error when trying to downbgrade to 0.8

//
Checking misc partition
/data/local/mtd0.image: ok
CID retrieved: H3__001
Modifying misc parition image
Flashing misc partition... mtd: not writing bad block at 0x00000000
error writing misc: no space left on device
Flash complete
If any error ocurred here, press ctrl-c and run this utility again
//

build number says: 2.25.771.1 CL254759 release keys

I cannot go back to 2.1 Android now though, it seems stuck on 2.2, even after a factory so maybe it is still a halfbrick or something? I can use the phone as normal and access all parts of it as before.

so the steps are:

1. hold vol down and power button from shutdown to boot
2. select fastboot
3. connect usb cable, and then run the EXE from windows and wait

Is that right?

I've emailed HTC to tell them I can't downgrade my android to 2.1 from 2.2, though I don't know if that's normal anyway after a system update, steange that it won't let me go back to 2.1 anyway and stuck at 2.2.

Also, when I run unrevoked, am I supposed to run it in fastboot mode too, or can that be booted into? Maybe not going into fastboot is causing the backup cid validation error to appear when trying to root?

thanks

 

[Rastaman-FB]

yes I can boot into the device. THe phone functions as normal, but I got that error when trying to downbgrade to 0.8

//
Checking misc partition
/data/local/mtd0.image: ok
CID retrieved: H3__001
Modifying misc parition image
Flashing misc partition... mtd: not writing bad block at 0x00000000
error writing misc: no space left on device
Flash complete
If any error ocurred here, press ctrl-c and run this utility again
//

build number says: 2.25.771.1 CL254759 release keys

I cannot go back to 2.1 Android now though, it seems stuck on 2.2, even after a factory so maybe it is still a halfbrick or something? I can use the phone as normal and access all parts of it as before.

so the steps are:

1. hold vol down and power button from shutdown to boot
2. select fastboot
3. connect usb cable, and then run the EXE from windows and wait

Is that right?

I've emailed HTC to tell them I can't downgrade my android to 2.1 from 2.2, though I don't know if that's normal anyway after a system update, steange that it won't let me go back to 2.1 anyway and stuck at 2.2.

Also, when I run unrevoked, am I supposed to run it in fastboot mode too, or can that be booted into? Maybe not going into fastboot is causing the backup cid validation error to appear when trying to root?

thanks

no its not a half brick as everything is functional.
theres a problem somewhere which is causing a failure to flash unrevoked or downgrade.
there is no point in trying to run the ruu as its an older version as you are on the latest 3 firmware.
your bad sector is causing you problems i think.
You Run unrevoked when booted into the device on charge only. it uses a backdoor via adb to root the device.

i dont have an answer for you. maybe teppic or someone else could help

be happy you have a functional device, some people are not so lucky

 

[sekhu]

i see, well that's a bugger. I did some googling and others have had the backup cid validation error, but without a solution to it. I understand that the next version of unrevoked will resolve this issue. When that is out is anyone's guess, but I'm hopeful that will resolve the ability to root the device. Of course if it's a bad sector as you suggested then maybe I'm SOL and should try to get the phone replaced.

Thanks for the guidance throughout, I appreciate the help you've given

 

[Rastaman-FB]

i see, well that's a bugger. I did some googling and others have had the backup cid validation error, but without a solution to it. I understand that the next version of unrevoked will resolve this issue. When that is out is anyone's guess, but I'm hopeful that will resolve the ability to root the device. Of course if it's a bad sector as you suggested then maybe I'm SOL and should try to get the phone replaced.

Thanks for the guidance throughout, I appreciate the help you've given

you should be able to.
theyll have the imei on their provisioning records.

 

[sekhu]

just as an afterthought and something I probably need advice on. But I heard there were issues with 2.2, which was why the htc rep told me to downgrade to 2.1 and walked me through the factory reset. Are there any apps or functions that work in 2.1 that don't on 2.2?

thanks

 

[Rastaman-FB]

just as an afterthought and something I probably need advice on. But I heard there were issues with 2.2, which was why the htc rep told me to downgrade to 2.1 and walked me through the factory reset. Are there any apps or functions that work in 2.1 that don't on 2.2?

thanks

none that im aware of usually the apps get updated

lol htc rep telling you to downgrade with a factory reset? WTF?
its impossible to downgrade without flashing.
i dont know what issues there are or where youve been getting your info from.
2.2 is much better than 2.1 fact
3's new 2.2 is just out so no one really knows how this will behave.

 

[SUroot]

Yes there are serious issues with 2.2. Its too fast and too damn efficient. It makes everything smooth.

 

[sekhu]

well the only solution I was told was the following:

//
This is a quick 'n' dirty guide for ADVANCED USERS ONLY.

Proceed at entirely you're own risk.

How to fix the validation error for backup CID when running unrevoked3.21...

adb shell
$ /system/__unrevoked_su
# cat /dev/mtd/mtd0 > /sdcard/misc.img
# getprop ro.cid
HTC__001 <---- remember this
# exit
adb pull /sdcard/misc.img

Now open a hex editor like ghex2, HxD, xvi32 and at the start of the file (position 0) you probably have all FF's.

At position 0 enter the cid (HTC__001) from above then follow that with hex '00'... so the hex string looks something like: "48 54 43 5F 5F 30 30 31 00".

Save the file and exit the hex editor.

adb push misc.img /sdcard/new-misc.img
adb shell
$ /system/__unrevoked_su
# /data/local/flash_image misc /sdcard/new-misc.img
# exit

Now re-run unrevoked and it should now complete successfully.
//

Woudl you happen to know what it's talking about? Is this editing an image? Unrevoked? Something else? Or is it creating a new image which I import into unrevoked somehow? It's not particularaly clear.

thanks

EDIT: I got an email from HTC saying that they will flash the device to android 2.1 if I want. I wasn't sure what to say to to them to get it repaired or replaced. Any ideas?

 

[Rastaman-FB]

well the only solution I was told was the following:

//
This is a quick 'n' dirty guide for ADVANCED USERS ONLY.

Proceed at entirely you're own risk.

How to fix the validation error for backup CID when running unrevoked3.21...

adb shell
$ /system/__unrevoked_su
# cat /dev/mtd/mtd0 > /sdcard/misc.img
# getprop ro.cid
HTC__001 <---- remember this
# exit
adb pull /sdcard/misc.img

Now open a hex editor like ghex2, HxD, xvi32 and at the start of the file (position 0) you probably have all FF's.

At position 0 enter the cid (HTC__001) from above then follow that with hex '00'... so the hex string looks something like: "48 54 43 5F 5F 30 30 31 00".

Save the file and exit the hex editor.

adb push misc.img /sdcard/new-misc.img
adb shell
$ /system/__unrevoked_su
# /data/local/flash_image misc /sdcard/new-misc.img
# exit

Now re-run unrevoked and it should now complete successfully.
//

Woudl you happen to know what it's talking about? Is this editing an image? Unrevoked? Something else? Or is it creating a new image which I import into unrevoked somehow? It's not particularaly clear.

thanks

EDIT: I got an email from HTC saying that they will flash the device to android 2.1 if I want. I wasn't sure what to say to to them to get it repaired or replaced. Any ideas?

this is editing an image to be pushed back to the device so unrevoked works.
I would leave well alone if you dont know what you are doing.

 

[EddyOS]

You were on the branded 3UK 2.2 update and you were trying to put the generic 2.1 ROM back on? You need a gold card that don't you?

And as said, unrEVOked works fine on all HBOOT versions

 

[sekhu]

Ok I guess I'll wait til a new unevoked is released. What can I say to get the phone replaced I can't tell them it has a bad block/sector then they'll know I tried to root it

 

[EddyOS]

It is out, you need unrEVOked 3.21 - Google it

 

[sekhu]

It is out, you need unrEVOked 3.21 - Google it

that's bne out for a whuile now hasn't it? It's the versioN i used to root but without success, comes up with that validation backup cid error, and is supposed to be gone in the next release - otherwise youcan do the hack I described above to edit the image

 

[EddyOS]

I'm on HBOOT 0.93 and rooted my phone first time using 3.21 - never had any issues with that OR the down grading thread on XDA. I've got an unbranded phone, mine

 

[sekhu]

well i;m not the only person getting that problem, and that fix above is for people that are having that problem so the problem exists even if you haven't experienced it - not for all, but for some, so it's do the hack or wait for a new release