Root Problems getting into Recovery..

[Xyro]

Been a while since I wrote that guide, but I yeah I think the app would reboot the phone for you every time it flashed a recovery menu. So the fact it wasn't rebooting on it's own would be a sign that the flashing wasn't working, rather than the reason it wasn't flashing, if you see what I mean.

So now you have access to amon ra and it doesn't disappear when you reboot? That means you're ready to go

 

[C.Glucose]

Whaddya know, so far it seems VillainRom has installed fine!

Well. That was unexpected.

Thanks guys, hopefully I won't be back on this problem for a while

I reinstalled Universal Androot, i.e. put new version on the card and ran through Linda File Manager. It said I was already rooted but I asked to re-root anyway.

Used ROM manager to flash alternate, then switched off and restarted in amon_ra recovery mode.

Now seems okay.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Njd4]

... Alas this didn't work for me..

I Used Universal Androot to unroot then re-root my phone which got titanium backup working again,

Then I used adb on my PC to try slugs suggestion of:-

$su
#flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img
#reboot recovery

which DID get me into RA recovery!

So I tried Slug's:-

"Once (hopefully) in the recovery, scroll down and select Flash zip from sdcard, select recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1-update.zip and confirm.
When complete, select Power off then try booting back into recovery by holding down HOME while powering on"

But alas, this just brought me back to the screen with the phone and the red exclamation mark in the triangle so I used up arrow and power and it took me to the same old Android system recovery <2e> screen..



I then attempted the fastboot method but after the initial:-

"adb shell reboot bootloader" command it went to a screen on my Hero with the android skateboarders on but gives me the following errors:-

"fastboot boot recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img - gives me a downloading 'boot.img' FAILED <remote: not allow> error..

adb shell mount /sdcard - gives me a error:device not found error..

So I couldn't continue with the rest:-

adb push recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img /sdcard/recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img
adb shell flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img
adb shell reboot"

So can you tell me what I'm doing wrong and how to enter the remaining lines of this code?

Many thanks!

 

[Slug]

I then attempted the fastboot method but after the initial:-

"adb shell reboot bootloader" command it went to a screen on my Hero with the android skateboarders on and wouldn't recognise any further commands from the rest of the code

Hmm, "fastboot boot <recovery filename>" isn't working for me either.... I'm getting a "Cannot load <recovery filename>" error. That's on an already-rooted device too, which is odd.

One thing; when you ran UniversalAndroot, did you specify the correct Superuser version i.e. 2.0-2.2?

This thread at XDA gives a step-by-step walkthrough as well as containing a few possible solutions for recovery-flashing problems.

 

[Njd4]

Thanks Slug..

I've edited my previous post with the error messages I'm receiving when trying the fastboot method but have been googling all evening and still haven't found a solution that works..

I did specify the correct superuser version in Universal Androot.

And i've tried a couple of suggestions from your other link supplied but still no luck !

 

[Slug]

And i've tried a couple of suggestions from your other link supplied but still no luck !

Rats! indeed.

I guess you could try unrooting with Androot, doing a factory reset and then trying again to see if that makes a difference. That will of course wipe all your user-space apps as well as contacts etc, but is preferable to my only other suggestion right now, which is a ROM downgrade to 2.73.405.5.

edit: that <remote: not allow> confirms my fear.... the bloody bootloader is locked!

 

[Njd4]

Oh..

Does that mean it's a no go ?



And why on my phone? when so many other people must have the same phone from Orange?

I tried un-rooting and did a factory reset but alas it still didn't work...

Just spent the last few hours re-configuring all my apps!

LOL

Phones alot quicker though since the factory reset!

Every cloud and all that !

 

[Slug]

Does that mean it's a no go ?

No, it just means that you may have to downgrade to a pre-2.1 firmware to root.

And why on my phone? when so many other people must have the same phone from Orange?

That I don't yet understand. Trouble is, the Hero's been around for so long now, and gone through so many updates, that details tend to get lost. I've seen some references to a locked bl after some updates elsewhere but I didn't think it applied to the Orange firmware.

Phones alot quicker though since the factory reset!

Ain't that the truth?!?

Confirm your current firmware build, will ya? I think I'll see if I can RUU the 2.73.61.66 onto mine and see how it goes.

 

[Xyro]

Hmm. Random thought here, how did you install 2.1 Njd4? Apparently, if you installed 2.1 from a RUU.exe rather than via the Over-The-Air update you can't root your phone.

I haven't heard anybody mention the 2.1 RUUs here, but I just thought I'd ask.

 

[Njd4]

Hi.

My phone is reporting a firmware version of 2.1-update 1 with a build number of 3.35.61.2 CL 196735 release-keys.

I updated from 1.5 via the OTA 2 part update process. Never previously rooted nor installed any previous custom recoveries or rom's.

Regards.

 

[Slug]

My phone is reporting a firmware version of 2.1-update 1 with a build number of 3.35.61.2 CL 196735 release-keys.

I updated from 1.5 via the OTA 2 part update process.

All copied, thanks.

I'm going to attempt the same i.e. reflash the official Orange firmware and (hopefully) install the OTA updates to get me to the same version. Then I'll try rooting with Androot, installing ROM Manager and flashing CWM just as you did. I'm just waiting for a nandroid backup to complete then I'll swap the 8GB sdcard for the 2GB that came with the handset to ensure there are no traces of previously-installed apps remaining.

 

[Njd4]

Blimey!

Cheers Slug!

Now that's what I call.. going the extra mile!

 

[Slug]

Now that's what I call.. going the extra mile!

The way I look at it is, an accepted method for rooting isn't working so it's in all our interests to find out why. If I can successfully reroot then at least we have a baseline to work from. If I can't.... well, we're still in the dark but as my Hero is no longer my main handset it's not the end of the world if I lock myself out.

 

[Slug]

Phew, reflash accomplished! No problem (surprisingly) running the RUU with Elelinux 7.0.0 installed.

Firmware: 2.1-update1
Software #: 3.35.61.2 CL196735 release-keys.
Baseband: 63.18.55.06PU_6.35.15.14 (identical to that in use previously)
Hboot: 1.76.0007 (CVT SHIP S-ON)

Now to try rooting it....

update:
This is interesting..... no, really it is.

1. Installed OI File Manager and used it to install Universal Androot from /sdcard
2. Ran Universal Androot, selected the "2.0-2.2" option and got confirmation of root
3. Installed Root Explorer (an old favourite) and rebooted
4. After restart, opened Root Explorer; got SU Permissions pop-up, checked "Allow always", now had access to all file systems
5. Rebooted
6. Opened RE. Saw notification that it was allowed su permissions. Root is persistent.
7. Installed ROM Manager (free)
8. Opened ROM Manager and selected "Flash ClockworkMod Recovery". Checked "Allow always" when asked by SU Permissions. Flash was confirmed
9. Powered off
10. Rebooted into recovery with HOME + POWER.... saw stock recovery image!
11. Pulled battery, rebooted as normal
12. Opened ROM Manager and reflashed CWM. Selected "Reboot into recovery"
13. Success... now at ClockworkMod Recovery menu!
14. Rebooted system from CWM
15. Powered off
16. Rebooted into recovery with HOME + POWER.... saw stock recovery image!
17. Going to fetch last cold beer from fridge and have a think

update #2:
CRACKED IT!!!!

The answer has been staring me in the face all along but I'd overlooked it.

See the comprehensive guide in the XDA Hero Develpment forum here by btdag, and scroll down to "*Useful information" and "***solution 3". Doh!

If you have a working ADB setup, run the following from the Windows command prompt before flashing your alternate recovery:

adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
rm /system/etc/install-recovery.sh

Alternately, use a root-aware file manager such as Root Explorer to simply delete the install-recovery.sh file (file system must be made r/w).

Once this has been done, flash your recovery and it will persist after reboot.

 

[Njd4]

Well thanks for trying!

At least I know I wasn't doing anything silly!



Weirdly I got RA recovery to last for 2 reboots tonight and clockworkmods for 3!

A new record!

Alas it didn't last..

But did you get the screen with the phone with the triangle and red exclamation Mark at any stage? Because I still get this EVERY time it looses whichever custom recovery and it's only after I press up Arrow and power that I THEN see the stock recovery..

... with that annoying "E:Can't open cache /recovery/command" error..

 

[Xyro]

But did you get the screen with the phone with the triangle and red exclamation Mark at any stage? Because I still get this EVERY time it looses whichever custom recovery and it's only after I press up Arrow and power that I THEN see the stock recovery..

... with that annoying "E:Can't open cache /recovery/command" error..

The triangle and exclamation mark are the background to the stock recovery image as far as I remember:

The screen you're referring to, is it white? It sounds like fastboot/flashboot:

And 'E:Can't open cache /recovery/command' is usually a sign that the phone is looking for the stock recovery menu to flash an update, but can't find it... Strange.

 

[Slug]

At least I know I wasn't doing anything silly!

Nope, the silliness was on my part. I should have put two and two together... the symptoms were obvious enough.

See my update a few minutes ago..... we're in business!

 

[Xyro]

Ah. So there's a script in /system/ reflashing the stock recovery?

So you could just flash a custom ROM then, since that would wipe out the script. (Your solution is much more elegant though ). I knew I hadn't imagined that

 

[Slug]

The triangle and exclamation mark are the background to the stock recovery image as far as I remember

Yup, the confusion is mine. Whatever that big red exclamation mark is, it's not the stock recovery. I never saw the latter, only the former which has no menu options. I think it was trying to tell me to stop futzing around.

Woot, fourth reboot into recovery on the trot and it's loading CWM every time. Happy days....

Ah. So there's a script in /system/ reflashing the stock recovery?

Aye, which should have been bloody obvious to me.

So you could just flash a custom ROM then, since that would wipe out the script.

Don't tell anyone, but that was my "final solution" if I ran out of patience. Doing it this way gives the user the choice of retaining the stock 2.1 ROM but with root access and the ability to make full backups with nandroid if they so wish.

p.s. I'm crashing out now.... all this thinking has tired me out. I'll look at documenting the procedure more tidily in the morning, then it can be added to the Rooting Guide so that it can be found easily.

 

[Njd4]

Blimey !!



RA Recovery seems to be holding 3 reboots later !!

Fantastic !!!

I must confess that I originally tried your fix at about 1am last night (I really must get an early night!) via a root explorer app to delete that install-recovery.sh script then installed the custom ROM but the recovery still never stuck..

So I was afraid I was having to give you some bad news !!



But then I've just got home and tried it via adb and it seems to have done the trick !!!



.... So far so good anyway !!

So i'd recommend this be done via adb rather than a root explorer as that didn't work for me.

So Many thanks guys for getting this sorted for me !!

Oh and Xyro..

The screen I got on reboot when holding home & power instead of a custom recovery (or any recovery come to that!) was as below, not the one you uploaded..

Many thanks again to all !!

Now I just have to choose which custom ROM to install!!



Neil.

 

[Xyro]

Oh and Xyro..

The screen I got on reboot when holding home & power instead of a custom recovery (or any recovery come to that!) was as below, not the one you uploaded..

Now I just have to choose which custom ROM to install!!

Oh, weird. That's a new one to me I'm afraid.

As for which ROM, you need to decide on whether you want 2.1/2.2/2.3, whether you want HTC Sense or not and how bleeding edge/stable you want it to be.

That will narrow it down to a manageable number

 

[Deech]

errrmmmm I had the same, I just rebooted again and also removed battery too but got same photo....

if that helps to mudy the waters

 

[Slug]

RA Recovery seems to be holding 3 reboots later !!

If it persists after a cold boot then you're home and dry. Nuking that install-recovery.sh script is the key.... wish I'd pulled it before deleting to have a look and see exactly what it does.

errrmmmm I had the same, I just rebooted again and also removed battery too but got same photo....

Have you run the commands to delete the above script before flashing the new recovery?

 

[nemesis2911]

sorry if i necro'ed this thread and restated the obvious. I was running the same version as slug and was getting constant errors with CWM with regards to flashing a recovery. I tried deleting that install-recovery.sh script and it wasnt there so it couldnt be deleted.

after rooting again, doing everything possible including slaughtering a lamb, i found a different method to go about things which was to add the flash_image function so that i could just use adb to flash the recovery which worked like a charm.

In short- anyone who is having problems flashing a recovery for reasons that cannot be explained, try this

1. use universal androot and get your phone rooted using the method mentioned above
2. get root explorer
3. get this file onto the root of your sd card however you can
http://cyanogen-files.carneeki.net/flash_image.zip
4. using root explorer, copy this file to /system/bin
make sure you enable read write opposed to read only so that it actually pastes
5. once you have pasted the flash_image in the system/bin, click on it and change its permissions (i gave it every permission for safety sake)
6. using your sdk type in adb shell flash_image recovery /sdcard/yourrecoveryimagehere.img

hopefully this works for you guys like it did for me. Im not really any good at stuff like this so ill try my best to answer a question if anyone has one. i just wanted to share my method incase some lost soul is still stuck

 

[mehulved]

Phew, reflash accomplished! No problem (surprisingly) running the RUU with Elelinux 7.0.0 installed.

Firmware: 2.1-update1
Software #: 3.35.61.2 CL196735 release-keys.
Baseband: 63.18.55.06PU_6.35.15.14 (identical to that in use previously)
Hboot: 1.76.0007 (CVT SHIP S-ON)

Now to try rooting it....

update:
This is interesting..... no, really it is.

1. Installed OI File Manager and used it to install Universal Androot from /sdcard
2. Ran Universal Androot, selected the "2.0-2.2" option and got confirmation of root
3. Installed Root Explorer (an old favourite) and rebooted
4. After restart, opened Root Explorer; got SU Permissions pop-up, checked "Allow always", now had access to all file systems
5. Rebooted
6. Opened RE. Saw notification that it was allowed su permissions. Root is persistent.
7. Installed ROM Manager (free)
8. Opened ROM Manager and selected "Flash ClockworkMod Recovery". Checked "Allow always" when asked by SU Permissions. Flash was confirmed
9. Powered off
10. Rebooted into recovery with HOME + POWER.... saw stock recovery image!
11. Pulled battery, rebooted as normal
12. Opened ROM Manager and reflashed CWM. Selected "Reboot into recovery"
13. Success... now at ClockworkMod Recovery menu!
14. Rebooted system from CWM
15. Powered off
16. Rebooted into recovery with HOME + POWER.... saw stock recovery image!
17. Going to fetch last cold beer from fridge and have a think

update #2:
CRACKED IT!!!!

The answer has been staring me in the face all along but I'd overlooked it.

See the comprehensive guide in the XDA Hero Develpment forum here by btdag, and scroll down to "*Useful information" and "***solution 3". Doh!

If you have a working ADB setup, run the following from the Windows command prompt before flashing your alternate recovery:

adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
rm /system/etc/install-recovery.sh

Alternately, use a root-aware file manager such as Root Explorer to simply delete the install-recovery.sh file (file system must be made r/w).

Once this has been done, flash your recovery and it will persist after reboot.

Thank you. That worked perfectly.