Root Hoping for non-destructive ShabbyMod restore for boot-frozen phone

[droogie]

Hey everyone,

I have had my phone for less than a month; Samsung Galaxy Prevail; rooted using one click root and running ShabbyMod 0.9 full version.

After some minor problems with delayed text messaging and actual space on phone (Dalvik cache), both of which are solved thanks to reading here, it was working great.

I tried to do a very simple manual install of a couple apps this afternoon. The second one hung on install so I backed out of ES File Explorer and used my task killer recklessly as usual.

The last thing I did (that I can remember) was to kill running tasks, this one may or may have not been done installing or even compatible with my phone; hence the reason for my manually installing .apk files... Then I shut down via the power button menu and rebooted after.

I have been SCOURING the internet for 2 hours while cold sweating.

My problem: The ShabbyMod boot logo progress meter just keeps scrolling and scrolling...

I have tried a few tentative steps, like checking out the yellow "Downloading..." screen while the battery is out and so on, but I haven't tried to do any recovery at all.

1. Tried power cycling by removing battery and powering the phone on. I did this as couple times for up to a minute.
2. Tried holding the power button down while stuck in boot screen scrolling. It turns the phone off after 10 seconds and then back on if you continue holding it.
3. Checked to see if computer saw anything while SD card removed. Nothing.
4. Copied all contents of SD card into a .rar archive AFTERWARD.
5. Tried booting without the SD card in the phone. Same thing.

There might have been a couple variations on these 5, also.

My ideal solution: To just go back to before installing the last app.

I have seen some people talking about something called Odin. I looked into it and would rather ask you guys first because I can't remember having seen Odin mentioned in any of the ShabbyMod related threads I have followed or anywhere else so far, either.

I do have a Titanium (free version) complete backup (apps+settings) that is maybe one or two days old that I could go back to... if only I could use Titanium.

I need competent help. If it's a process, so be it. I am interested in the least painful recovery possible as I have tweaked this thing pretty well to my liking already. I am freaking out also because this is my only phone...

Thanks to everyone who is in a position to explain what may be going on inside my phone and I am looking for someone who can comment on how they fixed theirs as well.

Please try to be as thorough as possible. I'll be right here to answer any questions, also. Thanks!

 

[inigomontoyasr]

if you haven't made a recovery backup, this only hurts the first time or when you haven't backed up in a while.
with phone off, boot into recovery (pwr + vol up), factory reset (wipe), cross fingers. you'll have to install your apps again, but you have titanium so it shouldn't be a big deal.
if that fails, worst case scenario is to use Odin from these forums to go back to your preferred state (factory, root, with recovery, etc...)
you should, however, use Odin to install ClockWorkMod Recovery (again, in these forums) and create a backup for just this kind of situation. you've rooted and modded and installed possibly unsupported apps manually in less than a month. you're probably going to do something borderline again and need a speedy recovery option. i know i have.

 

[droogie]

Thanks for your quick response, inigomontoyasr.

Yes, I have had maybe a couple close calls already, and I am interested in a complete OS backup. Is that what "ClockWorkMod Recovery" is? Is it an app for Android or a mod (like ShabbyMod is a mod)?

If ClockWorkMod Recovery is an app that will do root/system/OS backups, it's just what I need.

I remember just a little while before this disaster, I used some tweaking app or other to check on which apps I could move to SD. It said 29 apps remained on the phone that were unmovable. So I am gonna lose all those, right???

 

[droogie]

Looking at /mobile/what-is-clockworkmod-recovery-and-how-to-use-it-on-android-complete-guide/ over at addictivetips... I am too new to post links, I guess.

Also trying to bump this thread. Before I registered and posted here, I thought about just running the ShabbyMod installer .bat over the top of the old one. You guys know if that's a possibility?

 

[new optimus]

Looking at /mobile/what-is-clockworkmod-recovery-and-how-to-use-it-on-android-complete-guide/ over at addictivetips... I am too new to post links, I guess.

Also trying to bump this thread. Before I registered and posted here, I thought about just running the ShabbyMod installer .bat over the top of the old one. You guys know if that's a possibility?

yes that is possible.

you need the clockworkmod that hroark has supplied any other may brick your phone.

you can find it here
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-prevail-all-things-root/390234-clockworkmod.html

 

[droogie]

That is interesting, new optimus.

Thanks for the tip about using the correct version (hroark) of clockworkmod. I will definitely look into this if I can squeeze it onto the phone later.

What are any possible complications that could arise by just slapping ShabbyMod same version back onto this phone?

Can someone expound on this in detail or link me to a safe procedure?

Where do I start? I am sooooooooo dreading tweaking the UI again and setting up things like wireless tether plus all my contacts and whatever else.

I am pretty wary of being tracked like a wild animal so I haven't used syncing features or things like that. I have, like I said, made a backup on Sept. 8th of some 144 apps and settings using Titanium.

I am confused about a possible fork in my recovery road. I want everything the same as before, if possible. What is my BEST option to achieve that end?

Does one recovery option call for Odin, while another calls for trying to turn my phone on and catch it in time to run the ShabbyMod batch file?

Do I just follow the Odin video floating around?

Are the "USB drivers" for this computer or for the phone? I should already have them, (right?) as I did most of the things they are talking about on day one.

Remember, I did one click root and installed ShabbyMod super easy, just playing "monkey see, monkey do." Everything worked correctly with no problems; not initially and no problems directly related to ShabbyMod. So I am trying to say that I've handled ALL preparations required to root and mod already, and I still have the files and relevant pages saved that told me what to do originally.

So I am still in need of a lot of direction, here. Help me digest this info because the stakes are a lot higher now for me than they were. I thought I was being careful before, too...

 

[new optimus]

That is interesting, new optimus.

Thanks for the tip about using the correct version (hroark) of clockworkmod. I will definitely look into this if I can squeeze it onto the phone later.

What are any possible complications that could arise by just slapping ShabbyMod same version back onto this phone?

Can someone expound on this in detail or link me to a safe procedure?

Where do I start? I am sooooooooo dreading tweaking the UI again and setting up things like wireless tether plus all my contacts and whatever else.

I am pretty wary of being tracked like a wild animal so I haven't used syncing features or things like that. I have, like I said, made a backup on Sept. 8th of some 144 apps and settings using Titanium.

I am confused about a possible fork in my recovery road. I want everything the same as before, if possible. What is my BEST option to achieve that end?

Does one recovery option call for Odin, while another calls for trying to turn my phone on and catch it in time to run the ShabbyMod batch file?

Do I just follow the Odin video floating around?

Are the "USB drivers" for this computer or for the phone? I should already have them, (right?) as I did most of the things they are talking about on day one.

Remember, I did one click root and installed ShabbyMod super easy, just playing "monkey see, monkey do." Everything worked correctly with no problems; not initially and no problems directly related to ShabbyMod. So I am trying to say that I've handled ALL preparations required to root and mod already, and I still have the files and relevant pages saved that told me what to do originally.

So I am still in need of a lot of direction, here. Help me digest this info because the stakes are a lot higher now for me than they were. I thought I was being careful before, too...

ok the drivers are the ones you already installed(to computer) to install shabby in the first place.
As to just rerunning the bat file I think worse thing that could happen is it does not work.
If you need to use odin then rerun shabby then download titainum from market and restore your back up.
That to me sounds like the simplest option.

 

[inigomontoyasr]

shabbymod comes with titanium. try to wipe and restore your backups. if that doesn't work, odin.

 

[droogie]

Thanks, you guys both. I have a couple options it looks like...

I am sure my 2nd app hung midway on install. I killed the process midway, it looks like, so there are likely to be "installed" fragments left over on the phone in their unique space, which could interfere with my simple patching of ShabbyMod over the top of itself. The only reason I would do this is if it meant I wouldn't need to redo my app folders and tear my hair out trying to find out which cool apps I installed today & yesterday, not to mention finding which ones may have been on the phone (29 unmovable)... I was juggling phone storage space pretty nicely, too, getting by on 9-11% free and finalizing my app choices. This just sucks.

My concerns are:

I want my UI tweaks to be intact; desktop screens layout, improvised main menu folder system, etc.

Which one?

"Factory reset" (looking at 4 options on screen right now)

OR

ShabbyMod over the top of itself?

Which one, in you guys' opinions, BETTER handles my concerns?

Some questions regarding the "factory reset" screen:

Option 1: reboot (OK gotcha)
Option 2: apply SD card "update.zip" <--- What is this? Firmware update option?
Option 3: wipe data/factory reset <--- WILL THIS LEAVE MY SHABBYMOD INTACT?
Option 4: wipe cache partition <--- "partition?" as in EXT/Linux? What does this contain? Should I be doing this regularly?

 

[new optimus]

Thanks, you guys both. I have a couple options it looks like...

I am sure my 2nd app hung midway on install. I killed the process midway, it looks like, so there are likely to be "installed" fragments left over on the phone in their unique space, which could interfere with my simple patching of ShabbyMod over the top of itself. The only reason I would do this is if it meant I wouldn't need to redo my app folders and tear my hair out trying to find out which cool apps I installed today & yesterday, not to mention finding which ones may have been on the phone (29 unmovable)... I was juggling phone storage space pretty nicely, too, getting by on 9-11% free and finalizing my app choices. This just sucks.

My concerns are:

I want my UI tweaks to be intact; desktop screens layout, improvised main menu folder system, etc.

Which one?

"Factory reset" (looking at 4 options on screen right now)

OR

ShabbyMod over the top of itself?

Which one, in you guys' opinions, BETTER handles my concerns?

Some questions regarding the "factory reset" screen:

Option 1: reboot (OK gotcha)
Option 2: apply SD card "update.zip" <--- What is this? Firmware update option?
Option 3: wipe data/factory reset <--- WILL THIS LEAVE MY SHABBYMOD INTACT?
Option 4: wipe cache partition <--- "partition?" as in EXT/Linux? What does this contain? Should I be doing this regularly?

ok in order sd card update.zip would be a update from samsung, like the EE14 update.
Wipe data/factory reset only wipes out the data partition anything in system, or lack of anything will not be touched. So shabby mod will not be affected.
downloaded apps and settings will be gone.
And wipe cache is just that, cache is temp storage and wiping it makes no difference as what is needed will just rebuild itself.

 

[droogie]

ok in order sd card update.zip would be a update from samsung, like the EE14 update.
Wipe data/factory reset only wipes out the data partition anything in system, or lack of anything will not be touched. So shabby mod will not be affected.
downloaded apps and settings will be gone.
And wipe cache is just that, cache is temp storage and wiping it makes no difference as what is needed will just rebuild itself.

I am getting a little more knowledgeable. What is the EE14 update? I saw this earlier on when I was looking at Odin info; before posting here tonight. Do I need it?

I tried to clear the cache and reboot. Nothing... but stay with me.

Scenario 1: I factory reset. ShabbyMod is there but nothing else.
Scenario 2: I install ShabbyMod over the top of itself. ShabbyMod is there... BUT WHAT ELSE IS LEFT IF I DO THIS?

What's the difference in the end result?

Is there even a NON-ZERO chance I could seriously mess the phone up permanently by putting ShabbyMod on top of ShabbyMod?

Under what circumstances is this recommended? Does Shabby himself have any warnings or protips to consider?

As I said, I exhausted searching here way earlier and his one master thread is clogged with any number of ShabbyMod issues. TL;DR all 27pgs.

Thanks again. I am hoping you guys can help me reason this through.

PS - When I first got this phone, I was reading cautiously and looking for a backup image. I remember coming across some forum thread, here or elsewhere, where a guy had asked for a stock ROM image and had one dumped onto his lap. The responder was like, "Here you go. Stock image." Then OP asked how to apply it & ROM dump dude was all, "Heh... there is no way to apply it." This early experience led me to believe there was no way to back up COMPLETELY your internal phone OS and that the ROM dump dude had sucked the "not applicable" image out of his phone using tech dongles or other nerd hardware the public didn't have access to...

MAN, I wish I heard about this earlier.

I don't think ClockworkMod is a very good name for a backup utility. It sounds like CyanogenMod or whatever competes with ShabbyMod. I was turned off to it because I thought I was already set.

Am I completely dense?

 

[new optimus]

I am getting a little more knowledgeable. What is the EE14 update? I saw this earlier on when I was looking at Odin info; before posting here tonight. Do I need it?

I tried to clear the cache and reboot. Nothing... but stay with me.

Scenario 1: I factory reset. ShabbyMod is there but nothing else.
Scenario 2: I install ShabbyMod over the top of itself. ShabbyMod is there... BUT WHAT ELSE IS LEFT IF I DO THIS?

What's the difference in the end result?

Is there even a NON-ZERO chance I could seriously mess the phone up permanently by putting ShabbyMod on top of ShabbyMod?

Under what circumstances is this recommended? Does Shabby himself have any warnings or protips to consider?

As I said, I exhausted searching here way earlier and his one master thread is clogged with any number of ShabbyMod issues. TL;DR all 27pgs.

Thanks again. I am hoping you guys can help me reason this through.

PS - When I first got this phone, I was reading cautiously and looking for a backup image. I remember coming across some forum thread, here or elsewhere, where a guy had asked for a stock ROM image and had one dumped onto his lap. The responder was like, "Here you go. Stock image." Then OP asked how to apply it & ROM dump dude was all, "Heh... there is no way to apply it." This early experience led me to believe there was no way to back up COMPLETELY your internal phone OS and that the ROM dump dude had sucked the "not applicable" image out of his phone using tech dongles or other nerd hardware the public didn't have access to...

MAN, I wish I heard about this earlier.

I don't think ClockworkMod is a very good name for a backup utility. It sounds like CyanogenMod or whatever competes with ShabbyMod. I was turned off to it because I thought I was already set.

Am I completely dense?

ok im not going in any particular order and if I miss one sorry
first that was the case, stock image could not be used but now it can, the ee14 update is a over the air update that was pushed to phones. if you ever get back to your phone screen hit menu settings about phone and find out what it says, should say modem version ED13 or EE14.
there is no real way to brick the phone, short of destroying it or soaking it
with odin you can put it back to be able to boot.

oh and the clockworkmod is a recovery not a rom, though I do see your point it does seem like it would be the same as cm lol

 

[droogie]

One more question: What's the safety checklist before doing a factory wipe?

Do I take out the SD card?
Do I need to plug in?
Any other caveats? Should I wait till morning? (Good thing this isn't TOMORROW night. I am all over that alarm clock.)

 

[new optimus]

One more question: What's the safety checklist before doing a factory wipe?

Do I take out the SD card?
Do I need to plug in?
Any other caveats? Should I wait till morning? (Good thing this isn't TOMORROW night. I am all over that alarm clock.)

factory wipe will not touch sd card, no worry about plugging in, nothing to worry bout.
it takes 30 seconds or less.

 

[Koumajutsu]

trying to put Shabbymod on top of Shabbymod will, worst case, do nothing to your phone. It will report a couple errors when it tries to make folders that are already there, nothign to be concerned about. It -WILL- remove all the icons from your homescreens
Odin is awesome and gives you what you need to install CWM and, if you need it, put your phone back to the condition it was in when it came out of the box minus that new phone smell.
CWM is a great too as it gives you more options as to what to clear if needed and apply update zip files that install new kernels or themes.

Personally, once I read through the Odin thread and learned how to make an Odin image of my phone, I removed Titanium

 

[droogie]

trying to put Shabbymod on top of Shabbymod will, worst case, do nothing to your phone. It will report a couple errors when it tries to make folders that are already there, nothign to be concerned about. It -WILL- remove all the icons from your homescreens

Will ShabbyMod on ShabbyMod wipe all my apps, period? I don't want to have to fall back on the Titanium backup if I don't have to...

On the other hand, the ShabbyMod I have now is screwed. Is there any reasonable expectation of repair because I had installed "unsupported" software?

One was obtained through official channels. The 2nd one I tried to install was from an "unofficial" source and 3kb larger than the official one...

Of the 2 apps I installed last thing, the first one simply wasn't listed as being compatible with my phone from Android Market, so it wouldn't download. I got the .apk from the /bin folder of the official source code page. It installed and fired up without abnormal force closes or anything.

The 2nd one (& my main suspect) is the one that hung "Installing..." This one came from a file sharing site (D'OH!) and now I am not so keen on installing it again. Yeah. 3kb larger than the official... hoses my phone. Same links all over the blogs. Not a single comment on any of the sites...Now I am just rambling. Please consider everything and give me your best recommendations, guys. Thanks again.

 

[new optimus]

many apk's are not official for the phone, such as red laser a barcode scanner yet it works perfectly after you download it from somewhere else. so your not alone in that
if you want to you can name the apps and someone might no if its compatible.

 

[droogie]

My suspect app is called Tasker. Not that I suspect the app. I suspect its source and file size.

Tasker is somewhat of a macro/automation app. You can set conditions for specific actions to be performed when the conditions are met. Sounds awesome but comparatively expensive.

Here is where an Android emulator might come in handy. Has anyone messed around with the official emulator for PC? Also, I did run my suspect app through Dr. Web's upload service. It was found to be CLEAN.

Are there any other online/upload virus scanners that you know of that support .apk?

 

[new optimus]

My suspect app is called Tasker. Not that I suspect the app. I suspect its source and file size.

Tasker is somewhat of a macro/automation app. You can set conditions for specific actions to be performed when the conditions are met. Sounds awesome but comparatively expensive.

ah, I gotcha.

 

[droogie]

So... I am gonna move on this before I start to get tired. I have a fresh cup of coffee here.

ShabbyMod patching should be like:

1. Turn on phone.
2. Run the "Shabbymod-0.9-Loaded.bat" file as soon as I see the Samsung logo.

This "second time around" it should be pretty easy, right? Anything else to remember?

DANG, I JUST FORGOT I AM GONNA HAVE TO REMOVE THE AMAZON APPSTORE AGAIN, RIGHT? What about just REMOVING the file "Amazon_Appstore-release.apk" from the "Rom\App" folder of the Loaded v0.9 package?

 

[hroark13]

Droogie, this is what I would do if I were you

download CWM and install it according to directions in my thread

http://androidforums.com/galaxy-prevail-all-things-root/390234-clockworkmod.html

boot into ClockWorkMod and do a backup
then wipe cache and dalvik , dalvik is in the advanced menu

then reboot phone and see if it works

 

[droogie]

Thanks for this tip, hroark13, & thanks for all your work here.

Are you saying I can possibly just clear out the crap that is clogging my boot sequence by following your instructions?

I just looked at your thread. There are some updates there in your OP that are hard to know which is updated info.

Can you link me to the exact files I need (new optimus said to use your version; otherwise could brick my phone) and then I will pick up context out of the instructions?

Forgive me for being so dense. I need to clarify.

* I must use Odin to install CWM?
* CWM sits under the OS?
* and is basically a "replacement mod" for the "Samsung factory restore" option I am looking at now?
* If I install CWM as a primary remedy now, will I lose the "Samsung factory restore" option currently present when I do the "volume up" trick?

This has shaken me to the core. I am not reluctant to fix this but I simply must know... certainly you've felt like that

 

[droogie]

AND hroark13

For example, I am downloading wholesale from your thread in preparation but THIS thread mentions a different link:

DOWNLOAD EE14 ROOTED VERSION WITH CWM AND HROARKERNEL
MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

How do I know which one I should be using? I really don't want to go to bed feeling like this.

 

[hroark13]

Thanks for this tip, hroark13, & thanks for all your work here.

Are you saying I can possibly just clear out the crap that is clogging my boot sequence by following your instructions?

I just looked at your thread. There are some updates there in your OP that are hard to know which is updated info.

Can you link me to the exact files I need (new optimus said to use your version; otherwise could brick my phone) and then I will pick up context out of the instructions?

Forgive me for being so dense. I need to clarify.

* I must use Odin to install CWM?
* CWM sits under the OS?
* and is basically a "replacement mod" for the "Samsung factory restore" option I am looking at now?
* If I install CWM as a primary remedy now, will I lose the "Samsung factory restore" option currently present when I do the "volume up" trick?

This has shaken me to the core. I am not reluctant to fix this but I simply must know... certainly you've felt like that

download

DOWNLOAD HROARKERNEL 1.2 and CWM rev 3
MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

yes this will replace the built in recovery that you are looking at
this gives you more options, like backing up the phone

i dont know if wiping cache and dalvic will fix your phone, but that is what i would try first

yes you have to use Odin to do your first install of CWM

cwm sits on the recovery partition and is not counted as usable space by the phone

 

[hroark13]

AND hroark13

For example, I am downloading wholesale from your thread in preparation but THIS thread mentions a different link:

DOWNLOAD EE14 ROOTED VERSION WITH CWM AND HROARKERNEL
MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service


How do I know which one I should be using? I really don't want to go to bed feeling like this.

DOWNLOAD EE14 ROOTED VERSION WITH CWM AND HROARKERNEL
MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

this will be your last resort if you cant get the phone to boot doing other things, this will overwrite your system and data partitons