Root My Droid is stuck in boot loop.

[Earthborn]

Hey, Guys...

First time post here, hoping for some advice... This is the situation: as of late, my Droid would occasionally reboot itself. Didn't think much of it (new phone, new system. Wasn't expecting perfection). However, tonight (while updating an app from the market) the phone froze, rebooted... and got stuck in 'The Red Eye of Death' loop. I tried pulling out the battery and sd card several times. No luck.

After googling and reading various postings (this forum and others), I started to notice that a lot of the issues revolved around 'rooting'. I have a sense of what rooting is... however I have no real interest in it (warranty, wait for update, etc.). But apparently, I have a rooting problem.

I'm able to get to the recovery mode (power up while pressing 'X', etc.). The choices I get are: 1.reboot system now 2.apply sdcard:update.zip 3. wipe data/factory reset 4. wipe cache partition. But under all that is 'E:can

 

[MrClean]

But apparently, I have a rooting problem.

If you haven't rooted your phone, then you don't have a rooting issue.

I'm able to get to the recovery mode (power up while pressing 'X', etc.). The choices I get are: 1.reboot system now 2.apply sdcard:update.zip 3. wipe data/factory reset 4. wipe cache partition. But under all that is 'E:can

 

[shadowdude777]

I think you should do the SBF restore. It's the easiest way to get your phone back up running and will ensure that there are no remnants of things might mess things up again. After that, you will need to dial *228 and press option 1 (program your phone; the phone might make you do it automatically at first boot though). Your apps and contacts will be restored after you sign into whatever Google accounts you were using with the device previously (silently in the background, so if you can't see them immediately, wait about 5-10 minutes after you sign into your Google accounts), but you will need to reset any settings in apps that you were using; your SD card won't be touched at all by RSD Lite, so don't worry about that.

I have done this method many times when trying to diagnose problems; it takes all of 10 minutes to get back up and running when you know what to do.

Good luck, I hope this solves your issues.

 

[Earthborn]

Thanks, MrClean! Thanks, Shadowdude!

I'm definitely doing further research on the forums and Google before I make a move. What I'm thinking about doing is just transferring all the data on my sd card to my laptop and then doing a wipe data / factory reset. I would just have to reinstall what I can, and transfer back the 'non-operational' files from the laptop (wallpapers, pics, mp3, docs, notes, etc). This seems to me the safest, albeit more tedious, option.

If for some whatever, odd reason this doesn't work... I'll try the sbf file. Sounds like a simple enough process, but it's just the whole " it will break it beyond repair, Verizon will not be able to fix it. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO USE IT!" that gots me kinda spooked. Lol.

In any case, I still need to purchase a micro sd-to-sd adapter for my laptop, and the mall won't be opened for a few more hours. So in the meantime, I'll continue on with educating myself and gaining a better understanding of the risks. And while I'm at it, learn more about backing up the Droid.

Once again, big Thanks for the responses, guys. It did help in clearing up a bit of my confusion on the issue. After all is done, I'll post back the results. Thank you.

 

[shadowdude777]

If for some whatever, odd reason this doesn't work... I'll try the sbf file. Sounds like a simple enough process, but it's just the whole " it will break it beyond repair, Verizon will not be able to fix it. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO USE IT!" that gots me kinda spooked. Lol.

Well the way I see it, if you screw up the phone by flashing the firmware, you can probably fix it by flashing the firmware AGAIN!

 

[Earthborn]

Ha! The irony of it all, Shadowdude

Well, all is well! I backed up my Sd card to my laptop (which was unnecessary; the wipe didn't touch my card). Re-activated my phone at the touch of a button (was not prompted for anything, all automatic). Google synced all my contacts and calendars in a handful of seconds. The result: same as it was out the box (except it's at 2.0.1). Re-doing the settings was a breeze because I already knew what I wanted, as opposed to the previous three months of 'discovery'.

I'm currently in the process of reinstalling apps. I was pleased to see that the apps which were purchased still showed up as purchased in the Market. And I guess one good thing is that I realized how bloated my phone was with unnecessary apps. Now I can install only what I actually use. Since my Droid is now leaner, it seems to move a bit faster (but I understand that this perception might only be in my head). As soon as I get my Droid back to where it needs to be, I'll start the process of backing things up... in triplicates : )

 

[shadowdude777]

Ha! The irony of it all, Shadowdude

Well, all is well! I backed up my Sd card to my laptop (which was unnecessary; the wipe didn't touch my card). Re-activated my phone at the touch of a button (was not prompted for anything, all automatic). Google synced all my contacts and calendars in a handful of seconds. The result: same as it was out the box (except it's at 2.0.1). Re-doing the settings was a breeze because I already knew what I wanted, as opposed to the previous three months of 'discovery'.

I'm currently in the process of reinstalling apps. I was pleased to see that the apps which were purchased still showed up as purchased in the Market. And I guess one good thing is that I realized how bloated my phone was with unnecessary apps. Now I can install only what I actually use. Since my Droid is now leaner, it seems to move a bit faster (but I understand that this perception might only be in my head). As soon as I get my Droid back to where it needs to be, I'll start the process of backing things up... in triplicates : )

Yeah, the simplicity of it is amazing; everything except your settings comes back, but how long does it really take to restore those?

One thing I've noticed is that sometimes (for me, in stock 2.0.1 and stock 2.1), your apps automatically come back and you get a notification saying "x apps restored", while with custom ROMs you just get a list of all of them in the market under Downloads and you have to reinstall them all from that list. No big deal. There are a few ways around it though, like Titanium Backup (ONLY works for rooted phones, but root is a simple update.zip that you really should look into ), which you'll need the donate version of ($4 or more) to get all your Market links back.

 

[Barkleyfan]

Astro will also backup your apps, and you don't need root with it. Ya do need root for them sweet OC kernels tho. Robodefense is just weak until you get up to about 800mhz. Satellite view is MUCH quicker with OC too.

 

[shadowdude777]

Astro will also backup your apps, and you don't need root with it. Ya do need root for them sweet OC kernels tho. Robodefense is just weak until you get up to about 800mhz. Satellite view is MUCH quicker with OC too.

Yes, but this just gives you the app. There's no market link, which means you won't be able to update the app anymore. Only the donate version of Titanium Backup (for root users only) will do that, as far as I know.

 

[Barkleyfan]

Yes, but this just gives you the app. There's no market link, which means you won't be able to update the app anymore. Only the donate version of Titanium Backup (for root users only) will do that, as far as I know.

I don't do Paypal, so my version of titanium backup is free. Took a while, but all my Market links eventually showed up. Dunno, but not complaining. Things were kinda buggy for a few days too, but I've updated to BB 9 and reflashed kernel since. All is well now, except running scripts. Keeps giving me busybox permissions issues, even with the permissions bumped up to 777. Not a big deal, since the only script I wanted was boot animation.

 

[decaseman]

Hey so I just tried to put the new liberty 1.5 rom on my droid x and now all I get is the spinning eagle. I tried to get into recovery mode but it doesn't work just spins and spins. Pulled the batt and sd card nothing helped. Any ideas?

 

[ska.t73]

Hey so I just tried to put the new liberty 1.5 rom on my droid x and now all I get is the spinning eagle. I tried to get into recovery mode but it doesn't work just spins and spins. Pulled the batt and sd card nothing helped. Any ideas?

You probably should ask this in the Droid X section. This is for the OG Droid and the methods for getting out of a boot loop are completely different.

 

[tarekahf]

I am glad I found this thread.

I am facing exactly the same problem.

I got my Motorola Droid 2 as a gift from Adobe MAX 2010 last year in LA in October.

Just Yesterday, in the morining, I checked my email as usual, and after a few hours, my Droid 2 got into a boot loop problem.

After searching for many hours, I tried Safe Mode and it did not work. Then I had to do Hard Reset (Press and Hold X while starting). First I tried Wipe Cached Data, and it did not work, then I tried Reset to Factor Default, and then my phone was started.

But, now, it is asking me to activate the phone and it seems that it is trying to make a phone call.

The problem now is that I am in a place where the phone is not supported. There is no Verison coverage and only GSM is supported. Since I got the phone, I was using it for WiFi, Web, Email, Camera, trying new programs, playing games and the like. I am not using it as my main device, and I have no data stored on it, becuase some how I did not trust to make it my main phone/device (becuase it was a gift).

The bottom line now is that my Droid 2 is requesting Activation via a phone call, and I cannot move forward.

What I can do to have phone start normally and bypass the activation process ?

All I want is to be able to use my Droid 2 just like I used to before it got into the boot loop.

Appreciate your help.

Tarek.

 

[shadowdude777]

At the screen with the Android where you have to click on it to continue, tap in the upper left corner of the screen, then upper right, then lower right, then lower left (these are just blank spots but if you tap them in that order you will bypass the activation).

 

[tarekahf]

At the screen with the Android where you have to click on it to continue, tap in the upper left corner of the screen, then upper right, then lower right, then lower left (these are just blank spots but if you tap them in that order you will bypass the activation).

Thanks a lot. It worked !

Do you have any idea how/why this may have happened ?

How to avoid such problem in the future ?

Tarek.

 

[teddyearp]

If you have further questions about your Droid 2, could you purty please post them in the Droid 2 section of this site? This is the Droid 1 section.

Thank you very much.