Root Installing custom ROM when my microUSB port doesn't work

[zygomorph]

My MicroUSB port is broken (well, it works occasionally, but not reliably, and the fixes I've read about haven't really helped. And It's out of warranty.) I charge the battery with an external battery charger.

The phone is not currently rooted and I don't have ClockworkMod Recovery on it.

I do have a microSD card and microSD card reader.

Is it still possible to install a custom ROM? I'm decently tech savvy but I've never rooted a phone or installed a custom ROM before. I know instructions for installing a custom ROM say you need to install ClockworkMod Recovery using a USB cable, but is it possible to do via microSD card? I'm finding instructions (not specifically for the Triumph) that say you an install it without connecting it to a computer: http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/ClockworkMod_Recovery but I feel like I don't know enough about this stuff to trust whether that will be OK in this situation.

Also, if I mess things up, will it be impossible to restore things to the backup I'll make if I can only use a microSD card and not a USB cable?

 

[AtticTRON]

I think what you're going to need to do is first root your phone then use the terminal emulator to copy the CWM img to the phone. I don't exactly know what code you would need to copy the img over, hopefully some one else can help you on how to do it or search around but I know that it is possible without a USB cable.

 

[chucksaysblah]

My MicroUSB port is broken (well, it works occasionally, but not reliably, and the fixes I've read about haven't really helped. And It's out of warranty.) I charge the battery with an external battery charger.

The phone is not currently rooted and I don't have ClockworkMod Recovery on it.

I do have a microSD card and microSD card reader.

Is it still possible to install a custom ROM? I'm decently tech savvy but I've never rooted a phone or installed a custom ROM before. I know instructions for installing a custom ROM say you need to install ClockworkMod Recovery using a USB cable, but is it possible to do via microSD card? I'm finding instructions (not specifically for the Triumph) that say you an install it without connecting it to a computer: http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/ClockworkMod_Recovery but I feel like I don't know enough about this stuff to trust whether that will be OK in this situation.

Also, if I mess things up, will it be impossible to restore things to the backup I'll make if I can only use a microSD card and not a USB cable?

Here i thought iwas the only one the used the external battery charging method lol. I did mine without the usb port. WOrked just fine. Just put all the things you need for the entire procedure onto your sdcard and follow the rooting and custom rom thread and you should be just fine. I am currently running miui 2.4.2 . I used the gingerbreak method for rooting. Although I did have to mess with the port long enough to get the cwm installed on the phone. I cannot say yes or no to that other threads validity or whether or not it will work on our phone.

 

[zygomorph]

Yeah, I was so excited to learn about the external charging method. I mean, it's a pain, but it's kind of neat, and it allows me to use my phone...

I guess it's mostly putting CWM on that I'm worried about....but I suppose I can get the USB port to work for the few seconds to install it. Hopefully.

 

[g01851]

I guess it's mostly putting CWM on that I'm worried about....but I suppose I can get the USB port to work for the few seconds to install it. Hopefully.

I'd try for this, as it's the only part that REALLY helps to have a working USB port.

 

[anonymous420]

if you get the phone rooted install terminal emulator get a ROOT ENABLE file explorer (root explorer ,es file explorer etc.) and can get access to the mobile partition on the phone all you gotta do is switch the stock recovery with custom recovery and your set i have done this using ES file explorer but i did it on OV never tried on the MT but should work... for a fact it would work threw the terminal but then again you will need to know all the commands to manually moves files between SD Card and phone and will be complicated if your not familiar with command prompt

 

[dsmryder]

if you get the phone rooted install terminal emulator get a ROOT ENABLE file explorer (root explorer ,es file explorer etc.) and can get access to the mobile partition on the phone all you gotta do is switch the stock recovery with custom recovery and your set i have done this using ES file explorer but i did it on OV never tried on the MT but should work... for a fact it would work threw the terminal but then again you will need to know all the commands to manually moves files between SD Card and phone and will be complicated if your not familiar with command prompt

It wouldn't be too terriblely difficult if it weren't for the virtual keyboards. I have done a chunk of stuff with the TE and found it to be a small fight. It is way easier to do a script and just run the script. That way you can re-read the script a bunch of times and you just need to type the path to the script which would be more forgiving.

I'll see if I can make the script and post it in a new thread so everyone can use it.

OK, I have made the script to allow a simple loading of the recovery.omg into the mobile partition, but the work to make it work is about as dangerous as just doing what you should do.
Here is the more direct way

su
mkdir /mount
mount /dev/block/mmcblk0p1 /mobile

The "su"will give you root access, the "mkdir" sill make a directory. You can make it what ever you want as long as it isn't there already i.e. /system or /data. Then the mount command will link the partition to the directory that you create. To make it simpler you can call the directory "m", just mount the partition to the same directory you make.

 

[chucksaysblah]

Yeah, I was so excited to learn about the external charging method. I mean, it's a pain, but it's kind of neat, and it allows me to use my phone...

I guess it's mostly putting CWM on that I'm worried about....but I suppose I can get the USB port to work for the few seconds to install it. Hopefully.

Yeahfiddle with it a little and you should be able to get it to connect long enough to do it . The es file explorer way works too .

 

[chucksaysblah]

if you get the phone rooted install terminal emulator get a ROOT ENABLE file explorer (root explorer ,es file explorer etc.) and can get access to the mobile partition on the phone all you gotta do is switch the stock recovery with custom recovery and your set i have done this using ES file explorer but i did it on OV never tried on the MT but should work... for a fact it would work threw the terminal but then again you will need to know all the commands to manually moves files between SD Card and phone and will be complicated if your not familiar with command prompt

I gues what he would need to know is where exactly the recovery file is located on the phone so he could navigate to it using file explorer after root.

 

[jolzer]

I had a similar concern with my phone as well. I have to charge externally and it takes several hours to get a full charge but hey, I now have four batteries lol. My usb port connection is shakey too but luckily for me it was stable enough to get CWM. I just didn't touch/breath on the cord once it was connected lol

 

[dsmryder]

I gues what he would need to know is where exactly the recovery file is located on the phone so he could navigate to it using file explorer after root.

It's located on the mobile partition like I pointed out. In that partition there is a folder called image or something like that. The mobile partition isn't mounted normally so you would have to do it manually.

 

[chucksaysblah]

It's located on the mobile partition like I pointed out. In that partition there is a folder called image or something like that. The mobile partition isn't mounted normally so you would have to do it manually.

Right thats what i meant it is hidden so I dont know how to tell him to acces it with es file even with root permissions.

 

[dsmryder]

Right thats what i meant it is hidden so I dont know how to tell him to acces it with es file even with root permissions.

With the terminal Emulator you can give it a mount point (/mobile) and then mount it (mount /dev/block/mmcblk0p1 /mobile). From there you would have access to it.