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[HOWTO] Complete Linux rooting guide (from stock to custom and back)

This post will no longer be updated and is pretty much for the archives at this point. It detailed the rooting process for Linux users right after the Slide was first rooted. Since then, newer, more foolproof methods have been devised. For those rooting their phones today (or any point since T-Mobile's OTA update), please see this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=780213. It says it's Ubuntu-specific, but the instructions there should apply to any GNOME desktop and any other desktop with slight modification. Thanks for the comments on this thread. I hope it helped.
Most of this is not new information, but it's all in one post for the first time. I post it in case Linux (and probably MacOS) users need clarification on the process. It should keep people from having to dig in deep threads to find all the info needed. I only added the loop.sh for Linux and the partitioning information.
For all the following, I assume that the reader knows how his computer works, but not necessarily Android rooting.
Preliminary Information
1. As always, make backups and take notes. You might want to make a list of installed apps you want to reinstall later, for example.
2. Install adb. Download it here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html. adb is a little program distributed as part of the Android software development kit (SDK). Its job is to communicate with the phone from a shell (terminal). To install adb, I strongly suggest you copy the adb file from the tools directory into your system's /usr/local/bin directory. This way, it will always be in your path. If you don't intend to do development work on Android applications, feel free to delete the rest of the SDK after installing adb.
3. Start adb as root. In more traditional Linux distros, this can be done by typing "adb devices" in a root terminal ("su" then "adb devices"). In Ubuntu-based distros, "sudo adb devices" followed by your password should do the trick. You'll get a message about the adb daemon being started. If not, sometimes typing "adb root" or "adb start-server" as root will do the trick.
4. Make sure your phone has "USB Debugging" checked off in Settings > Application > Development
5. It may not make any difference, but I turn off the "disk drive" option, so that my SD card doesn't mount when the phone is plugged in via USB (unless I need it to).
Partitioning the SD Card (Optional)
This is an optional step, as ROMs are coming out now that allow swapsace (virtual memory) and apps2sd (installing applications to the SD-card rather than on the phone's internal memory). Right now, most Slide ROMs support apps2fat32, so the whole card can be left as is (one, big, fat32 partition). If your desired ROM supports apps2sd using an ext2 or ext3 partition, you can save some headache later by doing this step first. If you don't want it, just skip to the next section.
1. Using the package manager for your Linux distro, install parted. GNOME users have a great, graphical frontend to this utility called gparted. KDE users have the KDE Partition Manager available to them. I only have gparted, but the instructions should be similar for all variants. The graphical frontends take a lot of the pain away from using parted (automatically formatting for ext4, for example). For the braver souls, there is a much more detailed tutorial for using vanilla parted from the command line here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4098568&postcount=1.
2. Mount your sd-card, either using the "disk drive" function of the phone, or in an external card reader.
3. Make a backup of your sd-card by simply copying and pasting to a new folder.
4. Start up the partition manager of your choice with root permissions (using gksu or kdesu).
5. Make sure your desktop environment (KDE or GNOME) or a terminal doesn't have a file manager window open to the sd-card partition. You can't unmount a partition that's being accessed.
6. Find out which device node is assigned to the partition by typing "dmesg" in a terminal. The last few lines should tell you how it's assigned. Mine was /dev/sdg1, for example.
7. Using the dropdown menu, select your sd-card partition in parted.
8. Right-click on the partition in the bottom pane of the window and select "unmount".
9. Delete the partition using the same, right-click menu.
10. Now you're left with free space to configure as you see fit. You use the same right-click menu to create partitions.
11. When done, click "apply" and the partition manager will create and format the partitions you've selected.
12. When done, the computer should mount two partitions from the card, one for apps, the other for user data. Copy your backed-up files to the larger partition.
NB: Android phones can work with a smallish ext* partition at the beginning of the card for apps (around 512MB should be more than enough for almost anyone), a super-small swapspace in the middle (no more than 32MB, if any at all--it's up for debate whether the Slide benefits from swapspace at all), and the rest of the card formatted as FAT32 for the "normal" partiton. I'll leave those decisions to those who have the need and desire. Also, whether to use ext2,3, or 4 for the apps partition is a matter for debate, and some kernels for other phones didn't support the newer versions at all. All that is beyond the scope of this howto, mainly because I won't be trying it out.
NB2: Eugene has released Koushik Dutta's recovery scripts that can help automate the partitioning process. It can be done directly from recovery, rather than on the computer. I much prefer the old way, as it gives more flexibility. For reference, the post with instructions is found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6993132&postcount=1.
Getting root (original HOWTO at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6820344&postcount=1)
The following instructions are "the old way" to gain root. There is a new method found at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7658764&postcount=1 that seems to be a saner process, but I have not tested it as of yet.
1. Download the Slide Root package: http://outboundlink.us/anxo/dr_ta_1...ttp://www.4shared.com/file/IfrPbWG7/Root.html
2. Extract it somewhere convenient (I'm using the Desktop folder here. I'm also renaming the folder "slideroot" to keep things simple).
3. Open a terminal and cd to the slideroot folder you just created.
4. The "loop.bat" file here is of no use to you. Use a text editor to make your own loop.sh file, or edit loop.bat and rename it when you're done. It should contain the following:
Code:
#!/bin/sh
watch -n .50 adb devices;
done
5. Power on the slide while holding down the Volume-down button. This will bring you to the bootloader screen (three droids on skateboards). Plug the Slide in via USB.
6. Just to make sure everything is working correctly, type "adb devices" in the terminal to make sure the system is seeing your phone properly. If so, run your loop.sh by typing "sh loop.sh".
7. Use the Volume-down button on the phone to select "recovery" and press the power button to enter. The terminal will flash a few messages like "offline" and "recovery". When the phone's screen shows an icon of a phone with a red triangle, you know it worked.
8. Press Volume-up and Power together to enter the recovery menu on the phone.
9. Now, back in your terminal, hit "ctrl-C" to cancel the loop.sh script.
10. Type "adb push ota.zip /sdcard/update.zip" and hit enter.
11. Type "adb push update.zip /sdcard" but DO NOT hit enter yet.
12. This step requires some coordination and timing. On the phone, select "run update.zip" and press the power button. When you see a little greenish progress bar at the bottom in the background, hit enter in your terminal.
13. If it worked as planned, the phone will see the keys from the first file you pushed, and then use the file you're pushing now to run clockwork recovery. If not, don't worry. Just repeat. I haven't had to do it more than once yet.
14. Once this is done, reboot the phone from the menu system and wait. You can use "adb devices" in the terminal to see if the phone is detected.
15. Type "adb shell" and look for the "$" prompt. If you type "su" you should get a "#" (root) prompt. Give yourself a pat on the back.
Installing the Engineering ROM (original HOWTO at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6821968&postcount=1)
A. Now that your phone is rooted, you can "downgrade" it to the Engineering ROM. This gives a better recovery environment that allows other ROMs to be installed (custom ROMs are signed with the test keys; the original recovery will not install them since it looks for your carrier's keys.)
B. Download two files: http://outboundlink.net/anxo/dr_ta_1/goto.php?DR_id=1359&linkout=http%3A//www.4shared.com/file/OsmF_ZD7/ESPRIMG.html and http://www.4shared.com/file/sz0VO2TL/SlideEng-package.html.
C. I extracted the SlideEng-package.zip, copied the contents inside loose to the Desktop, and copied the ESPRIMG file to my sd card.
1. cd to the Desktop and type "adb push flash_image /data/local" and hit enter.
2. Type "adb push mtd0.img /data/local" and hit enter.
3. Start an adb root shell as above ("adb shell" then "su")
4. Type "cd /data/local"
5. Type "chmod 04755 mtd0.img" and "chmod 04755 flash_image". I didn't change any permissions on the other files in that folder, just in case.
6. Type "./flash_image misc ./mtd0.img" and hit enter.
7. Power off the phone.
8. Holding Volume-down, power the phone back up. The recovery will scan the sd card and automatically detect the update file (from step "C" above) and prompt to install it. Hit Volume-up to install.
9. You're done. Just reboot the phone after the update and you're good to go. The boot process will be a little longer this time around.
Updating the Radio (May be optional) (Original HOWTO at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6856313&postcount=1)
I leave this section here for archive purposes. Since switching the ROM to ChiefzReloaded's OTA in the "Installing a custom ROM" section below, this step is no longer necessary, as it contains the newest radio. Unless you're installing a custom ROM released before the last T-Mobile over-the-air update, feel free to skip this section.
When we downgraded the system to the Engineering ROM, we downgraded our radio as well. The following instructions will bring us back to the stock radio version.
1. Download the following file: http://files.androidspin.com/downloads.php?dir=chiefzreloaded/ROM/&file=Newest_Slide_Radio.zip and copy it to your sd-card.
2. Remember that update.zip way back in the rooting section? The one found in the slideroot package? Copy it to your sd-card as well, if it's not already there. I deleted the one on my sd-card and re-copied it, just in case. It contains the clockwork recovery and can be left on your sd-card for future upgrades.
3. Reboot the phone into recovery (should be easy now.)
4. Select "apply update.zip from sd card" to start clockwork recovery. No looping necessary anymore!
5. From the clockwork menu system, apply the Newest_Slide_Radio.zip file you just copied over.
6. Once that's done, just reboot. The boot process will take longer and you'll see a few crazy icons before the system finally loads up. When all is finished and you're back to the home screen, the phone will pop up a dialog telling you the update was successful.
Installing a Custom ROM (Original HOWTO at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6827968&postcount=1)
For this install, I'm using the new OTA update rooted by ChiefzReloaded. Complete information on this ROM is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7534163&postcount=1. Like the older SLIDEMEROOT2 I had here before, I picked it because it's mainly the same, stock ROM the phone shipped with, but with root. I had way too many "fast, stable, feature-packed" custom ROMs on other phones that really weren't that fast or stable. I don't want to lose the use of my camera/camcorder to have live wallpapers, for example. These instructions will work for any custom ROM (adjusting for the new ROM in step 1 and 4.)
1. Download the following file: http://db.androidspin.com/androidspin_filedownload.asp?release=330&type=1 and copy it to your sd card.
2. Boot the phone into recovery mode.
3. From the recovery menu, select "apply update.zip from sd card". As stated earlier, this update.zip file contains the clockwork recovery. Applying it like an update will always load clockwork from now on.
4. In the clockwork menu, select "apply any zip from sd card" and select CR_Mod_1.35.531_OTA.zip.
5. Let the update take its course, reboot, wait, and enjoy.
Going Back to Stock (Just in case) (Original HOWTO at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6994424&postcount=1)
There may come a time when you might need your phone just the way it came from the store. It could be that you're tired of custom ROMs, a feature you find you can't live without is broken, or you need to return the phone for warranty purposes. If it gets to that point, here's how:
1. Download the following file: http://outboundlink.net/anxo/dr_ta_1/goto.php?DR_id=1359&linkout=http%3A//www.4shared.com/file/x7HRRsbM/ESPRIMG_2_.html and copy it to your sd-card.
2. Reboot the phone into recovery (just the regular one, not clockwork). The file will be automatically detected.
3. After checking the file, you'll have to hit Volume-Up to confirm the flash.
4. Once done, reboot and the Slide will be good as new.

Very nice!
I kind of wish I would have seen this before I rooted this morning!

I just rooted mine this afternoon. Figured I'd put it up while I still had it in my head.

Excellent summary!
I also wish I'd seen this before muddling through the other guides myself. Thanks for posting it!

Quick question. I plan on rooting my MyTouch Slide within the next couple days. I was just reading over your list and thought I'd try to move the adb file first. After I moved it to /usr/local/bin, and then opened a root terminal. I typed "adb", but nothing came up about a dameon being started. It looked like I had asked for the man page. Any idea why? Or if it started it anyway?

The first time you run adb, do so as root "sudo adb devices", "sudo adb root" or the equivalent. It will start the daemon. A normal user (ie, not superuser) will not have the permissions to start a daemon.
When you run just "adb" without any options, it shows you the command-line options you can use with adb. Most Linux command-line apps work the same way when run without options.

beartard,
huge props to you. this is, by far, the best guide for rooting anything that i have ever used, and certainly for the slide.
as mac osx is a *nix system, this worked great. none of the steps were missing, everything was a normal sized font, and left justified, and took me from the stock to a custom rom flawlessly.
thanks a bunch.
really.

I'm very glad it worked for you. Thanks! Did you have to do anything differently under MacOS? I used to use it before OS X came out. I know the newer versions are based on *nix, but I didn't know how similar they were underneath.

I didn't do very much differently.
I started with "How to get Root" section, as I didn't want to partition my sdcard and already had the SDK installed (obviously, though I really need to look into working with it more, as right now it scares the bejesus out of me).
I used a "do while [1]" style (I love accidentally rhyming) loop.sh file though, mostly because my terminal couldn't understand "watch" for some silly reason.
Your guide was just the one that felt the least like a tween myspace page (no offense to the other guides).

Ok, I am re-rooting my slide after having to get a replacement. I am trying to get it done using the newest ubuntu. I am a newb to ubuntu but I was able to get adb setup. When the device is booted up normally I can adb devices and recognize the device.
When I boot the phone into fast boot and adb it does not find anything. I went ahead and ran the loop.sh file and started recovery And saw the device pop up for a split second so I CTRL-C.
It does the same thing that it did when I rooted my old slide With XP. It saw the device but as soon as I CTRL-C its gone. I can do a battery pull, rerun the loop and boot into recovery and it wont find it.
Is this crap gonna be the same as on windows where you just gotta get lucky and get it to recognize? Sit here for hours on end every day until it gets recognized?????
By the way I am running everything as Root by typing sudo su in terminal before I start.

sultan.of.swing said:
Ok, I am re-rooting my slide after having to get a replacement. I am trying to get it done using the newest ubuntu. I am a newb to ubuntu but I was able to get adb setup. When the device is booted up normally I can adb devices and recognize the device.
When I boot the phone into fast boot and adb it does not find anything. I went ahead and ran the loop.sh file and started recovery And saw the device pop up for a split second so I CTRL-C.
It does the same thing that it did when I rooted my old slide With XP. It saw the device but as soon as I CTRL-C its gone. I can do a battery pull, rerun the loop and boot into recovery and it wont find it.
Is this crap gonna be the same as on windows where you just gotta get lucky and get it to recognize? Sit here for hours on end every day until it gets recognized?????
By the way I am running everything as Root by typing sudo su in terminal before I start.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what the problem is, man. I've never had to try more than once using the process above. You're using a new install of ubuntu. Do you have adb from the latest sdk?

Just added the link to a new method for rooting and updated a few minor points.

Updated partitioning info to reflect what's actually going on in the MT3GS world.
Changed custom ROM to ChiefzReloaded's OTA, eliminating the need for the "updating the radio" section.

Beartard, I want to say thank you for taking the time for typing this all out. It worked like a charm with not one problem. I have spread your link to others so they can get the same satisfaction I got from this thread. Thanks again

[HOW TO] Root a bootloader-unlocked Xperia Pro MK16a

There is now a MUCH easier way to root ALL Sony Ericsson 2011 phones including the Xperia Pro, making these instructions obsolete. Please see DooMLorD's thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1319653
Remember to say thanks to DooMLorD for his awesome work!
However, I'll sill keep the 2 sets of instructions here in case anyone needs them or wants to refer back to them. My ZIPs do have all the drivers needed with good instructions on how to install them after all
My original instructions based on alvaroag's work can be found below, and the instructions via my instructions the Xperia Pro CWM Recovery method can be found on post 50 of this thread.
It's important to note that DooMLorD's tool only works for Windows. You can still use our original method in this post if you're running Linux.
We finally have a method to root the Xperia Pro MK16a (and PROBABLY MK16i) thanks to XDA Member alvaroag!!
This is his method, with the instructions modified by myself for ease of use.
What you need before you begin:
1. A rock hard stomach, because should the very unlikely happen and this brick/damage your phone in some way, I’m not responsible
2. An Unlocked Bootloader
NOTE: Sony offers a totally free, official, and simple method to unlock your bootloader here: http://unlockbootloader.sonyericsson.com/
Should that not work for you, your phone is probably SIM locked from your carrier (FIDO for example does that). You'll need to get the bootloader unlocked remotely from someone who has SETool and the appropriate security USB dongle. THIS COSTS MONEY, as SETool requires that user to pay per use.
Please see this thread for further instructions as it's the method I used personally: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1232050
Alejandrissimo was awesome at helping me through it.
3. On the phone itself navigate to the following locations:
a. Settings - applications – Make sure Unknown Sources (first option) is checked
b. Settings – applications – development – Make sure USB Debugging is checked
4. Download this archive. It contains all the files and drivers you will need:
http://www.mediafire.com/?7cz7672da9cxkrd​
Instructions:
1. Extract the archive you downloaded to a folder on your computer. Where doesn’t matter as long as you remember where it is.
2. Navigate to the folder ADB For Dummies (thanks to VanillaTbone for his guide) and install ADB for Dummies.exe
a. This will create a new folder on your C: drive called “android-sdk-windows”
3. Take the file “xperia_pro_root.zip” from the archive you downloaded and extract the contents to C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools\
4. Power off the phone and make sure it’s not plugged into anything.
5. Hold down the MENU button and connect the USB cable. A blue light will appear. If a blue light does NOT appear, then your phone can't get into FastBoot, and probably still has the bootloader locked.
a. If Windows asks you to install the drivers, install the driver from the folder “Fastboot Driver” in the archive you downloaded. Should those drivers not work, try the drivers found in "C:\android-sdk-windows\google-usb_driver"
6. Open the “Fastboot” folder in windows explorer (its part of the archive you extracted in step 1. Hold down the shift key and right click on an empty space in the folder window, select Open Command Prompt Here.
7. Type:
fastboot boot recoveryNEO.img​
8. The blue light on the phone will turn off, the screen on the phone will be blank, and the phone will be disconnected from windows, but after a few seconds you will get a Mass Storage & ADB Interface Detected. Note that the phone’s screen will continue to be black for the rest of this process. THIS IS NORMAL, your phone has not been bricked. If you need to stop anywhere along the way, simply unplug the phone from the computer and take your battery out. The phone will return to normal operations, though UNROOTED.
a. Windows will PROBABLY say hardware failed to install. This is fine.
i. Open the start menu, right click on “Computer” and select “Manage”
ii. Select Device Manager on the left side of the Computer Management window that opens.
iii. Look for the unknown piece of hardware. Right click on it and select update/install driver.
iv. Browse your computer, and select the main folder you extracted the archive to way back in step 1 – the drivers are somewhere in there, don’t worry about where, as windows will find them just fine.
9. On your computer navigate to “C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools”. Hold down the shift button on your keyboard and Right click on an empty part of the windows, and select “Open Command Window Here”
10. Type "adb shell". If it says "device not found", disconnect the USB cable, remove the battery, and try again from step 6. Also, try changing the USb port on your CPU. I'm not really sure about this, but I had to do it twice.
Now you’ll have to run a bunch of commands inside the ADB Shell window (the one with the black background and looks like a DOS window). You can just copy and paste each one from here. Be sure that once you start this step, you continue until the end of these instructions.
mount -t yaffs2 -o rw,relatime /dev/block/mtdblock0 /system​
If it says “/system is not empty” then type:
"rmdir /system/bin" and then run the first mount command again
type "exit"
11. From the DOS window, Run these commands (again copy and paste each one is fine)
adb push Superuser.apk /system/app/Superuser.apk
adb push su /system/bin/su
adb shell​
12. From the adb shell, run:
chmod 0644 /system/app/Superuser.apk
chown 0 /system/bin/su
chgrp 0 /system/bin/su
chmod 6755 /system/bin/su
ln -s /system/bin/su /system/xbin/su
cd
umount /system
reboot​
13. The adb shell will terminate. Disconnect the phone from the USB cable, wait for about 15 sec, remove the battery, and then turn it on.
14. From the phone, Open the Market, search for "Busybox" by "Stephen (Stericson)". Install that
15. From the Market, go to My Apps, search for "Superuser" by "ChainsDD" and make sure you're running the latest edition
16. Run the App "Superuser" from your app tray.
- under the settings tab, scroll to the bottom and click SU Binary "tap to check for updates"
17. Run the "Busybox Installer" app. Follow the onscreen instructions - just leave everything at default.
Congratulations! Your device should now be rooted! I personally suggest downloading and installing Titanium Backup to make sure - it will run a root check on startup and notify you if anything is wrong.
Notes:
This may seem to be a complicated method, but, as we will have to wait some weeks for an automated or simpler method, I think making writing an automated tool for this method is not worth the effort. But maybe, if no automated method appears in some weeks, I write one myself as a comunity contribution. - alvaroag​Thanks to VanillaTbone of XDA Developers for his awesome ADB For Dummies guide and app.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=502010
And of course thanks to Bin4ry for his NEO recovery image.
And thanks to all the other contributors to this thread for their help, advice, and overall contribution.
And if this thread helped you in some way, Please click THANK YOU to show your appreciation
Hello
Since there is no Xperia Pro forum I decided to post this here. Hope you can help me.
I recently bought an Xperia Pro MK16a and I have already unlocked the bootloader with setool (thanks to alejandrissimo and his remote unlock abilities). Now I'm searching for a way to root the device.
He and I experimented with it a bit, and we've already tried the recovery hot-boot with recovery.img from Arc, Play, and Neo, but with no luck. Recovery just doesn't boot.
He's guessing it's related to something like a different ramdisk or something like that.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

rcummings100 said:
Hello
Since there is no Xperia Pro forum I decided to post this here. Hope you can help me.
I recently bought an Xperia Pro MK16a and I have already unlocked the bootloader with setool (thanks to alejandrissimo and his remote unlock abilities). Now I'm searching for a way to root the device.
He and I experimented with it a bit, and we've already tried the recovery hot-boot with recovery.img from Arc, Play, and Neo, but with no luck. Recovery just doesn't boot.
He's guessing it's related to something like a different ramdisk or something like that.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you bootloader is open you can flash directly "prerooted".img with fastboot? Arc and Neo have this option.
Regards!
Taavi
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk

Edit; ............
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App

taaviu said:
If you bootloader is open you can flash directly "prerooted".img with fastboot? Arc and Neo have this option.
Regards!
Taavi
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be able to generate a pre-rooted system.img you need first a rooted phone and this is exactly the problem, how to root it if there is no recovery for MK16
For sure RootXperia.zip will work but for install it the proper recovery is needed first i guess

XperienceD said:
There is a Mini Pro forum. ;-)
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally different phone
This is just the "Xperia Pro" - it was released in August. It's the same phone as the Neo, but with a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Model is MK16a (or MK16i for the international one)

Gingerbreak??
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk

Alejandrissimo said:
To be able to generate a pre-rooted system.img you need first a rooted phone and this is exactly the problem, how to root it if there is no recovery for MK16
For sure RootXperia.zip will work but for install it the proper recovery is needed first i guess
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to do it? Generate prerooted system.img
Thanks!
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk

I think that NEO recovery should work:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1183465
Maybe the keys are wrong mapped, you have to try a little. Just flash RootXperia.zip from Recovery and you are rooted.
Regards

Bin4ry said:
I think that NEO recovery should work:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1183465
Maybe the keys are wrong mapped, you have to try a little. Just flash RootXperia.zip from Recovery and you are rooted.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was the first thing I tried, since the Pro should just be a Neo with a keyboard. Unfortunately it doesn't work.
Here's the output:
C:\root-play>fastboot boot recoveryNEO.img
downloading 'boot.img'...
(bootloader) USB download speed was 9336kB/s
OKAY [ 0.517s]
booting...
(bootloader) Download buffer format: boot IMG
OKAY [ 0.002s]
finished. total time: 0.519s​
The phone is clearly still turned on, but no longer in fastboot mode, and the screen is totally blank, though the backlight is active.
I've tried the same thing with the Arc and Play recovery images and had the same results.
What do you mean by the keys are mapped wrong?
Is this what you're talking about?
http://www.knowyourcell.com/sony-er..._hard_reset_the_sony_ericsson_xperia_pro.html
The instructions on how to get into Recovery on that site are very similar to how to do it on the stock build of my previous phone, the Motorola Milestone. Unfortunately THEY DON'T WORK
I've tried substituting the volume down button with other keys, but with no success. Pretty difficult to guess the right key combination when there's a full qwerty keyboard on here
Is there a way to boot into the standard recovery from ADB or fastboot or something? Possibly from an on-board terminal emulator? A command like "Reboot Recovery" perhaps? Or is that too easy to be possible...
It's ironic that my old Motorola milestone with a totally locked down bootloader proved easier to hack than this phone with it's wide open bootloader

Well,
i wrote you already in PM. But now here too. The PRO is only released in Canada and some Asien Countrys. Until it is released in Europe i cannot help you, because i need the device for testing.
One thing you can try:
after you fastboot boot and the phone is in blackscreenmode please unplug and replug it to pc.
Now try to adb shell on it. Is this working? If yes please gimme a logcat
Regards

Bin4ry said:
Well,
i wrote you already in PM. But now here too. The PRO is only released in Canada and some Asien Countrys. Until it is released in Europe i cannot help you, because i need the device for testing.
One thing you can try:
after you fastboot boot and the phone is in blackscreenmode please unplug and replug it to pc.
Now try to adb shell on it. Is this working? If yes please gimme a logcat
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, adb shell doesn't work. Shows "error: device not found"
But because I'm new to this (I came from a motorola milestone), I want to make sure I did what you actually asked of me:
- I turned on the phone into fastboot mode (hold down menu, plug in usb cable, get blue light)
- from a command prompt window: fastboot boot recoveryARC.img
(replacing ARC with NEO and PLAY depending on the image I'm trying)
- phone now boots into black screen, no blue light, screen backlight is on
- unplug from computer, plug back in
- from command prompt: adb shell
Are those the instructions you wanted me to follow?
Fastboot works fine. Can I do anything from there? Getvar for example, or something? can I run the command Update and flash the RootXperia.zip file? Or will that not work because it's not signed properly or something similar?

Via fastboot you cannot flash the zip. Zip needs to be flashed via recovery, because this only contains some files and not whole system!
I'm sorry, you have to wait until i have the device! Only if the adb shell would work i could help you, if even this is not working it's hard to say what's goin wrong. All you can do is sending me the kernel.sin from you firmware. Maybe i can mix something up with this file
Regards

Bin4ry said:
Via fastboot you cannot flash the zip. Zip needs to be flashed via recovery, because this only contains some files and not whole system!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured as much. Just hoped I might be wrong.
Bin4ry said:
I'm sorry, you have to wait until i have the device! Only if the adb shell would work i could help you, if even this is not working it's hard to say what's goin wrong. All you can do is sending me the kernel.sin from you firmware. Maybe i can mix something up with this file
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can anyone give me instructions or pointers on how I extract the kernel.sin from my firmware?
Thanks for your continued patience with me. I really do appreciate it.

Its funny how all the phones without forum ends up here!
Sent from my LT15i using xda premium

datagubben said:
Its funny how all the phones without forum ends up here!
Sent from my LT15i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's because they're all so similar, and are based on the same hardware as the Arc.

Process is simple:
IF you NEVER used UpdateService or PCCompanion BEFORE you unlocked your bootloader then : You need to relock bootloader first (sorry :/)
Then have to use SonyEricsson UpdateService/PC-Companion and tell it to REINSTALL/REPAIR your firmware.
If you used one of the tools before just skip the relock and do this:
After that is done you copy out the two files named:
FILE_XXXXXXXXXXX
FILE_XXXXXXXXXXX
where XXXXXXXXXX are some numbers. This files are located in the subfolder blob_fs inside the UpdateService/PC-Companion directory.
Just copy it on a "safe" place.
After that is done you have to start flashtool go to the "Advanced" Tab -> Decrypt -> then just choose the folder where you copied the files and let flashtool do its work
Afterwards upload the Firmware which is now present as a FTF file, somewhere and post it here (others will be happy to to have the whole MK16a Firmware )
Regards

Bin4ry said:
Process is simple:
IF you NEVER used UpdateService or PCCompanion BEFORE you unlocked your bootloader then : You need to relock bootloader first (sorry :/)
Then have to use SonyEricsson UpdateService/PC-Companion and tell it to REINSTALL/REPAIR your firmware.
If you used one of the tools before just skip the relock and do this:
After that is done you copy out the two files named:
FILE_XXXXXXXXXXX
FILE_XXXXXXXXXXX
where XXXXXXXXXX are some numbers. This files are located in the subfolder blob_fs inside the UpdateService/PC-Companion directory.
Just copy it on a "safe" place.
After that is done you have to start flashtool go to the "Advanced" Tab -> Decrypt -> then just choose the folder where you copied the files and let flashtool do its work
Afterwards upload the Firmware which is now present as a FTF file, somewhere and post it here (others will be happy to to have the whole MK16a Firmware )
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately the very first thing I did with the phone was unlock the bootloader. 'Fido' is the only phone company selling the phone, but I'm with 'Rogers'...so I needed to unlock the bootloader in order to actually use the phone as a phone, which was and remains the most important thing to me.
That being said, I'll see if Alejandrissimo can give me a hand with re-locking the bootloader, then I can get the firmware as you instructed, then have him re-unlock the bootloader. I'll just stick my SIM Card back in my old motorola milestone while we work on this so I can still have a working phone.
You're awesome Bin4ry for helping like this

Maybe I could help with that since I am with Fido and I have a locked bootloader (I haven't touched the phone except adding an ssh key) with my Xperia Pro MK16a. Though I know my way with ssh, I am new with the rooting stuff and Android. If you need some files or something from a locked bootloader I can help with that, just need some simple instructions.
Bin4ry said that files FILE_XXXXXXXXXXX were located under UpdateService/PC-Companion, can I access those via ssh? I have used PCCompanion only once when I got on Windows, but I am always on Ubuntu so I was wondering if I could get those file via scp and if so, where are they?.

ratius said:
Maybe I could help with that since I am with Fido and I have a locked bootloader (I haven't touched the phone except adding an ssh key) with my Xperia Pro MK16a. Though I know my way with ssh, I am new with the rooting stuff and Android. If you need some files or something from a locked bootloader I can help with that, just need some simple instructions.
Bin4ry said that files FILE_XXXXXXXXXXX were located under UpdateService/PC-Companion, can I access those via ssh? I have used PCCompanion only once when I got on Windows, but I am always on Ubuntu so I was wondering if I could get those file via scp and if so, where are they?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you could, that'd be great. I don't especially want to lock my bootloader over again since you have to use SETool to unlock it, which costs money each time you use it (essentially). Not to mention it involves some acrobatics with a paperclip to connect a testpoint inside the phone to a ground!
Unless there's an easier way to lock/unlock now that I've done it once that is...if so, I'm happy to do it.
As for accessing the files Bin4ry is talking about, boot to windows if you can and do it that way. Just follow his instructions to repair your firmware, then go to that folder in windows (it's located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony Ericsson\Sony Ericsson PC Companion). At least, that's my understanding.

Hi. Yesterday, I bought a Xperia Pro. Ive spent most of the afternoon and the nigh trying to root it, and I've finally got how to do it. It's a manual method, as there is not an automated one.
There's no need to say I'm not responsible for any damaged or bricked devices(but mine is working ok )
What you need:
1. The Xperia Neo Recovery, by Bin4ry, get it here
2. xperia_pro_root.zip I'm attaching. It contains the files from RootXperia.zip, but without the update.zip-related files, as they are not needed.
3. The Android SDK, with the Google USB Drivers Package.
4. If you've never used your device in fastboot mode, you may also need to follow steps 7 & 8 from SE bootloader unlocking tutorial.
5. [NOT REALLY SURE] Application Debugging & Unknown Sources enabled.
6. [NOT REALLY SURE] Unlocked Bootloader. This is because mine is unlocked, but I don't really know if that is required to boot the recovery image via fastboot.
I'm assuming that you are working on a Windows/Unix terminal, with a working directory where you have recoveryNeo.img, Superuser.apk and su /these two from the zip file I attach), and that fastboot & adb are on the PATH. If some file is not on the working directory, or fastboot/adb are not on the path, use full paths.
Instructions:
1. Disconnect & Power off the phone.
2. Hold down the menu button and connect the USB cable.
(If Windows asks you to install the drivers, install the driver from ANDROIDSDK\extras\google\usb_driver folder).
3. Run "fastboot boot recoveryNeo.img". The fastboot device will be disconnected, but after a few seconds you will get a Mass Storage & ADB Interface Detected.
4. Run "adb shell". If it says "device not found", disconnect, remove the battery, and try again from step 1. Also, try changing the USb port on your CPU. I'm not really sure about this, but I had to do it twice.
5. Run "mount -t yaffs2 -o rw,relatime /dev/block/mtdblock0 /system" from the adb terminal. If it says /system is not empty. run "rmdir /system/bin" and then run mount again.
6. type "exit"
7. Run :
adb push Superuser.apk /system/app/Superuser.apk
adb push su /system/bin/su
adb shell
8. From the adb shell, run:
chmod 0644 /system/app/Superuser.apk
chown 0 /system/bin/su
chgrp 0 /system/bin/su
chmod 6755 /system/bin/su
ln -s /system/bin/su /system/xbin/su
cd
umount /system
reboot
9. The adb shell will terminate. Disconnect the phone, wait for ~15 sec, remove the battery, and then turn it on.
10. Your device should now be rooted.
Notes:
1. When booting with recoveryNeo.img, the screen will keep blank. That's normal(I think).
2. This may seem to be a complicated method, but, as we will have to wait some weeks for an automated or simpler method, I think making writing an automated tool for this method is not worth the effort. But maybe, if no automated method appears in some weeks, I write one myself as a comunity contribution.
Hope this is usefull for you.

[ROOTED] Rooting An Acer Iconia A101

Yes, finally, for us A101 owners out there, a rooting method has finally been found!
Firstly, it's important to point out that I DID NOT DISCOVER this rooting method. All credit for that goes to ZeroNull and can be found in his original post here. All I have done is to essentially translate it to more native English and hopefully explain it a little better. I've been a bit more long winded than ZeroNull was, but it's kinda necessary to make things clear.
Finally, and most importantly:
DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! NEITHER I NOR ZERONULL ARE TO BLAME IF YOU MESS UP YOUR TAB!
You will need a few things:
1. The A10x_Rooting.zip file attached at the bottom of this thread. This contains ADB and SU.
2. An A100 ROM. It's probably best to go for as early a verion as you can but any should probably work. Get one from vache's thread here.
3. An A101 ROM. Any version will do, again you can get one from vache's thread above. Note there are some updated ROMs on about page 13 or so of that thread.
4. The ability to follow instructions CAREFULLY. Seriously, I can't stress this enough. One typo can make the process fail, so copy/paste the commands, OK?
5. Basic knowledge of how to open a cmd shell in Windows (I'm not a Linux person, but most of this guide will probably apply).
Right, on to the instructions!
Part One
1. Download all needed file as above and extract into a directory somewhere.
2. Connect your A101 to USB, make sure USB debugging is turned on, and open a command window in the same folder you extracted A10x_Rooting.zip in to.
3. Copy the A100's update.zip to the root of your external SD card on the tablet.
4. Reboot into recovery (hold power and left side of the vol rocker until you see the text).
5. Wait for the A100 ROM to install. This is the slightly scary bit as you just emasculated your tab! :O
Part Two
6. Once your tab has booted, make sure USB debugging is on and go to your command window. Type:
Code:
adb devices
If all is well, you'll get your UID in response. You don't need this for rooting, but it's a damn good idea to write this down somewhere safe.
7. Assuming 6 was OK, then proceed. If it wasn't, you'll need to sort that out yourselves
Enter the following commands.
Code:
adb shell
/system/bin/cmdclient ec_micswitch '`echo 'ro.kernel.qemu=1' > /data/local.prop`'
Nothing will echo back to you, and trying to ls that folder will give you a permission denied. Don't worry, it should have worked.
8. Type exit at the $ prompt to exit ADB shell.
9. Copy the A101 update.zip to the root of the external SD card, reboot to recovery and flash it.
Part Three
10. Once booted back up, go back to your command window and enter the following:
Code:
adb remount
adb push su /system/xbin/
adb shell "chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su"
11. Now you need to undo the qemu command. Enter the following in the command window.
Code:
adb shell "echo '#' >/data/local.prop"
Your root should now be 95% complete, but we're not quite finished yet.
12. Load the market and download BusyBox, SuperUser, and if you want it, Titanium Backup. Install all of these but DO NOT RUN THEM YET.
13. Reboot the device. Another scary part!
14. Once booted, run SuperUser then drop back to the desktop.
15. Run BusyBox and go through the install steps. During this SU should ask permission to give BB root access, if it does, it worked!
By the way, for me at least, SU moaned about being out of date whilst installing BB. Let BB install, then afterward, let SU update itself.
Important Note
After doing this once, if you install a newer ROM, you will NOT need to go back to the A100 to re-root, that part only has to be done one time. The local.prop file will now persist between ROM's so all you'll need to do is to go back to step 7 and proceed from there.

How does one figure out which version they have?
Sent from my Acer Iconia using xda premium

Mordak said:
How does one figure out which version they have?
Sent from my Acer Iconia using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean a100 or a101? A100 is the wifi only version that most of us have. The A101 has a spot for a phone SIMM card.

Mordak said:
How does one figure out which version they have?
Sent from my Acer Iconia using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's under Settings -> About
Though I'm kinda puzzled as to how come you don't know which model you bought...

Thanks
Been waiting for ages till i searched it in google today.
Is there any chance we can install recovery like CWM?

Not at this time. Devs are working hard trying to bypass the locked bootloader on the A100. I'm assuming the bootloader on the A101 is similar enough that whatever method eventually gets worked out would work on both. I may be wrong. Wouldn't surprise me if I was lol
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk

Hope you're right
Uh, and i think you should bold this:
3. Copy the A100's update.zip to the root of your external SD card on the tablet.
Since i've missed the "external" sd card and just copied it right to the internal sd, the rom was'nt detected by then. My bad, but there may be people like me hahaha

icefish1412 said:
Hope you're right
Uh, and i think you should bold this:
3. Copy the A100's update.zip to the root of your external SD card on the tablet.
Since i've missed the "external" sd card and just copied it right to the internal sd, the rom was'nt detected by then. My bad, but there may be people like me hahaha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Point 4 of the "things you will need" covers that.
4. The ability to follow instructions CAREFULLY. Seriously, I can't stress this enough. One typo can make the process fail, so copy/paste the commands, OK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

FloatingFatMan said:
It's under Settings -> About
Though I'm kinda puzzled as to how come you don't know which model you bought...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never saw a 3G version in any of the stores near me. I did see the spot where a sim could go but I had no idea this was the differentiating factor. Thanks for the info.

Will this rooting method work on the A100?

The A100 has its own rooting method, but there's no reason why it shouldn't. In fact, someone posted a slightly modded version of this method for that model, in the A100 rooting thread.

sorry but i can't apply
adb shell
/system/bin/cmdclient ec_micswitch '`echo 'ro.kernel.qemu=1' > /data/local.prop`'
what can i do?

^ Defining "I can't apply" would help...
Seriously, that's about as much help to debugging the problem as a chocolate teapot.

ok,
when i submit the command
/system/bin/cmdclient ec_micswitch '`echo 'ro.kernel.qemu=1' > /data/local.prop`'
i get this from the console
/system/bin/cmdclient ec_micswitch '`echo 'ro.kernel.qemu=1' > /data/local.prop`'
and when i follow the next steps
i cant remount

What ROM are you running on?

[Q] Bricked my galaxy s3 while editing the build.prop Please Help!

I have a major problem but i think there is a way to fix it, i just cant figure it out. i was adding google wallet on my rooted s3 and when reverting the build.prop file to its original form, i just copied and pasted the backup and renamed it to the original build.prop to replace the new one using root explorer. my phone does not boot up now i get the samsung startup screen and it shuts off. i could get into cwm recovery mode. any way to fix the build.prop without being able to fully boot the phone? i am on a mac but i could have access to a pc tomorrow if i need.

Its simple if u have a backup. I have not heard of anyway of getting to build.prop thru recovery.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

You need to restore from backup (nandroid) or start over if you don't have a backup..
Did you copy the original file to ur sd card then back over?
Chances are you did.. I did the same thing lol.. And when u do that it doesn't save original permissions of the file.
The reason the wallet post says to use root explorer is because it saves the file in the same folder permissions and all and you can just rename it back.
Sorry dude u are sol.. Restore from back up or flash a new rom and start over.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

Get into recovery, do a factory reset.

mrhaley30705 said:
Get into recovery, do a factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any resolution. I have the same problem.

mrhaley30705 said:
Get into recovery, do a factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think that would work, as far as I know a factory reset only wipes data and cache. The build.prop is part of the system, so it will not change.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium

Permissions probably got reset. Resetting to factory will not change the build.prop. Either re-install the rom or...
Do this. This will reset permissions to the correct value without affecting your data. This is easy once you get the hang of it. I do not know if I'm allowed to post up the adb file or I would.
I'm going to run through a quick setup of the Android SDK so that you can use adb if you choose to go this route. The SDK will be useful all though rooted phone usage, so I suggest you download it and use it. ADB is a very powerful tool. First, Google Android SDK. The first result should be the official site for the Google developer section. Just open that top link and the page should have a huge button that says "Download the SDK for (Windows or Mac or whatever)". Click it. Mac users.. Yours does not actually setup. You need to find the SDK Manager app within that zipped download and run it. Windows users... Run the setup. When it's done it will open the SDK manager. Both Users... Check the box next to the "Android SDK Platform-tools". Bottom Right, Install x Packages. Make sure you take note of the SDK path displayed at the top of the manager. EG. C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk. Mac users: Yours will be in the downloaded folder that you extracted. All Users: Navigate to that folder via terminal (mac) or cmd.exe (windows). Windows: cd C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk ... Mac: cd /Users/josh/Downloads/android-sdk/ ... Then navigate to the platform-tools folder that is within the SDK folder. Here is where ADB is located.
Windows instructions:
Download adb.exe, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google.
Connect phone to computer via USB.
Boot phone into recovery.
Use cmd.exe (Use Windows key+R, and type cmd in the run window) to navigate to the folder containing adb.
E.g. "cd c:\Users\Josh\Downloads\adb"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone. If you get an error, make sure you have the drivers loaded for your phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Mac Instructions:
Download the adb application, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google. Make sure you download the Mac version, not the Windows or Linux version.
Connect phone to Mac.
Reboot phone into recovery.
Open Terminal on Mac. /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app or use spotlight to find it.
Navigate to folder containing the adb app. E.g. "cd /Users/josh/Downloads/adb/"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.

Side note--> twrp recovery has a built in terminal and the ability to copy/paste files from internal and external SD cards. Not so sure about changing permissions easily....but through the built in terminal....might be able to load what you need (plus twrp flashable found in android dev forum) on external SD card with an adapter on a computer. Flash twrp and transfer files or use built in terminal to change perms. Good luck....

I know editing build props with es file explorer will cause That.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

Fixed it!
Thanks everyone for your help, i feel like an idiot for not replying to anyone i didnt have it set up to notify me of replies, i figured out it was the build prop that was messed up, im not sure how this worked but i figured i would try to root again and flash the root files using the simple root steps using odin and it actually fixed the file and booted up fine! i appreciate everyones help and hope this thread helps other people because i know many people screw this up the same way i did. (i will never do anything like this without doing a nandroid backup again). THANKS AGAIN!

thanks but..
ibanezbass said:
Permissions probably got reset. Resetting to factory will not change the build.prop. Either re-install the rom or...
Do this. This will reset permissions to the correct value without affecting your data. This is easy once you get the hang of it. I do not know if I'm allowed to post up the adb file or I would.
I'm going to run through a quick setup of the Android SDK so that you can use adb if you choose to go this route. The SDK will be useful all though rooted phone usage, so I suggest you download it and use it. ADB is a very powerful tool. First, Google Android SDK. The first result should be the official site for the Google developer section. Just open that top link and the page should have a huge button that says "Download the SDK for (Windows or Mac or whatever)". Click it. Mac users.. Yours does not actually setup. You need to find the SDK Manager app within that zipped download and run it. Windows users... Run the setup. When it's done it will open the SDK manager. Both Users... Check the box next to the "Android SDK Platform-tools". Bottom Right, Install x Packages. Make sure you take note of the SDK path displayed at the top of the manager. EG. C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk. Mac users: Yours will be in the downloaded folder that you extracted. All Users: Navigate to that folder via terminal (mac) or cmd.exe (windows). Windows: cd C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk ... Mac: cd /Users/josh/Downloads/android-sdk/ ... Then navigate to the platform-tools folder that is within the SDK folder. Here is where ADB is located.
Windows instructions:
Download adb.exe, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google.
Connect phone to computer via USB.
Boot phone into recovery.
Use cmd.exe (Use Windows key+R, and type cmd in the run window) to navigate to the folder containing adb.
E.g. "cd c:\Users\Josh\Downloads\adb"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone. If you get an error, make sure you have the drivers loaded for your phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Mac Instructions:
Download the adb application, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google. Make sure you download the Mac version, not the Windows or Linux version.
Connect phone to Mac.
Reboot phone into recovery.
Open Terminal on Mac. /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app or use spotlight to find it.
Navigate to folder containing the adb app. E.g. "cd /Users/josh/Downloads/adb/"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the problem with this route was that for some reason the device was not being recognized by adb, i dont know why, i thought it was a driver issue but once i fixed the phone, i was able to get adb access, so i guess that boot error was preventing it from getting recognized (which i didnt understand because my friend screwed up like me the next day and was able to adb.) but finally fixed it a few days later after trying many things and the fix for some reason was a simple process with odin, i think this article shows what i did, i dont remember exactly tho - http://smartphonefix.blogspot.com/2...r-Recover-Bricked-ATT-Galaxy-S3-SGH-I747.html

ibanezbass said:
Permissions probably got reset. Resetting to factory will not change the build.prop. Either re-install the rom or...
Do this. This will reset permissions to the correct value without affecting your data. This is easy once you get the hang of it. I do not know if I'm allowed to post up the adb file or I would.
I'm going to run through a quick setup of the Android SDK so that you can use adb if you choose to go this route. The SDK will be useful all though rooted phone usage, so I suggest you download it and use it. ADB is a very powerful tool. First, Google Android SDK. The first result should be the official site for the Google developer section. Just open that top link and the page should have a huge button that says "Download the SDK for (Windows or Mac or whatever)". Click it. Mac users.. Yours does not actually setup. You need to find the SDK Manager app within that zipped download and run it. Windows users... Run the setup. When it's done it will open the SDK manager. Both Users... Check the box next to the "Android SDK Platform-tools". Bottom Right, Install x Packages. Make sure you take note of the SDK path displayed at the top of the manager. EG. C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk. Mac users: Yours will be in the downloaded folder that you extracted. All Users: Navigate to that folder via terminal (mac) or cmd.exe (windows). Windows: cd C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk ... Mac: cd /Users/josh/Downloads/android-sdk/ ... Then navigate to the platform-tools folder that is within the SDK folder. Here is where ADB is located.
Windows instructions:
Download adb.exe, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google.
Connect phone to computer via USB.
Boot phone into recovery.
Use cmd.exe (Use Windows key+R, and type cmd in the run window) to navigate to the folder containing adb.
E.g. "cd c:\Users\Josh\Downloads\adb"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone. If you get an error, make sure you have the drivers loaded for your phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Mac Instructions:
Download the adb application, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google. Make sure you download the Mac version, not the Windows or Linux version.
Connect phone to Mac.
Reboot phone into recovery.
Open Terminal on Mac. /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app or use spotlight to find it.
Navigate to folder containing the adb app. E.g. "cd /Users/josh/Downloads/adb/"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, I got the adb shell to run, but I run into this snag:
"Unable to chmod build.prop: Operation not permitted"
Anyone know what this means?

prior to running that command, type su then hit enter

If I made a CWM flashable unedited build.prop from a stock SGS3 rom would that help anyone? It just seems easier than all those ADB commands assuming you can still access recovery.

stratatak7 said:
If I made a CWM flashable unedited build.prop from a stock SGS3 rom would that help anyone? It just seems easier than all those ADB commands assuming you can still access recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure that'll probably helpful to a lot of people. Unfortunately, I'm using the stock recovery so it probably wouldn't help me...

lyrictenor1 said:
I'm sure that'll probably helpful to a lot of people. Unfortunately, I'm using the stock recovery so it probably wouldn't help me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're not comfortable with ADB: You should try to flash recovery (recommended TWRP but at this point take anything you can get) from ODIN. I know I've seen it around here somewhere. Once you do that, then flash the attached file.
This will flash in CWM/TWRP etc. I haven't tested it, so send me a PM if it doesn't work and I'll fix it up.
Edit: I've located the proper recovery file for you to flash. It's cwm, but you flash this with ODIN. Download it from here http://k0nane.info/rom/ecm/CWM-Recovery-LTE-SGS3-v5.tar.md5 . ODIN will increase your flash counter, but Chainfire's Triangle Away app takes care of that like it never happened. Odin can be found in the development thread. If you want to automate this process even further just download the qcom toolkit which walks you through the process of installing recovery. I hope this helps.
Lastly, here's the latest TWRP image file with ADB instructions. Short, sweet and simple. http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/104

crammer04 said:
I have a major problem but i think there is a way to fix it, i just cant figure it out. i was adding google wallet on my rooted s3 and when reverting the build.prop file to its original form, i just copied and pasted the backup and renamed it to the original build.prop to replace the new one using root explorer. my phone does not boot up now i get the samsung startup screen and it shuts off. i could get into cwm recovery mode. any way to fix the build.prop without being able to fully boot the phone? i am on a mac but i could have access to a pc tomorrow if i need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If you got no back up give us your phone information one of us can send you one I have aTT D2att you
?
Its all in my sig get mobile odin bellow, get the tar for which ever recovery you got. I got all three. CWM, CWM Touch and TWRP for d2att (only) if different phone then use other ones.
Thats my build prop im D2att SG3 ok so just make sure. But you can grab mobile odin bellow and fix it.
_________________________________________
Just get mobile odin HERE
and flash your reocvery there CWM, TWRP, CWM TOUCH... all of them latest all in my sig bro
Here is all drop box to get any of the recoverys --------------------> Recoverys Drop Box
Get mobile odin Here along with the s3 kernal extension its all in here -----------------------> Mobile Odin
If you get hardware id missing error install these old samsung dricers this is a bonus, don't update it ----------------> Hardware ID samsung driver fix
__________________________________________________________
S3 build prop here --------------> here
Mobile odin is simple if download zip in my drop box just install it (or get it form market) download the driver you need (in my drop box) or go mobile odin thread and find it if your on a different phone. Rest is simple just load what your going to flash click the OPEN FILE option in mobile odin click tar and run it.
_________________________________________________________
Get android comander. You can mod build prop easy with it its nice GUI for installing programs or uninstalling or backups or moving files around. awesome try out here --------------------------------> ANDROID COMANDER
need anything else?
---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------
lyrictenor1 said:
Okay, I got the adb shell to run, but I run into this snag:
"Unable to chmod build.prop: Operation not permitted"
Anyone know what this means?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tiy need to remount system Read Write i don't think its a SU problem it could be but normaly you already got su i forget comand in adv its mount system -r i beleive. I dunno I run a script that mounts it for me let me check it out real fast
---------- Post added at 09:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------
crammer04 said:
So the problem with this route was that for some reason the device was not being recognized by adb, i dont know why, i thought it was a driver issue but once i fixed the phone, i was able to get adb access, so i guess that boot error was preventing it from getting recognized (which i didnt understand because my friend screwed up like me the next day and was able to adb.) but finally fixed it a few days later after trying many things and the fix for some reason was a simple process with odin, i think this article shows what i did, i dont remember exactly tho - http://smartphonefix.blogspot.com/2...r-Recover-Bricked-ATT-Galaxy-S3-SGH-I747.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just so you no a common problem when doing commands you forget to do it just trying help didn't know fixed
#!/system/bin/sh
busybox mount -o remount,rw /system

My build.prop got messed up while trying to install Google Wallet on my rooted sg3 and my phone became soft bricked. I had to reinstall the stock jellybean ROM with root that I had been running before this happened, through Odin. Solved my problem. Never got wallet to work though.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire2 using xda app-developers app

Would this work on S3 T-Mobile T-999?
stratatak7 said:
If you're not comfortable with ADB: You should try to flash recovery (recommended TWRP but at this point take anything you can get) from ODIN. I know I've seen it around here somewhere. Once you do that, then flash the attached file.
This will flash in CWM/TWRP etc. I haven't tested it, so send me a PM if it doesn't work and I'll fix it up.
Edit: I've located the proper recovery file for you to flash. It's cwm, but you flash this with ODIN. Download it from here http://k0nane.info/rom/ecm/CWM-Recovery-LTE-SGS3-v5.tar.md5 . ODIN will increase your flash counter, but Chainfire's Triangle Away app takes care of that like it never happened. Odin can be found in the development thread. If you want to automate this process even further just download the qcom toolkit which walks you through the process of installing recovery. I hope this helps.
Lastly, here's the latest TWRP image file with ADB instructions. Short, sweet and simple. http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/104
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having the same problem.... as the person above... Will this .Tar file below work for S3 T-Mobile T-999? Can you make one for that phone?
Thanks for your help!!

Boosoth1st said:
I am having the same problem.... as the person above... Will this .Tar file below work for S3 T-Mobile T-999? Can you make one for that phone?
Thanks for your help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1746682
Try downloading the toolkit from there. It should contain the necessary T-Mobile files. If you are having an issue, please PM me. Make sure you flash the right one! Be careful and read the whole thread.

[TUTORIAL]All you need to know to flash a ROM on LG-P350

Hi guys, this is my second tutorial and in this one I will show you every thing you need to do to flash a custom ROM on the LG-P350. So let's get started.
DISCLAIMER: This is tampering with the system itself and if done incorrectly a simple factory reset will not fix it. It is YOU who is doing this on your phone and I am in no way responsible if any damage happens to your device. (tough it shouldn't if you follow these steps carefully) You have been warned!
WHAT WE NEED :
1.An LG-P350 running stock Froyo
2.LG mobile united drivers, get them from here https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7Faau7Enf-Bc1hhbWRtTkczNEE/edit?usp=sharing
3.A PC running Windows (can be done on linux too but this guide is based on Windows)
4.A microUSB data cable.
5.The official Android SDK obtained from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html Make sure you select the version for your OS (32-bit or 64-bit)
6.USB debugging to be on. Go to Settings>Apps>Development>Turn on USB debugging
7.ADB to be properly set up.
8.Patience to read this thread carefully
1. Root
Ok so what is root? Well simply said rooting gives us the permission to modify parts of the Android system itself. Normally when you try to tamper with it it would simply say that either you don't have the privilege to do so or it would fail. When we have root permissions then you can change anything you want.
Note: Be careful tough, removing or modifying some parts of the system can damage the system and prevent it from working/booting. Always make a nandroid backup (will talk about this later) before editing anything in the system.
Now for the rooting itself.
Most versions of the software for the P-350 can be rooted using gingerbreak, which can be found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1044765 Get the newest version, copy it and install it on your phone and follow the instructions on screen.
For those who prefer some other root method you can also use z4root which can be found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=833953 or superoneclick which can be obtained here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803682 (For superoneclick you need the USB cable and drivers installed)
2.ADB
Ok so what is ADB? ADB is a short term for Android Debug Bridge. It is one the most essential tools in the Android world and is used for a number of things such as sending commands (which can do anything you imagine with the device), getting various log data etc.
To set it up you will have to get the latest version of the official Android SDK (look for the link in the Introduction). Once you've downloaded the sdk you will get a .zip file you need to extract. I extracted mine to C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\ (so this guide is based on that) but it can really be anywhere. If you decide to put a different directory then adapt the guide to it. Once extracted you will get two folders. Here we only use the sdk one, the other one is for the Eclipse plugin used for application development. Open up the cmd from the start menu and then input these codes.
Code:
cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\sdk\platform-tools\ (you adapt this to your case if you didn't extract it there)
adb shell
Do this with your device connected otherwise it's pointless.
NOTE1: In order for adb to recognize your device you must have the drivers installed.
NOTE2: If you are too lazy to type all this every time you can make a .bat script. Open up notepad and copy/paste these codes
Code:
cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\sdk\platform-tools\ (adapt to your location)
adb shell
pause
After that just click on File and click Save as. In the window that opened, under file type select all files and on the file name save it as adb.bat
Now whenever you want to use adb you can just double click on the script you made and it will open up adb instantly leaving out the hassle of typing in commands every time.
3.Recovery
Now that we have root it's time for the recovery module.
The recovery allows us to modify parts (or even the entire) system by "flashing" (installing) .zip files prepared by our developer. They can be tweaks,fixes, additional features or even a completely new version of Android. There are a couple of ways to do this and the choice is yours.
Before you do this you need to get a recovery image. We have a couple of them for our device:
1. AmonRa-The very first recovery for our phone. It is outdated and generally not recommended for use. If anyone wants it you can get it here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1080911
2. CWM (clockwork mod recovery)- One of the most popular recoveries around. It is a well made piece of software which will make flashing simple and fast. We have a couple of versions for our phone and the links are here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2075797&highlight=recovery ClockWorkMod 6.0.2.7
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1768895&highlight=recovery ClockWorkMod 6.0.1.4
You will also need a flash_image file gotten from https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7Faau7Enf-BTURDQmp1OWIzVGM/edit?usp=sharing
Method 1: cmd
Ok so this tutorial is from a developer who has retired and who made the original recovery our phone. All credits for that go to him.
Also note that it is recommended to reboot the device prior to flashing to increase the RAM.
1.Copy the .img file and copy the flash_image file to the rood directory of your sd card NOT in some folder. If you got your recovery in a .zip then extract the .img file from it and copy it and the flash_image file to the root of the sd card.
2.Using ADB shell copy these commands into the cmd :
Code:
$ su
# mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock1 /system
# cat /sdcard/flash_image > /system/bin/flash_image
# chmod 755 /system/bin/flash_image
# sync
3.Now flash it:
Code:
$ su
# flash_image recovery /sdcard/*insert image name here*.img Here you should put the name of your .img file without the starts ofc :)
# sync
4.After that if no error occurred you can type this in
Code:
reboot recovery
WARNING: If some sort of error showed up DO NOT type in reboot recovery. This could brick your device. Instead restart the phone and start over.
Method 2: Venkat's toolkit RECOMMENDED
This toolkit does the same from above but it does it automatically without the user having to do anything. You can get it from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1948326 It can also be used for rooting.
It is also recommended to make a nandroid backup of your current system in case you want to go back. Nandroid backup is a complete copy of your system as it is when the backup was made. It backs up EVERYTING not just apps and data, so it is a perfect thing to have if a ROM or a tweak you are trying render the phone unbootable since you can just restore the backup you made and no harm done.
That is recovery. Now you can use it to flash whichever ROM for our device you choose. You can boot to it either by typing in adb/terminal reboot recovery or by pressing the following buttons when the device is turned off: Power + Call + Volume Down. Also don't worry if the touchscreen doesn't work in the recovery. That is normal use the volume up and down buttons to navigate menus and either the menu button(for amon ra) or the call (CWM) to confirm your choice.Use the back/power button to cancel/go back.
4.Flashing
Flashing is a process where we install the entire system or its parts contained in .zip files from the recovery module.
NOTE When you get a flashable .zip package DON'T extract it to the sd card. Copy it as you got it to the root of the sd and then continue.
Now that you've gotten the ROM you desired the process is pretty straight forward. Copy the .zip file you got to the root directory of your sd. Once you've done that, reboot to recovery and make a nandroid backup (if you haven't done so already) and go to the option install zip from sd card. Then choose the .zip you copied and confirm. After it says install complete you can reboot your device.
NOTE 1: Flash only things that are either universal or made for this device. Flashing stuff not made to work on this device could damage it.
NOTE 2: When flashing new ROMs you MUST wipe Dalvik cache,cache and data partitions. It is also recommended to wipe Dalvik cache when flashing kernels.
Those are pretty much all the basics you need to get into the flashing stuff You can find loads of ROMs and other tweaks on the official P-350 forums here on xda http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1769
You can also find info and development support on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/p350development/

Revision 1: Added tutorial for setting up adb, explaining what adb is, as well as an adb script code.

i think this thread need to stick, try to contact mods

A comment on the 'adb' way. Before executing the commands, you might want to cd to where adb.exe is because you will have an error executing the command and the terminal will show 'adb is not a valid command'
Sent from my X8 using xda premium
---------- Post added at 07:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:07 AM ----------
And installing android sdk is optional because there are standalone adb available for download.
Sent from my X8 using xda premium

Ya sticky this thread mods, cuz' i read, Many people stuck at LG Logo or fastboot mode even hard reset when flashing ROM without recovery before..
Sent from my LG-P350 using xda app-developers app

rho57 said:
A comment on the 'adb' way. Before executing the commands, you might want to cd to where adb.exe is because you will have an error executing the command and the terminal will show 'adb is not a valid command'
Sent from my X8 using xda premium
---------- Post added at 07:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:07 AM ----------
And installing android sdk is optional because there are standalone adb available for download.
Sent from my X8 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It already is set to the adb.exe path that's needed in order for adb to be activated on Windows. That's why we use the cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\sdk\platform-tools
And I know but there are a lot of other useful tools as well. And it is most reliable too.

Good job dude

Why complicated more then needed. Just make tut with andking toolkit.

boyan81 said:
Why complicated more then needed. Just make tut with andking toolkit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not complicated, this is a basic tutorial for those who don't want/can't use his toolkit. It also has some explanations about basic Android terms which you won't find there.

It would be nice if you update the wiki too, as there is an old but yet usable guide which pretty much has the same information written here...
Sent from my GT-S5830M using Tapatalk 2