Develop Bugs

[Q] What Am I Doing Wrong...?

I have unbricked this phone probably 15 times in the past day trying to just install a custom ROM.
I run through the unbricking process, get root, load the stock AT&T ROM, factory reset, and it boots just fine from there. However, after I load Clockwork Mod and try to load any custom ROMs at all, the phone will just bootloop forever. It also appears to remove the Clockwork Mod recovery image as well, since I no longer am able to get back into recovery after the flash of the new ROM.
I've scoured this forum for hours, and I'm at a complete loss. Any ideas?
P.S. I made a backup of my ROM before doing all of this using the latest version of Clockwork Mod, but was unable to restore it. It seems that the 6.x.x.x version of the recovery for this phone is busted in some way, it always reports that it can't access any of the root folders, even though the phone has been rooted. The 5.x.x.x versions don't seem to do this, but I still have issues flashing.

SectorNine50 said:
I have unbricked this phone probably 15 times in the past day trying to just install a custom ROM.
I run through the unbricking process, get root, load the stock AT&T ROM, factory reset, and it boots just fine from there. However, after I load Clockwork Mod and try to load any custom ROMs at all, the phone will just bootloop forever. It also appears to remove the Clockwork Mod recovery image as well, since I no longer am able to get back into recovery after the flash of the new ROM.
I've scoured this forum for hours, and I'm at a complete loss. Any ideas?
P.S. I made a backup of my ROM before doing all of this using the latest version of Clockwork Mod, but was unable to restore it. It seems that the 6.x.x.x version of the recovery for this phone is busted in some way, it always reports that it can't access any of the root folders, even though the phone has been rooted. The 5.x.x.x versions don't seem to do this, but I still have issues flashing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it possible that your hosts file needs modifying when installing the AT&T ROM? If the LG Support tool connects to LG's servers instead of your local http you set up, it will load the official ICS and completely wipe your phone to install that ROM... With my limited amount of knowledge, that's about all I could see if the process removes CWM Recovery.
Also, CWM 6.x is working fine for me, even manually flashed the touch recovery a few minutes ago, backed up my ROM and installed an updated ROM. No problems at all.

SectorNine50 said:
I have unbricked this phone probably 15 times in the past day trying to just install a custom ROM.
I run through the unbricking process, get root, load the stock AT&T ROM, factory reset, and it boots just fine from there. However, after I load Clockwork Mod and try to load any custom ROMs at all, the phone will just bootloop forever. It also appears to remove the Clockwork Mod recovery image as well, since I no longer am able to get back into recovery after the flash of the new ROM.
I've scoured this forum for hours, and I'm at a complete loss. Any ideas?
P.S. I made a backup of my ROM before doing all of this using the latest version of Clockwork Mod, but was unable to restore it. It seems that the 6.x.x.x version of the recovery for this phone is busted in some way, it always reports that it can't access any of the root folders, even though the phone has been rooted. The 5.x.x.x versions don't seem to do this, but I still have issues flashing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if anyone has tried the unbrick method with the new version of cwm but you might try twrp. When a similar version of cwm was in beta there were all sorts of issues. So maybe they haven't been fixed. Also are you installing cwm from GB? ICS has a locked boot loader so that might also be an issue.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1888910
Now I would start with the unbricking guide for a 16th time but follow the directions to install twrp instead of cwm. You might also find you like it better. Good luck.
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app

lordcheeto03 said:
Is it possible that your hosts file needs modifying when installing the AT&T ROM? If the LG Support tool connects to LG's servers instead of your local http you set up, it will load the official ICS and completely wipe your phone to install that ROM... With my limited amount of knowledge, that's about all I could see if the process removes CWM Recovery.
Also, CWM 6.x is working fine for me, even manually flashed the touch recovery a few minutes ago, backed up my ROM and installed an updated ROM. No problems at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe that the unbricking process would work if the hosts file was wrong, but I checked it again anyway, and it appears to be correct.
The AT&T ROM gets pushed via the abd shell after the unbrick and rooting process. The root appears to work, as the AT&T ROM that I push works fine, it's just not the ROM I want!
Swetnes said:
I don't know if anyone has tried the unbrick method with the new version of cwm but you might try twrp. When a similar version of cwm was in beta there were all sorts of issues. So maybe they haven't been fixed. Also are you installing cwm from GB? ICS has a locked boot loader so that might also be an issue.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1888910
Now I would start with the unbricking guide for a 16th time but follow the directions to install twrp instead of cwm. You might also find you like it better. Good luck.
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After the unbricking process (after I get through all the nonsense on the Korean ROM), the phone is running the GB AT&T ROM, from there I push the CWM recovery.img to the phone using the abd shell. All seems to be working perfectly up until I go to flash the custom ROM! I don't get any errors when I flash the .zip either.
Initially I had installed CWM 6.x.x.x using the ROM Manager application. That's before all this nonsense started, and the phone was on the stock (but rooted) AT&T ICS ROM, so I know that's why I "bricked" my phone the first time.
I'll give TWRP a shot, hopefully that will work.

SectorNine50 said:
I don't believe that the unbricking process would work if the hosts file was wrong, but I checked it again anyway, and it appears to be correct.
The AT&T ROM gets pushed via the abd shell after the unbrick and rooting process. The root appears to work, as the AT&T ROM that I push works fine, it's just not the ROM I want!
After the unbricking process (after I get through all the nonsense on the Korean ROM), the phone is running the GB AT&T ROM, from there I push the CWM recovery.img to the phone using the abd shell. All seems to be working perfectly up until I go to flash the custom ROM! I don't get any errors when I flash the .zip either.
Initially I had installed CWM 6.x.x.x using the ROM Manager application. That's before all this nonsense started, and the phone was on the stock (but rooted) AT&T ICS ROM, so I know that's why I "bricked" my phone the first time.
I'll give TWRP a shot, hopefully that will work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so we know it's not the boot loader issue of ICS after dozens if not hundreds of successful installs using the unbricking guide the only thing left is the new version of cwm. Hopefully twrp will do the trick for you. Has anyone out there successfully completed the unbricking guide with the new version of cwm?
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app

Swetnes said:
Ok so we know it's not the boot loader issue of ICS after dozens if not hundreds of successful installs using the unbricking guide the only thing left is the new version of cwm. Hopefully twrp will do the trick for you. Has anyone out there successfully completed the unbricking guide with the new version of cwm?
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried the TWRP recovery a shot yet, since I haven't been home, but I figured it was worth pointing out that the CWM 5.x.x.x (can't remember exact version numbers right now) didn't work for me either. Every time I flashed a ROM, I'd end up with a boot loop on first boot, and then when I'd try to go back into recovery, I'd find that it wouldn't go back in there either.
It was basically acting like when I flashed the ROM that it overwrote the recovery partition, except no one else seems to have this same issue. Yet, if I didn't flash a ROM, I was able to go in and out of CWM recovery as often as I wanted.
Bah.

SectorNine50 said:
I haven't tried the TWRP recovery a shot yet, since I haven't been home, but I figured it was worth pointing out that the CWM 5.x.x.x (can't remember exact version numbers right now) didn't work for me either. Every time I flashed a ROM, I'd end up with a boot loop on first boot, and then when I'd try to go back into recovery, I'd find that it wouldn't go back in there either.
It was basically acting like when I flashed the ROM that it overwrote the recovery partition, except no one else seems to have this same issue. Yet, if I didn't flash a ROM, I was able to go in and out of CWM recovery as often as I wanted.
Bah.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you clarify exactly what method you are using to flash the ROM? I just can't imagine a scenario where flashing a ROM would overwrite the recovery. What ROM are you flashing?
Also, please confirm what phone you have.

drumist said:
Can you clarify exactly what method you are using to flash the ROM? I just can't imagine a scenario where flashing a ROM would overwrite the recovery. What ROM are you flashing?
Also, please confirm what phone you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, I may be using the wrong term (my first experiences with custom ROMs date back to Windows Mobile, so the terminology probably blends together), but I'm basically loading the .zip from the SD Card in CWM. I've tried both the CM9 P930 ROM and Paranoid Android CM10.
That was my thought too, I didn't think that the custom ROMs even had recovery images in them. I may be wrong in saying that it deletes CWM, but after the wipe and flash I am no longer able to access it.
I have the LG Nitro HD, and from what I can gather, that is the P930, correct? I hope the issue I'm having is as simple as I'm flashing for the wrong phone...
By the way, thank you all for your help and input, I really appreciate it!

SectorNine50 said:
Sure, I may be using the wrong term (my first experiences with custom ROMs date back to Windows Mobile, so the terminology probably blends together), but I'm basically loading the .zip from the SD Card in CWM. I've tried both the CM9 P930 ROM and Paranoid Android CM10.
That was my thought too, I didn't think that the custom ROMs even had recovery images in them. I may be wrong in saying that it deletes CWM, but after the wipe and flash I am no longer able to access it.
I have the LG Nitro HD, and from what I can gather, that is the P930, correct? I hope the issue I'm having is as simple as I'm flashing for the wrong phone...
By the way, thank you all for your help and input, I really appreciate it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct, the Nitro is P930. And I'm sure this doesn't need pointing out, but when you download the ROM, make sure it's for P93x and not SU640. Most of the ROMS in the developer section have versions for both models.
Also, when you say you can't access CWM after flashing a ROM, how are you trying to access it? Holding Power+Volume down until the Factory Reset screen pops up? It still shows that screen even with CWM installed, but when you press the power button to perform the factory reset it SHOULD take you into CWM Recovery instead.

SectorNine50 said:
Sure, I may be using the wrong term (my first experiences with custom ROMs date back to Windows Mobile, so the terminology probably blends together), but I'm basically loading the .zip from the SD Card in CWM. I've tried both the CM9 P930 ROM and Paranoid Android CM10.
That was my thought too, I didn't think that the custom ROMs even had recovery images in them. I may be wrong in saying that it deletes CWM, but after the wipe and flash I am no longer able to access it.
I have the LG Nitro HD, and from what I can gather, that is the P930, correct? I hope the issue I'm having is as simple as I'm flashing for the wrong phone...
By the way, thank you all for your help and input, I really appreciate it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To access recovery, turn the device completely off. (If you're in a bootloop, pull battery or hold power button for ~20 seconds until screen stays off.) Then when phone is off, press and hold volume down and power buttons at the same time, not releasing until you see text asking if you want to factory reset. Press power button twice to confirm and you'll get to recovery.
Is this the method you're using to try to get to CWM?
My guess as to why you are getting bootloops is that you aren't wiping data first.

Yup, that's how I'm accessing CWM. After the flash, after I press the power button twice, I get something similar to a boot loop. A recovery boot loop, if you will.
Well, I've tried a couple ways now. I've tried using the "factory reset/wipe user data" menu item in CWM, and I've tried going into each partition and wiping them individually before flashing as well.
Just got home, I'll try flashing using the TWRP and let you guys know.

SectorNine50 said:
Yup, that's how I'm accessing CWM. After the flash, after I press the power button twice, I get something similar to a boot loop. A recovery boot loop, if you will.
Well, I've tried a couple ways now. I've tried using the "factory reset/wipe user data" menu item in CWM, and I've tried going into each partition and wiping them individually before flashing as well.
Just got home, I'll try flashing using the TWRP and let you guys know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck. Other possible things to try:
1) Check zip MD5 hash (or just redownload and replace) to make sure it's not corrupted.
2) Reformat entire SD card.

Interesting update:
I decided to give getting back into CWM recovery one more shot before I went through the process of re-unbricking again, and this time it managed to get in (for whatever reason).
So, I did a factory wipe, cleared dalvik cache, flashed the ParanoidAndroid ROM, backed out, did another factory wipe, and tried to reboot into the newly flashed ROM.
No luck. Boot looped, and didn't even get to the ROM animation. Following that, I had trouble getting back into the CWM recovery. Managed to try about 5 times and finally got in, however CWM stated:
Code:
CWM-based Recovery v5.0.2.7
E:Error in /cache/recovery/last_log
(Read-only file system)
So... my phone may have potentially unrooted it's self, somehow... Interestingly, it still shows the file systems as mounted.
So, now I'm doing a full SD card reformat. Figured I'd get that variable out of the way before I go any further.

SectorNine50 said:
Interesting update:
I decided to give getting back into CWM recovery one more shot before I went through the process of re-unbricking again, and this time it managed to get in (for whatever reason).
So, I did a factory wipe, cleared dalvik cache, flashed the ParanoidAndroid ROM, backed out, did another factory wipe, and tried to reboot into the newly flashed ROM.
No luck. Boot looped, and didn't even get to the ROM animation. Following that, I had trouble getting back into the CWM recovery. Managed to try about 5 times and finally got in, however CWM stated:
Code:
CWM-based Recovery v5.0.2.7
E:Error in /cache/recovery/last_log
(Read-only file system)
So... my phone may have potentially unrooted it's self, somehow... Interestingly, it still shows the file systems as mounted.
So, now I'm doing a full SD card reformat. Figured I'd get that variable out of the way before I go any further.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are installing the wrong version of CWM. Never use anything older than 5.8.2.0. This is the one you want: http://download2.clockworkmod.com/recoveries/recovery-clockwork-5.8.2.0-p930.img
Anything older than that is known to not work.
Second thing: You seem to have an incorrect understanding of what "root" means. Having "root" simply means you have administrator access to your current ROM. When you install a new ROM, whether you had root access to your old ROM is meaningless frankly.

drumist said:
You are installing the wrong version of CWM. Never use anything older than 5.8.2.0. This is the one you want: http://download2.clockworkmod.com/recoveries/recovery-clockwork-5.8.2.0-p930.img
Anything older than that is known to not work.
Second thing: You seem to have an incorrect understanding of what "root" means. Having "root" simply means you have administrator access to your current ROM. When you install a new ROM, whether you had root access to your old ROM is meaningless frankly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, thank you! I must've been viewing an old thread. Now that I look at the version number, it appears that's the version I had been hunting for since the newest one didn't work.
Interesting, I most certainly misunderstood, I was under the impression that "rooting" the device was a filesystem level permission change. Good to know!
It seems like we are getting closer to a solution here. Thanks for your patience!

Well, that appears to have been my problem the whole time! That's kind of embarrassing, considering how much time I sunk into this and how simple the solution was!
Anyway, thank you all very much! I assume that TWRP would have also solved my problems as well. It would seem that both the older and newest versions of CWM have some problems (at least for me!).

SectorNine50 said:
Well, that appears to have been my problem the whole time! That's kind of embarrassing, considering how much time I sunk into this and how simple the solution was!
Anyway, thank you all very much! I assume that TWRP would have also solved my problems as well. It would seem that both the older and newest versions of CWM have some problems (at least for me!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the new one (6.0.1.5) just came out. I'll have to test it to see if it works for me.

For what it's worth, I haven't had any issues with 6.0.1.5 yet. The touch version is a must, though.

Malnilion said:
For what it's worth, I haven't had any issues with 6.0.1.5 yet. The touch version is a must, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you had a chance to compare to twrp?
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app

Swetnes said:
Have you had a chance to compare to twrp?
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really enjoy the integration Rom Manager/CM Updater has with CWM. If twrp is capable of running the install scripts those two use, I might consider trying it out, but I don't really like manually going through the steps to flash a rom every day.

recovery stock tar file passed in odin but wont boot up!

I have flashed the boot stock recovery tar file for my Sprint sph-l900 and it says pass in odin. Then the samsung emblem comes up like its going to boot and then goes black. It wont show its charging while plugged in to charger. But if I take the battery out and hold on, home, and up buttons it will go into stock recovery. So I know that it loaded that at least. Because obviously my TWRP recovery is gone. But I don't understand why its not loading I have done this before and no the steps to take but it is not rebooting properly! I don't know if my only option left is to use ADB side load but if that is the case I do not have the faintest idea on how that is accomplished and done correctly. I woke up this morning and my phone was stuck on the boot screen of the parinoid android rom I had installed that has been working for a good while now. I installed an app to help optimize the system yesterday for better performance and it was an app for rooted phones and it had good reviews so I wasn't worried. I made sure that in the options in the app that the system files and other files that I new could not be touched by the app actions I made sure they were white listed so they would not be effected. That is the only thing that I think could have done this to my phone. And when I realized I could not recover to any nandroid backups I had, that's when I decided to just reinstall the boot recovery stock rar file but not before I wiped the correct files to get a clean install (Flash) Any way that is where I'm at and I do not know what to do...... So could any body please help PLEASE!!!!!!
:crying:

Basically your problem is the rom is incompatible with your current boot loader. You'll need to ODIN back to stock rooted MC2 then ODIN a custom recovery then modem. From there flash the rom you want. I'm not sure why you went back to stock recovery with the custom rom but it's not compatible. Or else you need to make sure the md5 is correct for the rom & other files you flashed. I'd just do what I first suggested and make sureyou have a good md5 for ythe rom you want before flashing it. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply!
tx_dbs_tx said:
Basically your problem is the rom is incompatible with your current boot loader. You'll need to ODIN back to stock rooted MC2 then ODIN a custom recovery then modem. From there flash the rom you want. I'm not sure why you went back to stock recovery with the custom rom but it's not compatible. Or else you need to make sure the md5 is correct for the rom & other files you flashed. I'd just do what I first suggested and make sureyou have a good md5 for ythe rom you want before flashing it. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about that because it was already mk4 before I ever rooted it and putt the rom on and I have already had to use the same recovery stock rar file two other times to get it back to original stock. And I haven't changed the mk4 since stock not even with the root or the rom Ive installed so it doesn't make sense especially when I have done this twice with the same rar file flashed with odin and always had good result never got stuck from not booting all the way. But so far your the only person all day i have had any advice from and you are a senior member who im sure knows what they are talking about so i guess I will have to find out how to revert from mk4 that Ive never changed to a MC2 and hope that that will do something for me im just baffled that the same thing that Ive done 2 other times wont work again....
Thanks again for the reply any other advice along the way or what ever you feel like adding is more than welcome i really appreciate you now im gonna be on the hunt for this MC2 install and what is the best steps to follow and go on....

slade1style said:
I have flashed the boot stock recovery tar file for my Sprint sph-l900 and it says pass in odin. Then the samsung emblem comes up like its going to boot and then goes black. It wont show its charging while plugged in to charger. But if I take the battery out and hold on, home, and up buttons it will go into stock recovery. So I know that it loaded that at least. Because obviously my TWRP recovery is gone. But I don't understand why its not loading I have done this before and no the steps to take but it is not rebooting properly! I don't know if my only option left is to use ADB side load but if that is the case I do not have the faintest idea on how that is accomplished and done correctly. I woke up this morning and my phone was stuck on the boot screen of the parinoid android rom I had installed that has been working for a good while now. I installed an app to help optimize the system yesterday for better performance and it was an app for rooted phones and it had good reviews so I wasn't worried. I made sure that in the options in the app that the system files and other files that I new could not be touched by the app actions I made sure they were white listed so they would not be effected. That is the only thing that I think could have done this to my phone. And when I realized I could not recover to any nandroid backups I had, that's when I decided to just reinstall the boot recovery stock rar file but not before I wiped the correct files to get a clean install (Flash) Any way that is where I'm at and I do not know what to do...... So could any body please help PLEASE!!!!!!
:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What recovery did you use? Philz 6.12. X?
Sent from my SPH-L900 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

No TWRP 2.6.3
jlmancuso said:
What recovery did you use? Philz 6.12. X?
Sent from my SPH-L900 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I had TWRP recovery but when i realized there was no getting to flash the rom nandroid BU I went ahead and did a factory wipe and all the files your suppossed to wipe and then I used odin like I have many times before and flashed the same recovery stock rar I have used before to go back to stock and start fresh any way this time odin said pass as usu-wall and then it acted as though it were going to boot and then it lit up the silver samsung emblem for a hot sec and then went black and stayed black after that even when i plugged the charger in the led light would not even show it was charging. But if I take the battery out and back in while its plugged in to charger the screen comes on with the little green battery icon and shows it charging. if i push pwr it show samsung icon then goes dead. Now if I push all the button for recovery it will boot back to stock android recovery. and i can upload one of the backups which was my last rom but it of course act as if it will load and then fails which i know is because i dont have the custom recovery any more but it didnt work either when I did and i don't know man im baffled...
The only suggestion Ive been given so far was from the senior member above and said i need to flash a earlier firmware than mk4 but that is weird to me since I have never had any thing installed on anything other than an mk4 but it make sense that it could work I just have not found the info that makes me feel confident about choices yet...
Thanks for replying any other thought please share!

Well sounds like the odin flash had some kind of issue even though it did not state one. Try going back into download mode and flash a custom recovery (twrp) then flash billards back to stock MC2. This will restore everything back even if you have the knox bootloader. Link is below for easy access. Two things twrp is recommended and do a factory reset before installing. After install reboot (apply su when asked if you want it) the phone will reboot display a messed up screen then reboot once again (normal dont worry). After that you can flash your custom recovery via odin and you should not have any more issues.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2086769
Let me know if that works for you.

So I found the write far file for mk4 and it flashed beautifully I tried a flash of the Mc2 in the reply from earleier post but it did not pass in Odin but I really expected that because I was pausitive that there was another mk4 rar that would work. And now I'm back to a fresh stock rom and I have all the flash file I need to get it rooted and custom romed in no time. I really do appreciate the help and suggestions it is nice to know there is help when needed! So thanks again and I got the file from TA TRUE ANDROID vpubmk4 firmware android 4.3 for the sprint sph-l900 I just had to do some hunting in order to find it. And it didn't help that my renters from the other side of the duplex were having their Internet fixed and the Tech accidently disconnected my lines out side so I was with out Internet for a long time and then when it was finally fixed I found this and flashed it no problems. Thanks again. If you don't mind I'm gonna send a friend request to you I don't have any friends or contacts in this forum and it would be nice to have another person to occasionally check in with? Ya know any way take my brother and stay cool......
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

slade1style said:
So I found the write far file for mk4 and it flashed beautifully I tried a flash of the Mc2 in the reply from earleier post but it did not pass in Odin but I really expected that because I was pausitive that there was another mk4 rar that would work. And now I'm back to a fresh stock rom and I have all the flash file I need to get it rooted and custom romed in no time. I really do appreciate the help and suggestions it is nice to know there is help when needed! So thanks again and I got the file from TA TRUE ANDROID vpubmk4 firmware android 4.3 for the sprint sph-l900 I just had to do some hunting in order to find it. And it didn't help that my renters from the other side of the duplex were having their Internet fixed and the Tech accidently disconnected my lines out side so I was with out Internet for a long time and then when it was finally fixed I found this and flashed it no problems. Thanks again. If you don't mind I'm gonna send a friend request to you I don't have any friends or contacts in this forum and it would be nice to have another person to occasionally check in with? Ya know any way take my brother and stay cool......
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the record (since people seem to still be having issues) you CANNOT DOWNGRADE THROUGH ODIN WITH THE NEW BOOTLOADER!!! You can however downgrade through (custom?) RECOVERY using the previously mentioned method.
Sent from my SPH-L900. Please hit the thanks button if I helped you out!

[Q] Tab 3 10.1" Reboot Loop

So I have a ~week old Tab which I havn't used, I played around with it last night and flashed CWM using Odin and that worked fine. I went and flashed the rooted stock firmware, and it seemed to have flashed fine, except now the tablet is in a reboot loop, it restarts about 3 times and then automatically boots into recovery. I've flashed all the ROMs I can find for the 10.1" and it happens with all of them, last resort is flashing stock recovery then taking it back to the place I bought it from and to play dumb, but I'd rather not. Anyone got any suggestions?
TL;DR Tablet stuck in reboot loop, won't boot ROM, recovery & download mode work fine.

You might have done it, but have you tried flashing back the stock firmware ?
try it and post back please

Agree, I had the same issues with a few of the custom roms. I went back to stock rom and have had no issues. My issue was flashing from a SD card. For some reason it would not work. I put the rom on the device in the download folder and flashed from there. Most roms did flash correctly but I found them to be of little use. Did you by chance do a backup before you started playing around with other roms? Hope so. Then at least you can recover back to factory condition.

Nitro_123 said:
You might have done it, but have you tried flashing back the stock firmware ?
try it and post back please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have, I tried reinstalling my backup, as well as both of the stock roms here, although both times I didn't have a microsd card available, so I sideloaded both of the ROMs (which apparently worked fine, verified etc). I've just gone and bought one, so when I get home tonight I'm going to have another play around and see if I can get something working.
Brian D said:
Agree, I had the same issues with a few of the custom roms. I went back to stock rom and have had no issues. My issue was flashing from a SD card. For some reason it would not work. I put the rom on the device in the download folder and flashed from there. Most roms did flash correctly but I found them to be of little use. Did you by chance do a backup before you started playing around with other roms? Hope so. Then at least you can recover back to factory condition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, I haven't tried that, I shall, thanks
I might also try flashing the ROM through Odin instead of a recovery.

I do believe that stock roms MUST be uploaded via ODIN. They cannot reside on the device. The stock rom is around 1.9gb (XAR-P5210UEUAMK1). So you will use that file (or whatever stock rom you wish to use). If you are loading one of the other roms developed here then you can put it on the device and load from there (via the recovery app CWM or TWRP)

Brian D said:
I do believe that stock roms MUST be uploaded via ODIN. They cannot reside on the device. The stock rom is around 1.9gb (XAR-P5210UEUAMK1). So you will use that file (or whatever stock rom you wish to use). If you are loading one of the other roms developed here then you can put it on the device and load from there (via the recovery app CWM or TWRP)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, damn, really? That would explain quite a lot then, thanks, hopefully I'll be home in a couple hours and can report back

My bad I didn't make myself clear. Yes I meant flashing back a stock ROM via ODIN as that is the best way to restore it to stock. Thanks to @Brian D for pointing that out

Nitro_123 said:
My bad I didn't make myself clear. Yes I meant flashing back a stock ROM via ODIN as that is the best way to restore it to stock. Thanks to @Brian D for pointing that out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha thanks, I'm downloading a stock rom now, hopefully I'll be able to report back in about 30

Holy ****, thanks guys! Managed to get the stock ROM flashed with Odin, silly me for the not realising. Anyone know what would have caused the boot loop? I really don't want to run the stock rom with all the samsung crap (I guess I can root and remove everything)

I think what you did was called a dirty flash. You had bits and pieces of the original rom on the device when you tried to load another rom. The two mixed like vinegar and oil. You have to wipe your system clean before you can load a new flash. Before proceeding please do a backup of what you have right now. Load either CWM or TWRP and do the backup. My preference is TWRP. I like the look and feel of how it works.
I found the best instruction set to be http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=49715684&postcount=172. I had the same boot loop as you but when I followed these instructions I finally loaded the rom. But like I said, to me I gained nothing by using it. But this is me. After much reading I found that if I just delete bloatware then I should be ok. I used an app called bloatfree from the play store. Worked just great but one has to be careful about what one removes. That is why I always backup before doing anything. I must have had 20 backup files at one time. LOL
Good luck!

OMG HELP! Bootloop, download modes works, flashed with Kies and STILL bootlooping

I have the SGH-M919
I've rooted my phone and was running a GE rom
Everything was fine for MONTHS
Got in my car and plugged my AUX cable to my phone for music and the phone froze.
Force rebooted the phone and it started boot looping.
Rebooted to recovery (TWRP) and TRIED to wipe dalvik and cache and it FAILED, said it couldn't mount dalvik
Rebooted to recovery again and wiped all partitions and this time it worked so I proceeded to re-install GE rom, still bootlooping
Came home and tried to use ODIN to flash M919UVUAMDL and it failed.
Tried ODIN to flash M919UVUEMK2, also failed (sorry don't have the error messages right now)
Rebooted phone into download mode again and phone said there was an issue and to use Kies to recover
Installed Kies and started emergency recovery and that went through fine and the phone finished and STILLLLLLL BOOT LOOPS !!!!!!!!!!!
Copied the file that Kies downloaded (M919UVUFNB4) and tried ODIN again to flash that and it flashes fine but STILLL BOOT LOOPS
Obviously my Knox warranty flag is tripped and I don't have the money for the insurance right now.... so PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF BOB does anyone have any other diagnostic tips or tricks to help me figure out why the F this phone is boot looping.

53 views and no replies.... come on people... someone HAS to have something that might help..
Anyone know if ANY possible way to reset the knox warranty void flag ?

avelis26 said:
53 views and no replies.... come on people... someone HAS to have something that might help..
Anyone know if ANY possible way to reset the knox warranty void flag ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only Samsung can reset your Knox flag. You can't expect instant responses here. People read and answer the questions they know how to. Not doing a full wipe before installing a different ROM often causes soft bricks and bootloops. I would start there although that doesn't explain why you couldn't mount Dalvik. Try a different recovery. Many people have had trouble with TWRP. Philz Touch works well if you haven't already tried it.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

I literally just had the exact same problem as you. I googled and found http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2265477, then googled some more and found my .tar file for my phone, then odined back to stock 4.2.2. It took 20 min.

lalec said:
Only Samsung can reset your Knox flag. You can't expect instant responses here. People read and answer the questions they know how to. Not doing a full wipe before installing a different ROM often causes soft bricks and bootloops. I would start there although that doesn't explain why you couldn't mount Dalvik. Try a different recovery. Many people have had trouble with TWRP. Philz Touch works well if you haven't already tried it.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Samsung WON'T reset my flag... they won't even TOUCH the phone in any way shape or form. I spent almost two hours dealing with them and being honest about the situation. And they STILL won't do anything at all. The rep I was speaking too even said the first thing they do is check that flag and if its popped, they put it back in the box and send it back with no further action. So I will not buy form Samsung ever again.
2. I'm not expecting instant responses at all and nothing I said should have been interpreted at such. I made the comment of 53 views in 4 hours and not a single reply ... I was hoping for a better ratio of responses than that.
3. Where are you getting "Not doing a full wipe before installed a different ROM..." I never said that I didn't... and if you read what I took the time to organize neatly, I specifically state that full wipe was what I tried BEFORE re-installing the SAME rom.
4. Can't try a different recovery if I can't even get the stock factory image to do an initial boot.

cybervyrus8587 said:
I literally just had the exact same problem as you. I googled and found http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2265477, then googled some more and found my .tar file for my phone, then odined back to stock 4.2.2. It took 20 min.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which one did you flash ?
M919UVUFNB4
M919UVUEMK2
M919UVUAMDL
M919UVUAMDB
I've tried #3 but it gives me an auth failure....

Just ODIN philz on there. TWRP has given me issues on this phone off and on. Philz will let screw around in there. Your phone isn't dead, it just needs some love

TigerDNA said:
Just ODIN philz on there. TWRP has given me issues on this phone off and on. Philz will let screw around in there. Your phone isn't dead, it just needs some love
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol ummm ok I'm glad to hear that but how would flashing a recovery fix the fact that the factory stock image won't even work Not being a ****... I really do want to know

avelis26 said:
lol ummm ok I'm glad to hear that but how would flashing a recovery fix the fact that the factory stock image won't even work Not being a ****... I really do want to know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Post deleted
☞ Sent from here ☜

baseballfanz said:
Post deleted
☞ Sent from here ☜
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sooooo umm what ?
Anyway... I flashed PhilZ on my phone, did full wipe, tried installing the same GE rom I was using... didn't work.
Tried installing stock rom, didn't work.
Tried flashing M919UVUFNB4 via ODIN... and it flashes fine but again, first boot wont work.

Ok so .... I guess installing PhilZ... then full wipe, then flashing M919UVUFNB4 TWICE back to back did the trick.... no freaking clue how but it worked

I spoke too soon. Went through first boot. Got all the way to the end setup and then it rebooted on its own ... and now its stuck in a boot loop again

avelis26 said:
Sooooo umm what ?
Anyway... I flashed PhilZ on my phone, did full wipe, tried installing the same GE rom I was using... didn't work.
Tried installing stock rom, didn't work.
Tried flashing M919UVUFNB4 via ODIN... and it flashes fine but again, first boot wont work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since your using philz, choose install new ROM, then go to advanced and wipe dalvik, THEN go to mounts and select the one close to the bottom, wipe SD/data or something..... This will wipe your internal SD, OK so then install your rom and reboot.....
I am starting to think you flashed a non GE kernel and didnt realize it You just got to give the phone some love, thats all. It knows when your upset you know.

TigerDNA said:
Since your using philz, choose install new ROM, then go to advanced and wipe dalvik, THEN go to mounts and select the one close to the bottom, wipe SD/data or something..... This will wipe your internal SD, OK so then install your rom and reboot.....
I am starting to think you flashed a non GE kernel and didnt realize it You just got to give the phone some love, thats all. It knows when your upset you know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol
The weirdness continues
sooo it started boot looping again. Then I rebooted to recovery (which obviously after flashing NB4, its no longer PhilZ) and did factory reset. Now its working again with latest firmware.
Also I flashed the GE rom from HERE in XDA and used it for like 2 or 3 months then it suddenly stopped working so I don't think the kernal was the issue... I'm so freaking confused

avelis26 said:
lol
The weirdness continues
sooo it started boot looping again. Then I rebooted to recovery (which obviously after flashing NB4, its no longer PhilZ) and did factory reset. Now its working again with latest firmware.
Also I flashed the GE rom from HERE in XDA and used it for like 2 or 3 months then it suddenly stopped working so I don't think the kernal was the issue... I'm so freaking confused
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash something else, GE is boring, Flash something crazy like Slim or something, that might work... Possibly it could be a bootloader issue, did you ever get on the MK2? Maybe you got one of the female phones. Sammy made some by mistake. they can be real finicky every now and then, like they work just fine most of the time, but about once a month or so they just crap out. Could be that too.

TigerDNA said:
Flash something else, GE is boring, Flash something crazy like Slim or something, that might work... Possibly it could be a bootloader issue, did you ever get on the MK2? Maybe you got one of the female phones. Sammy made some by mistake. they can be real finicky every now and then, like they work just fine most of the time, but about once a month or so they just crap out. Could be that too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No never got MK2... went straight to NB4
And I LIKE GE lol...
Well whatever happened it seems stable again now currently on stock NB4
Next thing to check is if the knox warranty flag is still tripped... Do you know how to do that ?

Yea your Knox flag is tripped alright, you have zero chance if ever getting back to 0x0.... Nobody knows how to do that brother.
Sent from my GT-I9505G using xda app-developers app

avelis26 said:
No never got MK2... went straight to NB4
And I LIKE GE lol...
Well whatever happened it seems stable again now currently on stock NB4
Next thing to check is if the knox warranty flag is still tripped... Do you know how to do that ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just put the phone in download mode. Power off then volume up, home and power. You'll see it when you get into download mode.

TigerDNA said:
Just ODIN philz on there. TWRP has given me issues on this phone off and on. Philz will let screw around in there. Your phone isn't dead, it just needs some love
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Philz's and TWRP both had small glitches on the GS4 4.2.2 Stock Rom.
I downloaded and installed the OUDHS-Recovery-jfltetmo-1.0.3.3.tar and have it all PERFECT now! You can search using exactly that filename and download it for your use. IT IS THE flashable Recovery Version.
I can, using Rom Manager, NAME THE BACKUP before booting into recovery, and it makes the backup just as I named it!
I can also recover using Rom Manager, and visually select what backup file I want to restore to, again, before booting into recovery!
CWM type backups take longer then TWRP backups to complete, but I have not had any instance that a backup I made couldn't be restored.
I did have that problem using "TWRP" and "On Line Backup". (No longer do I trust using those)
Hope this info helps your decision!
Good Luck and Aloha!

[q] please help!!!!!!!

I have a SPH-L710 with a stock ROM and CWM root, I just tried to flash a boot animation and am now stuck in a boot loop. I did not make a backup before I tried this. I have wiped cache,div and did fact reset and can not get out of boot loop...................PLEASE HELP
Runing KK 4.4.2 on VIRGIN MOBILE/SPRINT NETWORK

aanddink said:
I have a SPH-L710 with a stock ROM and CWM root, I just tried to flash a boot animation and am now stuck in a boot loop. I did not make a backup before I tried this. I have wiped cache,div and did fact reset and can not get out of boot loop...................PLEASE HELP
Runing KK 4.4.2 on VIRGIN MOBILE/SPRINT NETWORK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You most likely will have to flash a stock rom using Odin on the computer.
The only problem with that is if you had to get your phone flashed to Virgin Mobile like I did with PagePlus, it may or may not erase those critical settings. I could never get a clear answer on that, but it is best to play it safe and assume it will. However, your phone should be functioning once again.You will however have to re-root the phone, and might as well install TWRP. All of this can be done through Odin.
Alternatively, if you have a custom recovery installed and a rom or two on your sdcard, you could try to flash the rom instead of going all the way back to stock. That would help ensure your carrier settings arent wiped related to Virgin, as it could if you were to flash back to stock.
Then for the love of god, devil, or whoever you believe in... make a backup once you are fixed and back up and running!! They are perfect and extremely helpful for situations like this.

Rawb0Ss said:
You most likely will have to flash a stock rom using Odin on the computer.
The only problem with that is if you had to get your phone flashed to Virgin Mobile like I did with PagePlus, it may or may not erase those critical settings. I could never get a clear answer on that, but it is best to play it safe and assume it will. However, your phone should be functioning once
again.You will however have to re-root the phone, and might as well install TWRP. All of this can be done through Odin.
Alternatively, if you have a custom recovery installed and a rom or two on your sdcard, you could try to flash the rom instead of going all the way back to stock. That would help ensure your carrier settings arent wiped related to Virgin, as it could if you were to flash back to stock.
Then for the love of god, devil, or whoever you believe in... make a backup once you are fixed and back up and running!! They are perfect and extremely helpful for situations like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the reply and thank you for the help. i did get it to un-bootloop, i unfortunately did not have a rom backup, now i have a full backup zip using CMW on my sd card which i hope would fix this in the future. nothin worked until i found a good boot animation, i should have look for more firat but.once i re-flashed the 3rd one it booted.

aanddink said:
Thank you for the reply and thank you for the help. i did get it to un-bootloop, i unfortunately did not have a rom backup, now i have a full backup zip using CMW on my sd card which i hope would fix this in the future. nothin worked until i found a good boot animation, i should have look for more firat but.once i re-flashed the 3rd one it booted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to have the proper boot animation binaries before you go flashing boot animation. Those zips are for flashing in custom roms that already have the proper binaries.