Related
Soooooo,
for years I have spent hours and hours every time I got a new android, reading up on the tips and tricks, root methods etc. and in those years I have managed to brick the **** out of a few ( all ) of those devices. but through xda I was always able to get them back.
well, today isn't one of those days. I got a new M8 last week. and in the span of a few hours I have managed to render it dead I think.
I initially installed the temp root, I don't have my notes with me....
then I installed SU
then I installed twrp
everything was going fine, until somehow I deleted my OS without having a back up recovery.
thennnn, somehow I managed to relock the device.
adb will not find the device, fast root isn't allowed to write to any partitions.
im completely and utterly hosed. right now I don't even have twrp installed, it just boots into fastboot over and over.
ive managed to get s-on back on it and well.....its not been a good day.
id really love to see what you guys think. at this point id try anything, but I feel like with me not able to install a rom because its locked, and not able to unlock it because I don't have an OS, I dunno what to do.
You don't need an OS to run fastboot to unlock it.
Just start at the beginning and make sure you get the recovery for Verizon model.
im not sure where to even start now. the verizon M8 apparently has to have weaksauce and SU to get root. my phone was botoable and i used those on the front end.
id really appreciate any help you guys could offer. right now if i tried to install a recovery it would fail due to the lock . im at a loss
BenPope said:
You don't need an OS to run fastboot to unlock it.
Just start at the beginning and make sure you get the recovery for Verizon model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTCdev Unlock.
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
fastboot erase cache
adb push rom.zip /sdcard
Use recovery to flash ROM
Don't panic as long as you can use fastboot, there is always a way to get things back. As said first and foremost you need to unlock the boot loader. You will need the original unlock.bin file then just use the instructions on htcdev to apply the unlock.
Get a custom recovery on there or boot into one.
From there you could try and restore the system partition from a stock nandroid in the stock backup thread.
thanks for the help. I knew I could count on you guys.
heres the main issue with your suggestions. both depend on the htcdev unlock. I tried that first thing when I decided to root. Verizon does not allow their m8 to be unlocked using that method. it always fails. so I will need another way to unlock ;( if I can get past that I feel pretty sure I can get it back together.
ashyx said:
Don't panic as long as you can use fastboot, there is always a way to get things back. As said first and foremost you need to unlock the boot loader. You will need the original unlock.bin file then just use the instructions on htcdev to apply the unlock.
Get a custom recovery on there or boot into one.
From there you could try and restore the system partition from a stock nandroid in the stock backup thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey guys,
I'm kinda new to the HTC/Android world, found this community a damn good place to find support.. But now I've hit a road block.
Basically, I've been eager to root from day 1 of getting my first htc handset, I came across from jailbreak and loved the fact of customizability with Android.
So I had the Google play edition(I think, all geared towards Google) running Kit Kat 4.4.4. Love it, big Google user so this all tied together lovely.
Here is the Situation.
I found a video on youtube, cannot provide URL as I'm in work at the moment, but it was root guide from scratch. Fresh windows OS, seemingly a phone fresh out the box.. you get the idea.
I used the Hasoon2000 tool to root the device. Installed ADB etc on my pc, signed up as a a dev, got the Key for device, sent in and received my .bin file. I got up to actually rooting my device, well pleased and happy. Using TWRP via Hasoon2000.
But here is where **** hits the fan.
The device needed to update, It took me back to 4.4.2 but Im unsure on how to get back to most up to date OS and keep the root.
But when I reboot to install this, it goes into TWRP. no other way around this.
Queried this on another forum, decided to continue to be patient... but no replies, in the mean time I restored my apps and have a fiddle, see what the root function can do for myself.
I installed "Freedom 1.0.6" and a program called "Market Share"- Hate iAP, some games are ridiculously priced for the smallest of things, I just wanted to sandbox plague inc. ;(
Now the device is stuck in a boot loop, phone starts up, see the home screen for a bout 40 seconds/ one minute.. Some times I unlock the device and it goes back to flash screen then.. others I boot an app and its slides away once more.
This happened close to 15x before I left for work this morning and I imagine its just going to repeat this and run the battery - I tried to stop this loop by going into TWRP and possibly choosing to boot system this way may of stopped it.. but when I was on the boot screen with those options.. It said Tampered at top of screen and S-On- which has scared me quite a bit..
What the hell has happened!?
I'm desperate to know and don't want to have this damn thing bricked! Please help.. try explain like I'm 5, as said I'm new to a lot of this! >.<
first off, if the screen comes on, its not bricked.
esenfur said:
But here is where **** hits the fan.
The device needed to update, It took me back to 4.4.2 but Im unsure on how to get back to most up to date OS and keep the root.
But when I reboot to install this, it goes into TWRP. no other way around this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean you accepted an official OTA? I think that is what you are saying. You should not be accepting OTAs on a phone that has been bootloader unlocked, custom recovery, etc. unless you know exactly what you are doing and what the result will be (which is clearly not the case).
Stock recovery is needed to install an OTA. That is why it keeps going to TWRP, then it doesn't find stock recovery and reboots, hence the loop you are stuck in. Try to find the OTA file and delete it.
redpoint73 said:
first off, if the screen comes on, its not bricked.
Do you mean you accepted an official OTA? I think that is what you are saying. You should not be accepting OTAs on a phone that has been bootloader unlocked, custom recovery, etc. unless you know exactly what you are doing and what the result will be (which is clearly not the case).
Stock recovery is needed to install an OTA. That is why it keeps going to TWRP, then it doesn't find stock recovery and reboots, hence the loop you are stuck in. Try to find the OTA file and delete it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for fast response.
Official OTA - being that the phone its self said "Update the OS" - I just accepted this, hit download and began install as a reboot- didnt spot implications. As said, noob, followed a tut. If it highlighted DO NOT UPDATE or.. IF U WANT UPDATE NOW FOLLOW THIS- Great, but nothing of the sort?
Is the OTA file basically the .exe for the OS- so find it and delete it.. although I dont have enough time to navigate and establish where the file actually is located!
Or do you have any links to tutorials I could possibly follow?
Side note- when this loop started I deleted
esenfur said:
Or do you have any links to tutorials I could possibly follow?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really your main issue. By following a YouTube video and using a Toolkit, you've failed to actually learn anything or gain any real understanding or knowledge. Do yourself a favor and ditch the tutorials and videos (and toolkit for that matter) and do it the old fashioned way . . . by reading. Videos and step-by-step guides do you no good when things go south (as you've now discovered). And with the prior proper knowledge (usually not gained by following tutorials) this whole mess probably would have never happened in the first place.
A cardinal rule of Android phone modding: DO NOT accept/download/install OTAs (official OS updates) on a modded device unless you know what you are doing, and what the result will be. If in any doubt, simply DO NOT do it.
esenfur said:
Is the OTA file basically the .exe for the OS- so find it and delete it.. although I dont have enough time to navigate and establish where the file actually is located!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.exe file is Windows specific. You are looking for a zip file, and it typically starts with "OTA". Don't remember where its saved to, so you will have to search for it. If you can't keep the phone running long enough to do so, mount the memory on your computer and search that way.
Deleting the OTA file worked for me on a past device, although one M8 user in the same position said deleting the file didn't get him out of the loop. Flashing your ROM again, or wiping the internal memory (backup any important personal data first) might be options for you.
redpoint73 said:
you've failed to actually learn anything or gain any real understanding or knowledge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive seen quite a fair few ratings for Hasoon2000 and decided to go with it..
redpoint73 said:
Videos and step-by-step guides do you no good when things go south (as you've now discovered).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed.. theres FAR much more I need to learn.. its scary haha.
redpoint73 said:
DO NOT accept/download/install OTAs (official OS updates)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
taken on board. I know with my jailbreaks in past it has been a pain, assumed Android would be alot more stable to over write- due to functionality of OS and unlocked features.
I was being generic when I said .exe- basically the installer..
I returned from work to see phone stopped looping.. i could stop the install and deleted the file ASAP.. but now what.. Phone is still bugging me to update, lost the root(got a checker).. so whats the correct procedure!?
I am confused to what you are trying to accomplish at this point, is it to install a OTA, or a recovery? What exactly is going down here?
Me personally to take an OTA is to relock bootloader, install stock recovery, and make sure CID matches. I am S-Off so bootloader means very little, but you can unlock and relock at will when you are S-Off. You will not lose S-Off accepting an OTA.
Try to re-flash the ROM, with stok ROM, using TWRP and clean install. It should work.
hack14u said:
I am confused to what you are trying to accomplish at this point, is it to install a OTA, or a recovery? What exactly is going down here?
Me personally to take an OTA is to relock bootloader, install stock recovery, and make sure CID matches. I am S-Off so bootloader means very little, but you can unlock and relock at will when you are S-Off. You will not lose S-Off accepting an OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am trying to update the phone, root and then some..
What file am I looking for and how do I flash a ROM on a M8
esenfur said:
I am trying to update the phone, root and then some..
What file am I looking for and how do I flash a ROM on a M8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all once the bootloader is unlocked you don't have to relock it to get OTA.
As I undersand you have done the following:
1) Unlock using HTCDev-Method
2) flashed a custom revocery (TWRP in your case)
3) flashed a supersu too!?
To install the OTA means loosing root acces. Thus you have to re-root it after the OTA is done. The other problem ist that STOCK OTAs don't work with a custom recovery. Meaning you would have to flash a stock recovery first, install the OTA second (as long as you didn't change anything an just root), and re-root third.
Let's have a look which stock recovery you would need:
1) reboot to bootloader
2) connect the phone to you PC and open cmd in you adb/fastboot folder
3) enter "fastboot getvar all"
4) paste this information here (but DELETE the IMEI and SERIAL NUMBER before posting!!)
As soon as we know which stock recovery you need we will go on.
esenfur said:
Ive seen quite a fair few ratings for Hasoon2000 and decided to go with it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not saying there is anything "wrong" with the toolkit, per se. For the most part, it does what its intended to do.
But it also shortcuts the learning process, and facilitates folks rooting the phone without gaining the proper knowledge. This is a dangerous thing.
This is just my opinion. But I strongly believe it. If you can't accomplish these things without a toolkit, you shouldn't be rooting your phone in the first place.
Others use the toolkits, and love them. They are more than entitled to have their own opinion. But when things go south, the toolkits aren't going to help; and those folks don't have the proper knowledge and they come running here. So you tell me what is the "best" way to root the phone?
esenfur said:
I was being generic when I said .exe- basically the installer..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already figured this was probably the case. But I found it better to provide the exact information on what file to delete; rather than leaving it open to the possibility of you and/or others being misinformed.
esenfur said:
Phone is still bugging me to update, lost the root(got a checker).. so whats the correct procedure!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you still have TWRP installed, so just flash SU or SuperSU to gain root.
After that, you can use Titanium Backup or similar app to find the update process and freeze it, to stop the update notifications.
Don't remember the exact process (this is where searching and reading comes in for you) but its something like "drm..." or "updater".
I have this situation before,what i do is find the right stock recovery and flash..after ota done flash back custom recovery..?
esenfur said:
I am trying to update the phone, root and then some..
What file am I looking for and how do I flash a ROM on a M8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At this point after seeing this, I would suggest you take some time and start reading. All of your answers are here in the forums. Knowledge is power and within the pages of this site you will find everything you need.
To take the OTA find a stock recovery, to flash ROM's find the one you like and flash via your favorite recovery.
I'm a noob. So I rooted my device and tried to install TWRP, and after picking recovery mode, it takes me back boot, in other words, I can't go to recovery mode.
What kind of problem am I facing and how do I fix this?
Thanks.
Bet you didn't unlock the bootloader...
Don't use the official bootloader unlock if you decide to as there is a large number of people with phones that don't work due to this.
I wish the guys just starting out would check these things out first - http://forum.xda-developers.com/zenfone2/general/asus-zenfone-2-flashing-recovery-mode-t3096596
Should help.
Hello,
I have been trying very hard to grasp on this myself, and not post a thread like this but I'm afraid my head is spinning and I'm hoping someone here will be kind enough to help me.
I have owned an M8S for a while and would like to gain root access (mainly so I can use link2sd and expand storage space). I followed many links and threads carefully, but I am nervous to begin any process as the instructions are... vague, I guess. There are many of you who disagree with me I'm sure, but please be patient with me.
I have read extensively through this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-one-m8/help/make-custom-recovery-htc-one-m8s-t3114245
Tried to see how much of this (Linux) guide, though I run a Windows 10 machine: http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-one-m8/help/rooting-htc-one-m8s-t3235232
I hope you can help me learn.
I have rooted several android devices before, and I've never been very confused by the process, but this one has left me lost.
Happy New Year and thanks for any help and support!
Pk
I don't have the M8S, but the process looks straightforward (similar to M8, as well as most fairly recent HTC devices):
1) Unlock bootloader via HTCDev.com (go to the website, and its pretty self-explantory)
2) Use fastboot to flash TWRP custom recovery
3) Flash SuperSU and Busybox using TWRP
I'd also add a step before 3 above, use TWRP to make a backup of the stock ROM. Once you have that backed up, anything that happens from step 3 is reversible by restoring the backup.
In fact, everything in the process is totally reversible by RUU, with the exception that the bootloader flag will only every say RELOCKED instead of LOCKED.
Is there a particular question, or step you have a problem with.
redpoint73 said:
I don't have the M8S, but the process looks straightforward (similar to M8, as well as most fairly recent HTC devices):
1) Unlock bootloader via HTCDev.com (go to the website, and its pretty self-explantory)
2) Use fastboot to flash TWRP custom recovery
3) Flash SuperSU and Busybox using TWRP
I'd also add a step before 3 above, use TWRP to make a backup of the stock ROM. Once you have that backed up, anything that happens from step 3 is reversible by restoring the backup.
In fact, everything in the process is totally reversible by RUU, with the exception that the bootloader flag will only every say RELOCKED instead of LOCKED.
Is there a particular question, or step you have a problem with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. this is what I hoped the process was but I was having difficulty reassuring myself!
I'll try this over the weekend and come back with a report. I really appreciate your help redpoint73 :highfive:
portachking said:
Thank you. this is what I hoped the process was but I was having difficulty reassuring myself!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just read and learn as much as you can before doing anything. Don't do anything that isn't form a current, reputable source. Do those things, and you will be fine.
portachking, I am very new to rooting and all that follows it. I would be very grateful if you post back your experiences when you have time, with the challenges you met (if any) and how you solved them...
I read from this page that "When the phone is rooted in changes to the phone are reset on restart". Is this the case for you as well?
Akitirija said:
portachking, I am very new to rooting and all that follows it. I would be very grateful if you post back your experiences when you have time, with the challenges you met (if any) and how you solved them...
I read from this page that "When the phone is rooted in changes to the phone are reset on restart". Is this the case for you as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm finally getting a chance to do this today. I will post again when I finish.
UPDATE:
M8S is now rooted and working fine. Thanks for your help repoint73!
portachking said:
I'm finally getting a chance to do this today. I will post again when I finish.
UPDATE:
M8S is now rooted and working fine. Thanks for your help repoint73!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for taking the time to report back, portachking! I really appreciate it!
Hey guys, i am also new to rooting and have read a lot about it already. I already managed to unlock the bootloader and use twrp to make a full backup. Only from thus point on, i dont know how to actually root it without flashing a custom rom.
Bump
snakegpeo said:
Hey guys, i am also new to rooting and have read a lot about it already. I already managed to unlock the bootloader and use twrp to make a full backup. Only from thus point on, i dont know how to actually root it without flashing a custom rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2nd Link in the top post describes it (with link to SuperSU).
To root, just flash SuperSU 2.67 in TWRP.
Thanks for the reply. Then i must have missed something. I will try it out this weekend.
It didnt work.
I did everything exactly as described. I have twrp, open it in fastboot with cmd. When i am in twrp, i clicked install, and installed the supersu beta zip and busybox zip. Still i dont have root access.
redpoint73 said:
2nd Link in the top post describes it (with link to SuperSU).
To root, just flash SuperSU 2.67 in TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried it multiple times, from my internal storage and sd card. I have bootloader unlocked, i use fastboot boot twrp version 2.8.6.0 if i remember correctly (not at home at the moment) and clicked install. Then i made sure i install the zip super su and busybox file from the root of the sd card, and tried internal storage as well. From that screen, it seems it installs correctly, but when i reboot and use a rootchecker app, it says im not rooted.
Can someone please help me? Ive read up on lots of posts and watched youtube vids of twrp rooting to see if i did it correctly.
Thanks in advance
snakegpeo said:
I tried it multiple times, from my internal storage and sd card. I have bootloader unlocked, i use fastboot boot twrp version 2.8.6.0 if i remember correctly (not at home at the moment) and clicked install. Then i made sure i install the zip super su and busybox file from the root of the sd card, and tried internal storage as well. From that screen, it seems it installs correctly, but when i reboot and use a rootchecker app, it says im not rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please confirm what version SuperSU you used.
When flashing SuperSU, it should have given you the option of "systemless root" or "traditional root" (or something along those lines).
If you picked systemless root, it probably won't show up on root checker apps. Seeing as Link2SD is your main reason for root, have you checked that the app works or not?
First off I want to preempt by saying I have searched for answers to the best of my abilities and haven't found a solution that has worked. However I might have missed one. I will attempt to be as thorough as i can here.
I have a rooted unlocked pixel 2xl, Magisk no twrp. I have attempted to sideload the Ota but it fails before it gets off the ground. I get a verification error and the Ota fails to load.
Dumb question #1) do i need to unroot to sideload the ota with the setup I have.?I thought unrooting was only necessary with partitioned recovery like TWRP.
I have the latest tools, the latest OTA for my model phone, a hope a prayer, but little else.
"E: footer is wrong
update package verification took 0.0 s (results 1)
E: signature verification failed
E: error 21
installation aborted.
"
What am I missing? Any help would be appreciated.
You can always just flash-all the 8.1 image (open up flash-all.bat and take out the -w at the bottom and leave 1 space) then fastboot into twrp temporarily then flash magisk then reboot.
Would the end result in any data loss as in a clean install?
filthysanches said:
Would the end result in any data loss as in a clean install?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, that's why you remove the -w (=wipe)
So that's what that stands for. And that's why you are a senior member.
filthysanches said:
So that's what that stands for. And that's why you are a senior member.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a senior member because I'm old! And, I've Jimmy Jacked enough phones in my day to gain a little bit of knowledge :laugh:
Well as a semi old obstinate consumer, I appreciate your help.
filthysanches said:
Well as a semi old obstinate consumer, I appreciate your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahahahahaha...welcome my friend :good:
Badger50 said:
Hahahahahaha...welcome my friend :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well im back at it. couldn't get the OTA to sideload. I'm ready to go nuclear and restore my phone to factory in order to download 8.1 the pedestrian way and start from scratch. I already reset the phone via the normal way but root and unlock remains. documentation for unrooting is patchy and assumes I know more than I do. Is there any way you can help a brotha out with some instructions on how to unroot so i can install the OTA?
any help would be greatly appreciated.
filthysanches said:
Well im back at it. couldn't get the OTA to sideload. I'm ready to go nuclear and restore my phone to factory in order to download 8.1 the pedestrian way and start from scratch. I already reset the phone via the normal way but root and unlock remains. documentation for unrooting is patchy and assumes I know more than I do. Is there any way you can help a brotha out with some instructions on how to unroot so i can install the OTA?
any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My post HERE might be able clear some things up for you and/or help you out -- specifically the bottom section (even if you don't use TWRP, it may still apply in getting OTA to work for you "TWRPless". If anything, I was able to do it (OTA via sideload), so my steps may make it happen for you...
filthysanches said:
Well im back at it. couldn't get the OTA to sideload. I'm ready to go nuclear and restore my phone to factory in order to download 8.1 the pedestrian way and start from scratch. I already reset the phone via the normal way but root and unlock remains. documentation for unrooting is patchy and assumes I know more than I do. Is there any way you can help a brotha out with some instructions on how to unroot so i can install the OTA?
any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The post right after yours by simplepioni177 has a link to a very good guide for OTA's. As far as removing root, open the magisk app, hit uninstall, and select the option on the right. It will uninstall all root, then reboot, and done. Personally, I would ditch the whole OTA thing, learn fastboot, then just flash factory images going forward. But that's just me. BTW...stop trying to turn your phone into a desk top ornament! ??
Badger50 said:
The post right after yours by simplepioni177 has a link to a very good guide for OTA's. As far as removing root, open the magisk app, hit uninstall, and select the option on the right. It will uninstall all root, then reboot, and done. Personally, I would ditch the whole OTA thing, learn fastboot, then just flash factory images going forward. But that's just me. BTW...stop trying to turn your phone into a desk top ornament!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually i ditched sideload specifically cause it kept failing. as for the unrooting, I have seen all related posts including the one you mentioned. Magisk failed to uninstall. Everything i have seen looks simple including all fastboot methods but for whatever reason I have had no luck with all methods of updating. It was only after this nonsense that i decided to start from scratch to do it the way lord google demands, but even that fails. I got my phone unrooted by rebooting into recovery mode and flashing the factory 8.0.img via adb. And i did attempt to do the 8.1.img but that obviously failed .
So right now i have a stockish p2xl running 8.0 with an unlocked bootloader and twrp installed, but cant get magisk back on although i wont put much effort in rooting again until i have the appropriate update.
Im sure you know how frustrating it is to follow along the easiest tutorials ever and getting errors they dont address cause no one ever gets them. I suspect my phone is possessed.
And if i brick this 1k phone it will be a drywall ornament not a desk ornament.
Im going to watch winchester, drink a huge beer, eat some good italian food and try again later. I will be back with screenshots and error messages /codes
filthysanches said:
Actually i ditched sideload specifically cause it kept failing. as for the unrooting, I have seen all related posts including the one you mentioned. Magisk failed to uninstall. Everything i have seen looks simple including all fastboot methods but for whatever reason I have had no luck with all methods of updating. It was only after this nonsense that i decided to start from scratch to do it the way lord google demands, but even that fails. I got my phone unrooted by rebooting into recovery mode and flashing the factory 8.0.img via adb. And i did attempt to do the 8.1.img but that obviously failed .
So right now i have a stockish p2xl running 8.0 with an unlocked bootloader and twrp installed, but cant get magisk back on although i wont put much effort in rooting again until i have the appropriate update.
Im sure you know how frustrating it is to follow along the easiest tutorials ever and getting errors they dont address cause no one ever gets them. I suspect my phone is possessed.
And if i brick this 1k phone it will be a drywall ornament not a desk ornament.
Im going to watch winchester, drink a huge beer, eat some good italian food and try again later. I will be back with screenshots and error messages /codes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The end of your post cracked me up....NICE! Question, I know you said you have an unlocked bootloader, but did you execute both unlocking commands.
fastboot flashing unlock
And
fastboot flashing unlock_critical
Just curious is all? ?
equlizer said:
You can always just flash-all the 8.1 image (open up flash-all.bat and take out the -w at the bottom and leave 1 space) then fastboot into twrp temporarily then flash magisk then reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm quoting this as it's exactly my opinion also. Why even mess with flashing the OTA (has some official history of failing even in stock) when the full image with the-w removed flash-all.bat is almost fool proof.
Alright for any other sad sack scouring the span of human knowledge who happen to land here with a similar issue which consists of equal parts ignorance and reckless abandon...
Make sure you are unlocked with:
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock_critical
If for some godamn reason all you get is a list of availible commands vs the result you want, try the following:
Code:
./fastboot flashing unlock
Code:
./fastboot flashing unlock_critical
The "./" got me there. Dont know why, I'm sure someone smarter than I can explain that nonesene. Now I know in other languages, this just allows you to not have to be so specific with the path you are looking for; however, since no files are being referenced I dont think that is it. It is by pure chance and a tut somewhere that i stumbled on that.
After trying to sideload, pushing, flashing, and smashing:
boot into bootload mode
download the FULL official 8.1 or i suspect 8. anything going foward and extract into your platform tools folder where your adb and fastboot live. Make sure you copy the files contained within and paste them along side the adb and fastboot files.
if you don't want to wipe your info, open the flash-all.bat file in the program notepad++ and remove the reference "-w" which is somewheres towards the bottom of the file--save.
double click the "flash-all.bat" file.
Thats it basically. what a **** show. the amount of brain power i used on something this simple makes me want to choke kittens. But I have to tie my bit of failure up here with a bow just in case someone else stumbles into the same folly. Please check my work and let me know if i missed anything. viva la 8.1!