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
Hello everyone,
I am new to android family, as recently i bought an Xperia M, now i would like to ask a few questions and please bear with me since my English are not good enough.
My first objective was to immediately wipe that xperia OS and change it to stock like experience. [the closest i could find is CM11],
so after some searching i found out that in order to do that, i had to unlock the bootloader. But since the phone is new i also would like to not loose warranty, so i read i had to backup TA partitions Before even unlocking the bootloader, but in order to do this i have to root using an exploit. So please enlighten me:
1] wich rooting program should i use since i read many complains on many rooting programs
2]witch program should i use to backup the firmware before taking action [i do not care about photos and contacts]
3]if something goes wrong where do i download the official firmware of my divice to restore it back to normal? [similar to itunes that no matter what happens it restores your device back to normal]
(*) another question: after i root my phone and backup TA partitions, next step should be to unlock my bootloader [that means i only need to install a superuser.apk to gain root access again, right?] or just flash the cm11 and gapps and not worry about rooting?
Thanks in advance guys!
Querd said:
Hello everyone,
I am new to android family, as recently i bought an Xperia M, now i would like to ask a few questions and please bear with me since my English are not good enough.
My first objective was to immediately wipe that xperia OS and change it to stock like experience. [the closest i could find is CM11],
so after some searching i found out that in order to do that, i had to unlock the bootloader. But since the phone is new i also would like to not loose warranty, so i read i had to backup TA partitions Before even unlocking the bootloader, but in order to do this i have to root using an exploit. So please enlighten me:
1] wich rooting program should i use since i read many complains on many rooting programs
2]witch program should i use to backup the firmware before taking action [i do not care about photos and contacts]
3]if something goes wrong where do i download the official firmware of my divice to restore it back to normal? [similar to itunes that no matter what happens it restores your device back to normal]
(*) another question: after i root my phone and backup TA partitions, next step should be to unlock my bootloader [that means i only need to install a superuser.apk to gain root access again, right?] or just flash the cm11 and gapps and not worry about rooting?
Thanks in advance guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, first of all you need to unlock your bootloader first, check in here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=46489205&postcount=1, after unlock bootloader and second if you want try to root and install custom recovery you can find in here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51414331&postcount=1, this will install cwm recovery on your phone so you can access recovery mode on your phone that you can do backup for your current rom, and for stock rom you can find in here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53315273&postcount=1. ok have fun with android ok
Nicklas Van Dam said:
ok, first of all you need to unlock your bootloader first, check in here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=46489205&postcount=1, after unlock bootloader and second if you want try to root and install custom recovery you can find in here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51414331&postcount=1, this will install cwm recovery on your phone so you can access recovery mode on your phone that you can do backup for your current rom, and for stock rom you can find in here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53315273&postcount=1. ok have fun with android ok
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks a lot my friend, but the main question has not been answered yet. before unlocking the bootloader i need to backup TA partition so i won't lose warranty, But in order to backup them i need root first! so i still dont know witch program of rooting should i trust because i have no experience. in other words i need to root using an exploit before actually unlock bootloader and root again
Querd said:
thanks a lot my friend, but the main question has not been answered yet. before unlocking the bootloader i need to backup TA partition so i won't lose warranty, But in order to backup them i need root first! so i still dont know witch program of rooting should i trust because i have no experience. in other words i need to root using an exploit before actually unlock bootloader and root again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=53565495, here you are Bro, try to find root in locked bootloader condition bro
hello again, i still got a problem, i try to install fastboot drivers for my xperia m device, and even though the installation finish with success, my computer does not recognize the device properly, [on device manager its yellow] btw i use windows xp
EFS Professional works. Restored my aboot today, as a test, and it does in fact work, at least the restore of it did.
No, I did not lock my device with a retail rom, nor did I do any other kind of brick. All I did was a backup and restore of the aboot.
Device is a Note 4 Developer Edition on the NJ5 rom
If, there is a "better" test, like complete loss of phone - e.g. brick etc. flash of retail rom (not sure I'm willing to do that... so easy)
but in other threads regarding EFS (unless they are really old, old threads) which state recovery of the aboot has not really been tried - a theory, yet the suggestion was to wait till something does go wrong rather than just try it for the heck of it. Well, I did not head warning, and tested it anyway...
any comments?
Where can I get that cause I messed up me efs trying to unlock my phone.
anticloud said:
EFS Professional works. Restored my aboot today, as a test, and it does in fact work, at least the restore of it did.
No, I did not lock my device with a retail rom, nor did I do any other kind of brick. All I did was a backup and restore of the aboot.
Device is a Note 4 Developer Edition on the NJ5 rom
If, there is a "better" test, like complete loss of phone - e.g. brick etc. flash of retail rom (not sure I'm willing to do that... so easy)
but in other threads regarding EFS (unless they are really old, old threads) which state recovery of the aboot has not really been tried - a theory, yet the suggestion was to wait till something does go wrong rather than just try it for the heck of it. Well, I did not head warning, and tested it anyway...
any comments?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad it worked. You are brave.
What version EFSPro? Did you just restore aboot.mbn.tar.gz?
Thanks
can root be achived in retail Note 4? is this a workaround?
radionerd said:
I'm glad it worked. You are brave.
What version EFSPro? Did you just restore aboot.mbn.tar.gz?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EFS_Professional_2.1.80_BETA.zip; and yes, it was just the aboot. The phone did not even flinch, just works flawlessly.
For some reason I trusted it, right?
What I do not know is, could I have flashed my way to a retail version, locked my device, and reflashed using this utility, back to developer's edition, that'd be the idea, right? But I assume it'd not just be the aboot but all the backed up partitions.
Comment - I tried backing up the userdata partition, and it bombed during md5 verification - I will take a guess that the user data partition changed maybe as a result of the backup itself, maybe, do not know...
but here is what I want to know - and this could be the clincher... follow me on this...
could I not take a developer edition and root it, right? Then, use EFS Professional to back it up - just the system partition, is that not where root resides, yes? then push the backup file to androidfilehost with the instructions in XDA to use EFS Professional to reflash the system partition onto a retail edition, right? would that be a way to flash a rooted system partition in a crude way - on a retail device? how would the phone know? Then, once root is achieved, could a programmer who knows better than I get to the solution of finding a weakness once inside the unit. Is that possible...
What I could do, is take the phone back to absolute stock, with odexed files etc. root it, and save the system partition with root, but stock otherwise... save off the backup like I stated above. I just may do that - what would the worst that could happen, the user community would have to use odin to reflash the system partition and boom, back to stock, right?
I say it's worth a shot -
and, if it worked, would I be eligible for a bounty?
anticloud said:
EFS_Professional_2.1.80_BETA.zip; and yes, it was just the aboot. The phone did not even flinch, just works flawlessly.
For some reason I trusted it, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will have to change my aboot backup guide From theory to confirmed I don't plan to flash aboot unless something tragic happens. "I am once bitten, twice shy". Last spring I corrupted my Note-3 DE. It was hard bricked for 6 weeks before I figured out what partitions were corrupt, and how to restore them.
anticloud said:
What I do not know is, could I have flashed my way to a retail version, locked my device, and reflashed using this utility, back to developer's edition, that'd be the idea, right? But I assume it'd not just be the aboot but all the backed up partitions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm afraid to say "in theory yes", you might take it as a challenge, please don't, careful If aboot had gotten corrupted the phone then wouldn't boot. Other DE owners flashed Oden stock retail Tars, and some were able recovered to a stock locked device. But here is the hitch, EFS Pro needs root, and busybox. So from a locked device you would need to make and modify an oden tar of your saved aboot.mbn.tar.md5. Then flash via Oden, Fingers and toes crossed, aboot is restored, hopefully.
The PIT has aboot mapped, so it can be flashed via oden once the saved aboot is modified; stripped, and TAR'ed with md5. It then could be flashed. Some other partitions aren't mapped, and can't be flashed like this.
anticloud said:
Comment - I tried backing up the userdata partition, and it bombed during md5 verification - I will take a guess that the user data partition changed maybe as a result of the backup itself, maybe, do not know...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Userdata is huge, I backed mine up as soon as I had root and busybox. Before it grew too big, compressing and writing a single file @ +2.5gb to SD and computer is a tall order.
anticloud said:
but here is what I want to know - and this could be the clincher... follow me on this...
could I not take a developer edition and root it, right? Then, use EFS Professional to back it up - just the system partition, is that not where root resides, yes? then push the backup file to androidfilehost with the instructions in XDA to use EFS Professional to reflash the system partition onto a retail edition, right? would that be a way to flash a rooted system partition in a crude way - on a retail device? how would the phone know? Then, once root is achieved, could a programmer who knows better than I get to the solution of finding a weakness once inside the unit. Is that possible...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Designed security measures won't allow an easy solution, signed partitions, locked boot loaders... stuffs that makes my head hurt thinking aboot
anticloud said:
What I could do, is take the phone back to absolute stock, with odexed files etc. root it, and save the system partition with root, but stock otherwise... save off the backup like I stated above. I just may do that - what would the worst that could happen, the user community would have to use odin to reflash the system partition and boom, back to stock, right?
I say it's worth a shot -
and, if it worked, would I be eligible for a bounty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your enthusiasm is refreshing, you are reading, and thinking. Continue to dig into the forums. Search, study, and Be Careful man
If you want to continue this discussion, We should probably skedaddle out of the Developer only forum before we get hollered at. We can move over here
thanks
radionerd said:
I will have to change my aboot backup guide From theory to confirmed I don't plan to flash aboot unless something tragic happens. "I am once bitten, twice shy". Last spring I corrupted my Note-3 DE. It was hard bricked for 6 weeks before I figured out what partitions were corrupt, and how to restore them.
I'm afraid to say "in theory yes", you might take it as a challenge, please don't, careful If aboot had gotten corrupted the phone then wouldn't boot. Other DE owners flashed Oden stock retail Tars, and some were able recovered to a stock locked device. But here is the hitch, EFS Pro needs root, and busybox. So from a locked device you would need to make and modify an oden tar of your saved aboot.mbn.tar.md5. Then flash via Oden, Fingers and toes crossed, aboot is restored, hopefully.
The PIT has aboot mapped, so it can be flashed via oden once the saved aboot is modified; stripped, and TAR'ed with md5. It then could be flashed. Some other partitions aren't mapped, and can't be flashed like this.
Userdata is huge, I backed mine up as soon as I had root and busybox. Before it grew too big, compressing and writing a single file @ +2.5gb to SD and computer is a tall order.
Designed security measures won't allow an easy solution, signed partitions, locked boot loaders... stuffs that makes my head hurt thinking aboot
Your enthusiasm is refreshing, you are reading, and thinking. Continue to dig into the forums. Search, study, and Be Careful man
If you want to continue this discussion, We should probably skedaddle out of the Developer only forum before we get hollered at. We can move over here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I just did - posted a thread here...
thanks
rob
@yhenks
You can't. This is talking about dev edition devices which have an unlocked aboot partition to start. It is not possible to create your own such version of the partition as dev edition aboot's are tied directly to the device they come on. This is just how to restore a previously unlocked device if you accidentally lock it. Not how to unlock an initially locked device.
Hi all! I've been reading along with many an XDA thread for years now, and most people have asked my questions and found answers to them without me becoming active in any way. This will now change - I hope you can help me.
I own an unbranded Sony Xperia Z1 compact (amami). Upon receiving it, I backed up the TA partition, unlocked the bootloader and followed the steps to install Cyanogenmod (currently running the latest available nightly, CM12.1). All has worked well for a nice, long time now. I know, never touch a running system, but for a variety of reasons, I want to do the following:
Update the bootloader to make use of the proper recovery partition Sony has made available.
Install either TWRP or CWM (rather the former than the latter) to a proper recovery partition.
Be able to fool around for real once I have a proper NANDroid backup that I can actually use.
I've been able to make a NANDroid backup, that's easy. However, as far as I know, I can't use that backup with my current CM recovery. I can replace CM recovery with TWRP or CWM (with some tinkering, which is fine), but the fact that there's a way to get a proper recovery partition and that I'm currently not able to use it irks me. Perhaps some of you will understand
Now, when I install the official Sony Flash Tool (Emma), I'm offered two "services":
D5503 14.5.A.0.270 Customized_NCB 1279-4149 R2D User COM
D5503 14.6.A.1.236 Customized_NCB 1279-4149 R3D User COM
Neither of which are the "Open Devices" bootloaders listed by the FXP folks on their blog entry (sorry about the improper links, but I have no choice): ttp://fxpblog.co/2015/05/01/finally-boot-to-recovery-enabled-in-special-bootloaders-from-sony.html, and according to Sony itself, the Z1 compact should be supported: ttp://developer.sonymobile.com/2015/05/18/recovery-mode-now-available-for-a-range-of-unlocked-xperia-devices-video/
So my question to you all is this: Do I need to flash a complete stock ROM (losing my data, etc.) in order to make the new bootloader possible on amami? And if so, should I restore the TA partition I backed up in the very beginning before doing any of that? Or is what I'm trying to do pointless? If it's not pointless, is there a way to update the bootloader without wiping the phone?
Thanks for your input, guys!
tinuthir said:
Hi all! I've been reading along with many an XDA thread for years now, and most people have asked my questions and found answers to them without me becoming active in any way. This will now change - I hope you can help me.
I own an unbranded Sony Xperia Z1 compact (amami). Upon receiving it, I backed up the TA partition, unlocked the bootloader and followed the steps to install Cyanogenmod (currently running the latest available nightly, CM12.1). All has worked well for a nice, long time now. I know, never touch a running system, but for a variety of reasons, I want to do the following:
Update the bootloader to make use of the proper recovery partition Sony has made available.
Install either TWRP or CWM (rather the former than the latter) to a proper recovery partition.
Be able to fool around for real once I have a proper NANDroid backup that I can actually use.
I've been able to make a NANDroid backup, that's easy. However, as far as I know, I can't use that backup with my current CM recovery. I can replace CM recovery with TWRP or CWM (with some tinkering, which is fine), but the fact that there's a way to get a proper recovery partition and that I'm currently not able to use it irks me. Perhaps some of you will understand
Now, when I install the official Sony Flash Tool (Emma), I'm offered two "services":
D5503 14.5.A.0.270 Customized_NCB 1279-4149 R2D User COM
D5503 14.6.A.1.236 Customized_NCB 1279-4149 R3D User COM
Neither of which are the "Open Devices" bootloaders listed by the FXP folks on their blog entry (sorry about the improper links, but I have no choice): ttp://fxpblog.co/2015/05/01/finally-boot-to-recovery-enabled-in-special-bootloaders-from-sony.html, and according to Sony itself, the Z1 compact should be supported: ttp://developer.sonymobile.com/2015/05/18/recovery-mode-now-available-for-a-range-of-unlocked-xperia-devices-video/
So my question to you all is this: Do I need to flash a complete stock ROM (losing my data, etc.) in order to make the new bootloader possible on amami? And if so, should I restore the TA partition I backed up in the very beginning before doing any of that? Or is what I'm trying to do pointless? If it's not pointless, is there a way to update the bootloader without wiping the phone?
Thanks for your input, guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the other drop-down boxes on Emma. There should be one for 'ta update'. That's the one you want. It's been several months, so I might not be remembering right, but I'm pretty sure. Once you do that, use fastboot or Rashr to flash a compatible recovery img, and you can access the new recovery.
levone1 said:
Check the other drop-down boxes on Emma. There should be one for 'ta update'. That's the one you want. It's been several months, so I might not be remembering right, but I'm pretty sure. Once you do that, use fastboot or Rashr to flash a compatible recovery img, and you can access the new recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, no drop-down boxes. The only one is labeled "Filter", but that's empty. I can enter something, but entering "ta update" gets me nothing new. If I leave it empty, I get shown two "services", but they both seem to be complete stock re-flashings, so no dice.
tinuthir said:
Nope, no drop-down boxes. The only one is labeled "Filter", but that's empty. I can enter something, but entering "ta update" gets me nothing new. If I leave it empty, I get shown two "services", but they both seem to be complete stock re-flashings, so no dice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. Is that with the phone connected? If so, are you sure that it's not already updated, (have you had it since new)? I did it while on 270, (or maybe sooner), and there were a couple of options to update rom, but I didn't update, and there was also a 'ta update' option.
levone1 said:
Interesting. Is that with the phone connected? If so, are you sure that it's not already updated, (have you had it since new)? I did it while on 270, (or maybe sooner), and there were a couple of options to update rom, but I didn't update, and there was also a 'ta update' option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, right after I connect the phone. It's recognized immediately as well, so I'm not sure there's anything I could have mucked up in that regard
I've had the phone since August 2014, so well before the bootloader upgrade was made public. I have no idea whether this might have been part of some CM update or something? I doubt it, but I don't know enough about these things to assess that to any reasonable degree.
At any rate, I know that I've done nothing with the phone's bootloader besides unlocking it after getting the phone. So if it was updated somehow in the meantime, it must have been someone very sneaky (and none of my friends, that's for sure - my limited experience makes me the "smartphone nerd" among them).
I will add this: In order to backup the TA partition back in the day, I did have to flash numerous official stock firmware downgrades to get to the point where I could use a root exploit to even get at the TA partition. Perhaps that got something mixed up, I dunno. But that's kinda what I'm trying to figure out - whether there's any point in going back to stock (completely, mind - including the TA partition), and if this might work then. I could then just unlock the bootloader again and go back to CM with a proper recovery partition, not the current workaround.
What's the "270" that you mean? One of the official Sony firmwares I posted earlier?
tinuthir said:
Yup, right after I connect the phone. It's recognized immediately as well, so I'm not sure there's anything I could have mucked up in that regard
I've had the phone since August 2014, so well before the bootloader upgrade was made public. I have no idea whether this might have been part of some CM update or something? I doubt it, but I don't know enough about these things to assess that to any reasonable degree.
At any rate, I know that I've done nothing with the phone's bootloader besides unlocking it after getting the phone. So if it was updated somehow in the meantime, it must have been someone very sneaky (and none of my friends, that's for sure - my limited experience makes me the "smartphone nerd" among them).
I will add this: In order to backup the TA partition back in the day, I did have to flash numerous official stock firmware downgrades to get to the point where I could use a root exploit to even get at the TA partition. Perhaps that got something mixed up, I dunno. But that's kinda what I'm trying to figure out - whether there's any point in going back to stock (completely, mind - including the TA partition), and if this might work then. I could then just unlock the bootloader again and go back to CM with a proper recovery partition, not the current workaround.
What's the "270" that you mean? One of the official Sony firmwares I posted earlier?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I can't remember if it was the last 5.0 or the first 5.1. Anyway, I'm not sure why it's not showing. I would try maybe connecting in fastboot mode, and see if anything changes, or flash a newer fw, and see... It does say on Sony development site to flash fw first - http://developer.sonymobile.com/201...for-a-range-of-unlocked-xperia-devices-video/ Hope that helps.
no "TA update"
levone1 said:
Yes. I can't remember if it was the last 5.0 or the first 5.1. Anyway, I'm not sure why it's not showing. I would try maybe connecting in fastboot mode, and see if anything changes, or flash a newer fw, and see... It does say on Sony development site to flash fw first - http://developer.sonymobile.com/201...for-a-range-of-unlocked-xperia-devices-video/ Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
After flashing my z3 "TA update (open device) doesn't appear. According to this post new bootloader is included on all stock firmware > .200 but doesn't contain recovery image.
So after flashing the stock 24.x.x.x.200 and flashing recovery via 'fastboot flash recovery recovery.img' my phone boot the recovery without problem.
Hope this information can help.
P.S.: FOTAKernel recovery should be compatible (under some conditions) with this boot process according to my tests on z3 and some forum reads.
Hi tinuthir,
I have the same problem and also see only the two services you mentioned in your initial post. Have you found any solution yet how to install the "Open Devices" bootloader?
Regards
Tobias
Hi Tobias, I have not yet tried it. Basically, I'm too scared to use the NAND backup (which I make daily anyway)
I'm fairly sure that, with the NAND backup, not too much can go horribly wrong. But I'd need to make sure I either have a backup phone in case I do run into problems (this is currently not the case). Then, what I would do is this:
NAND backup
Restore TA partition/stock software that was originally on the phone
See whether the "open device" is now available via official Sony tool
Flash latest firmware via official Sony tool (regardless whether it says "open device" or not)
See whether the "open device" is now available via official Sony tool
Flash recovery
Flash NAND backup
As I said, the only reason I haven't done this yet is because I can't find the time to make sure I can run troubleshooting in case there are any issues... And because I'm a little wary of touching a running system
Just started the process, finally was courageous enough. The old saying is true: Never touch a running system
Restoring the TA partition soft-bricked my phone. Am now trying to reset the phone by using the official Sony PC Companion software. We'll see what's up then.
Sony PC Companion didn't work. Instead, what apparently happened is that the bootloader, recovery, and OS didn't like being confronted with the restored backup partition - at all. Can't use the Flashtool to re-unlock, can't use Emma to flash new software, because the phone's locked...
Using the command line got the phone unlocked again, standard procedure as detailed here: *ttps://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Android-development/Unable-to-unlock-bootloader/td-p/461477
Now I can re-flash and do whatever I like. Glad I had my NAND!
tinuthir said:
So my question to you all is this: Do I need to flash a complete stock ROM (losing my data, etc.) in order to make the new bootloader possible on amami? And if so, should I restore the TA partition I backed up in the very beginning before doing any of that? Or is what I'm trying to do pointless? If it's not pointless, is there a way to update the bootloader without wiping the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I'm too late.
After reading some posts about new bootloader and some ta partition analysis bootloaders versions and TA partitions should never mix: they are incompatible.
Did you backup your ta partition after upgrading bootloader?
I am currently trying to help someone with a bad bootloader (supposed s1) on the phone, and maybe there is a way to reflash full emmc in a 'serial' way. I try to find quickly this time
Otherwise, maybe if you are able to access flashmode you can reflash your ta-with-upgraded-bootloader with it?
If you don't have ta backup after the upgrade, and your phone is still bricked, fell free to contact me, maybe we can found another solution based on this thread.
Good luck!
P.S. I try to write a guide about bootloader upgrade.
Time to retire my TMO G8, but I've been using it unrooted for years, because it wasnt available when i first got the phone. Ive been out of the scene since the G6, so im not sure what a lot of the common tools are, TWRP i know, but whats a firehose? Basically, I want to be able to take a full backup of my app data, ideally using titanium backup, but ill take what i can get, as long as it dosent involve a device wipe. do i have any options?
ZeikHunter said:
Time to retire my TMO G8, but I've been using it unrooted for years, because it wasnt available when i first got the phone. Ive been out of the scene since the G6, so im not sure what a lot of the common tools are, TWRP i know, but whats a firehose? Basically, I want to be able to take a full backup of my app data, ideally using titanium backup, but ill take what i can get, as long as it dosent involve a device wipe. do i have any options?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, look at this thread for discussion re backup non root device. It's in the Sammy forums but much of it is relevant to any non root device.
I'd ask though, what did you plan on using root for? You need Magisk to get root, and normally when it's installed data has to be wiped and you flash dm-verity to now have unencrypted data partition. If you don't do that, data will remain encrypted and inaccessible (except by the device of course).
a 'firehose' file is used by qfil to access the low level / partitions of the device. It's a signed file specific for an individual device. It's a somewhat rare thing to have, as it gives you pretty much full access to the device, without root.
but using qfil to backup your user data partition, would result in a huge file, maybe like 80 gig or so, and, it's encrypted, so it basically doesn't have any value to do that?