4 replies to this topic

[Genaugmen]

I acquired a droid bionic that had software issues. The one time I've been able to get it to boot I checked the version and it seemed to be the on the stock .246, but obviously someone had try to make some modifications because I got error notification popups like what people were seeing before the sim unlocking proceedure had been fully worked out. When I go into recovvery and try to do a factory reset I get error messages. Actually, even before I can select the reset option I get...

 

E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/command

E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/caller

E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/log

E:Can't open /cache/recovery/log

 

and some other can't mount/can't open errors for other files in /cache/recovery. I've tried to fxz .246 with rsdlite 5.6 and 5.7 (I had 5.6 installed before I noticed 5.7 but I've flashed this same update to several other bionics with 5.6), Setup goes normally but when I start the flash rsdlite just stays on step 1 indefinately. I don't get any errors, the flash process just never progresses at all. I just came across this hob method but I'm running into the same thing. I tried rsd method and when rsdlite opened, it stayed on step one. Acting  as if it was working, but nothing ever progressing. In fastboot method...

 

sending 'mbm' <256 KB>... OKAY [ 0.029s]

writing 'mbm'...

 

and it just stays there doing nothing forever. Any ideas?

[SamuriHL]

Ok I see now you did try fastboot mode. If it's hanging on flashing you need to try a different usb cable and/or port. If that doesn't fix it then it may signify a hardware problem for which there's nothing we can do.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD

[Genaugmen]

I don't think it's a hardware problem. I've seen post of the exact same problem on the droid charge after screwing around with some things. The fix for them involved Odin and some other files, but I've not seen the same method described anywhere for the bionic. I unplugged the usb cable when the fastboot hob method would hang and when I plug it back in it moves on to the next step in the flashing process. Of course the writing that's supposedly happening, but isn't, fails, but all of the file copy parts complete ok. And the erase user data (or something like that) completes. Just none of the writes complete. Is there a method with Odin for the bionic? What files can be flashed from the sd if your system is not completely stock? Flashing from recovery gives me an error about failing validation or verification, but is there a way to flash individual parts of the system from recovery. Looking through some postI see that you can flash the radio from recovery, just wondering what all else you could. And one last question, can you adb into the phone while in recovery? Not something I've done much or recently, but I seem to remember this being possible with my old samsung moment.

 

And one general question about flashing the bionic... what prevents you from flashing backwards to previous versions? Everyone hears (and I guess sometimes experience) that you can't, but what is the mechanism (or lack of) that prevents you from returning your ICS updated droid back to the GB that it shipped with? If you're flashing a full stock system image, where exactly do things become broken? I know I shouldn't try to do it, but I'm one of those people who really wants to know the 'why' beyond 'bad things will happen'. And thanks for taking the time out to give me your insight.

[SamuriHL]

You are flashing the "Odin for bionic". That's what an fxz is. It's all the partitions that make up the phone. If it's not flashing properly, it's almost always hardware related once you rule out you pc environment. IOW, making sure you're not using usb 3 ports, you've got the latest moto driver installed, you're using the oem cable that came with the phone, etc. All the things people ALWAYS say "oh yes I checked everything" blah blah blah. But if the fxz fails to flash and you ACTUALLY have done all the things in my faq then it's a physical problem with the phone.

As for flashing down to an older version it's been explained many times beyond the don't do that it's bad reason. There is a partition called cdt. The cdt partition contains a list of the other partitions and the security version for them. This version is the minimum version that can be flashed. Meaning you can flash higher but not lower. The cdt partition also has its own secure version to prevent the "oh I'm brilliant... Just flash an older cdt" ideas. The security on our phone has not, and will not, been broken. The files must be signed and of the proper version before they can be flashed. If you force the issue using some very nasty tricks, it will brick the phone causing it to no longer boot. That's because it verifies each secure partition at boot time, as well. The fxz is the only way to revive a bricked phone. As mentioned before, it is all the signed partitions on the phone and returns it back to a factory state.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD

[Genaugmen]

OK. Thanks for the explanation. Makes more sense to me than 'just don't do it'.