Recover a 4.4.4 downgrade brick! (Temporal solution)

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tatazeuz

Senior Member
Dec 5, 2012
316
91
Santiago
So, i have noted a increased number of threads about people who have soft-bricked their phones downgrading from 4.4.4 GPE after recieving the OTA, since it includes a new partition table and there's no firmware image yet.
Worry not, i have found a solution for your problem. This method only let's you use custom ROMs (sadly), but it's meant to be a temporal solution while we wait for a 4.4.4 GPE image anyways.
So, without further ado, here's my fix:

You will need:
-The good ol' Android SDK
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html#download

-Motorola drivers
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/88481

-A custom recovery. I recommend TWRP, since is the only one i have tested.
Official TWRP Images for Moto G: http://techerrata.com/file/twrp2/xt1032/openrecovery-twrp-2.7.1.1-xt1032.img

-The gpt.bin from 4.4.4 (this is the partition table)
I extracted it from the OTA file and uploaded to my Dropbox: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82658555/gpt.bin

-A custom ROM of your choice (obligatory) + GApps (optional)

What to do:

Once you have the Android SDK, decompress the folder sdk/platform-tools in a place of your choice.
Inside this folder, put gpt.bin, the custom recovery image and the ROM and GApps zip's.
Start your phone on fastboot. Connect it.
Inside your decompressed platform-tools folder, hold shift and right click inside the folder. Select "Open command window here".
Make sure your phone is properly connected by typing "fastboot devices" (without the quotation marks). The command prompt should show your phone serial number.

Now we start the real deal. Fist of all, flash gpt.bin using this command:

fastboot flash partition gpt.bin

Make sure it ends on "OKAY"
Now, flash the recovery

fastboot flash recovery nameoftherecoveryfile.img

Once this is done, enter recovery using the fastboot menu on your phone (use Vol- to highlight "Recovery", and then press Vol+)
Now your phone should boot on recovery mode. If you recieve an error like "Can't mount /system/", don't worry, this is normal (there's no system partiton yet, after all). Now you can use ADB command with your PC. Once again, to be sure everything is connected properly,tyipe on the console:

adb devices

Once that is done, it's time to give your phone the custom ROM, so you can flash it. Type (or copy/paste)

adb push NameoftheROMfile.zip /sdcard/ NameoftheROMfile.zip

If you have GApps, do the same for those

adb push GApps.zip /sdcard/ GApps.zip

Now you can finally disconnect your phone from the PC! You are almost done, select "Install" in your recovery, and flash your ROM zip, then the GApps if you have them.

Once it's done, you can reboot to system.
And you will have a working Moto G again!!

Enjoy it, and don't brick it again :)
 
Last edited:

maurocds

Senior Member
Jan 30, 2013
527
166
the guide isw missing some info (like enter flash sideload on recovery)

and that weird command push does not work, i have to use other command

i managed to install another rom after being bricked but still that rom won´t start, i have to try another

still thanks a lot

i did not download android sdk, i have my folder with adb files

also when i am in recovery, i type fastboot devices and nothing happens, but still the recovery could receive the file
 

tatazeuz

Senior Member
Dec 5, 2012
316
91
Santiago
the guide isw missing some info (like enter flash sideload on recovery)

and that weird command push does not work, i have to use other command

i managed to install another rom after being bricked but still that rom won´t start, i have to try another

still thanks a lot

i did not download android sdk, i have my folder with adb files

also when i am in recovery, i type fastboot devices and nothing happens, but still the recovery could receive the file

From my experience, you don't have to enter sideload mode in recovery to push a file, sideload mode is for pushing OTAs. And remember, the ADB push command requires you to put the exact name of the file to transfer twice, that could have failed for you.

You can't use fastboot devices on recovery because you can only use ADB commands in recovery, you were supposed to use "adb devices".
 

masa86

Senior Member
Dec 19, 2007
129
105
Or you can restore 4.4.2 nandroid backup using recovery if you made one. But after that you need to flash correct baseband.
 

tatazeuz

Senior Member
Dec 5, 2012
316
91
Santiago
i just received failed at twrp recovery and how do i flashed gpt.bin right because it say okay.
And what does gpt.bin actually? (i am a noob)

got.bin is the partition table of the Moto G. Its the file that indicates to the phone the size, name and number of partitions it should have.
So, I know TWRP said in red letters Failed, but I'm interested what is the specific error, what did it said on the command prompt of TWRP.
 

Fresroqir

Member
Feb 16, 2014
18
2
Error flashing zip sdcard pa falconzip
and then there comes this updating partitution details and do i need to put the rom twice in the cmd?
 
Last edited:

maurocds

Senior Member
Jan 30, 2013
527
166
yes, exactly what rom did you use to recover??????????

paranoid did not work, installed fine but stuck at logo loading
 

newklear85

Senior Member
Dec 22, 2010
64
6
Thanks!

Edit: Nope... Still same problem. Looks like the gpt file flashed but everything else is the same.
 
Last edited:

Fresroqir

Member
Feb 16, 2014
18
2
It still doesn't work for me i got th whole time failed and i don't know what i need to do ;(

It says: Z:\New folder\Android>fastboot flash partition gpt.bin
target reported max download size of 536870912 bytes
sending 'partition' (32 KB)...
OKAY [ 0.025s]
writing 'partition'...
(bootloader) This may take a few seconds, if a
(bootloader) different partition table is being
(bootloader) flashed since we need to backup
(bootloader) and restore a few partitions
(bootloader) Flashing primary GPT image...
(bootloader) Flashing backup GPT image...
OKAY [ 0.372s]
finished. total time: 0.399s



is that good?



EDIT:it looks that sideload works and not that push command



EDIT: nvm i am stuck at bootanimation :(



EDIT: this wont work it says failed all the time at twrp
 
Last edited:

nlra

Senior Member
Sep 5, 2012
160
85
I'm kind of confused. Why couldn't people downgrade and go back to stock by reflashing all of the files from an older stock image, including the motoboot and gpt? I would think this would work...although with people saying that they are unable to downgrade I'm not willing to try upgrading to 4.4.4 myself. :p

What errors are people seeing if they try to flash gpt and motoboot from, say, 4.4.2 stock or 4.4.2 GPE?

-- Nathan
 

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  • 10
    So, i have noted a increased number of threads about people who have soft-bricked their phones downgrading from 4.4.4 GPE after recieving the OTA, since it includes a new partition table and there's no firmware image yet.
    Worry not, i have found a solution for your problem. This method only let's you use custom ROMs (sadly), but it's meant to be a temporal solution while we wait for a 4.4.4 GPE image anyways.
    So, without further ado, here's my fix:

    You will need:
    -The good ol' Android SDK
    http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html#download

    -Motorola drivers
    https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/88481

    -A custom recovery. I recommend TWRP, since is the only one i have tested.
    Official TWRP Images for Moto G: http://techerrata.com/file/twrp2/xt1032/openrecovery-twrp-2.7.1.1-xt1032.img

    -The gpt.bin from 4.4.4 (this is the partition table)
    I extracted it from the OTA file and uploaded to my Dropbox: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82658555/gpt.bin

    -A custom ROM of your choice (obligatory) + GApps (optional)

    What to do:

    Once you have the Android SDK, decompress the folder sdk/platform-tools in a place of your choice.
    Inside this folder, put gpt.bin, the custom recovery image and the ROM and GApps zip's.
    Start your phone on fastboot. Connect it.
    Inside your decompressed platform-tools folder, hold shift and right click inside the folder. Select "Open command window here".
    Make sure your phone is properly connected by typing "fastboot devices" (without the quotation marks). The command prompt should show your phone serial number.

    Now we start the real deal. Fist of all, flash gpt.bin using this command:

    fastboot flash partition gpt.bin

    Make sure it ends on "OKAY"
    Now, flash the recovery

    fastboot flash recovery nameoftherecoveryfile.img

    Once this is done, enter recovery using the fastboot menu on your phone (use Vol- to highlight "Recovery", and then press Vol+)
    Now your phone should boot on recovery mode. If you recieve an error like "Can't mount /system/", don't worry, this is normal (there's no system partiton yet, after all). Now you can use ADB command with your PC. Once again, to be sure everything is connected properly,tyipe on the console:

    adb devices

    Once that is done, it's time to give your phone the custom ROM, so you can flash it. Type (or copy/paste)

    adb push NameoftheROMfile.zip /sdcard/ NameoftheROMfile.zip

    If you have GApps, do the same for those

    adb push GApps.zip /sdcard/ GApps.zip

    Now you can finally disconnect your phone from the PC! You are almost done, select "Install" in your recovery, and flash your ROM zip, then the GApps if you have them.

    Once it's done, you can reboot to system.
    And you will have a working Moto G again!!

    Enjoy it, and don't brick it again :)
    2
    Okay, i just resolved my soft-brick (downgrade from 4.4.4 to 4.4.2). Wheres what i do:

    1- Flash the gpt.bin from the first post.

    2- Flash the TWRP Recovery.

    3- Go to Wipe

    4- Format Data

    5- Type Yes

    6- Advanced Wipe, do not choose anything, just swipe to wipe, when it's over just appear: ''updating partition details...''

    7- I use a USB OTG with a pen and CM11 on it. Flash the ROM. In TWRP you will have a Sucessful message and a ''updating partition details...'' message as well after flashing a rom.

    8- Reboot the phone.

    Now, i dont know if its related but, before this, I try flashing a 4.3 ROM using this method:http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2542219

    I edit the flashall file, just delete this:

    CALL :fastboot_flash partition gpt.bin
    IF %errorlevel% NEQ 0 EXIT /b 1

    Flash follow the tutorial, and in the fastboot in a message like this appear: version downgrade from tgz.

    Then I start the #1 procedure.

    Now, I dont have network working, wifi, BT, GPS works fine, no network. Probably a imei corruption?




    -----------------------------------



    Okay, i tried soft-brick the phone again to see which method can reverse the situation, wheres what I do to solved the sof-brick, if some dev can take a look and figure out why this solved, at least, my problem would be nice:

    1- Flash TWRP, I use the OP method in the first post.

    1- Try this with a 4.3 ROM: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=49759263
    Like i said, open the flashall file and delete this lines:

    CALL :fastboot_flash partition gpt.bin
    IF %errorlevel% NEQ 0 EXIT /b 1

    The Phone, will not flash back to 4.3, but somehow, the error e:unable to mount data / system / internal storge is gonne from recovery when flashing a ROM and the phone mount data, system, cache and internal just fine. When the flash is donne, a pink message will appear in the phone: version downgraded for tgz.

    2- Go to TWRP.

    3- Go to Wipe.

    4- Format data - type yes using the keyboard

    5- Advanced Wipe - do not select any option, go to this menu and just swipe to wipe. When the process is done, it will appear a message saying: updating partition details...

    6- Go to Mount - you will see data and cache mount. This point is just to see if data and cache is mount.

    7- Where I used a USB OTG, but someone could try pushing the ROM using adb, I think it will work. In my case, just mount the USB OTG and flash a ROM. When the ROM is finish, the same message will appear: updating partition details...

    8- Boot the phone.


    Now, in my case, i do not have network, BT, Wifi, GPS works not network, so probably the EFS paste was deleted when try get the phone back to work. So, be aware, if you try this method and lost your IMEI/network, im not responsable.
    2
    WIFI and Cell Carrier network [FIX]

    Okay, i just resolved my soft-brick (downgrade from 4.4.4 to 4.4.2). Wheres what i do:

    1- Flash the gpt.bin from the first post.

    2- Flash the TWRP Recovery.

    3- Go to Wipe

    4- Format Data

    5- Type Yes

    6- Advanced Wipe, do not choose anything, just swipe to wipe, when it's over just appear: ''updating partition details...''

    7- I use a USB OTG with a pen and CM11 on it. Flash the ROM. In TWRP you will have a Sucessful message and a ''updating partition details...'' message as well after flashing a rom.

    8- Reboot the phone.

    Now, i dont know if its related but, before this, I try flashing a 4.3 ROM using this method:http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2542219

    I edit the flashall file, just delete this:

    CALL :fastboot_flash partition gpt.bin
    IF %errorlevel% NEQ 0 EXIT /b 1

    Flash follow the tutorial, and in the fastboot in a message like this appear: version downgrade from tgz.

    Then I start the #1 procedure.

    Now, I dont have network working, wifi, BT, GPS works fine, no network. Probably a imei corruption?




    -----------------------------------



    Okay, i tried soft-brick the phone again to see which method can reverse the situation, wheres what I do to solved the sof-brick, if some dev can take a look and figure out why this solved, at least, my problem would be nice:

    1- Flash TWRP, I use the OP method in the first post.

    1- Try this with a 4.3 ROM: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=49759263
    Like i said, open the flashall file and delete this lines:

    CALL :fastboot_flash partition gpt.bin
    IF %errorlevel% NEQ 0 EXIT /b 1

    The Phone, will not flash back to 4.3, but somehow, the error e:unable to mount data / system / internal storge is gonne from recovery when flashing a ROM and the phone mount data, system, cache and internal just fine. When the flash is donne, a pink message will appear in the phone: version downgraded for tgz.

    2- Go to TWRP.

    3- Go to Wipe.

    4- Format data - type yes using the keyboard

    5- Advanced Wipe - do not select any option, go to this menu and just swipe to wipe. When the process is done, it will appear a message saying: updating partition details...

    6- Go to Mount - you will see data and cache mount. This point is just to see if data and cache is mount.

    7- Where I used a USB OTG, but someone could try pushing the ROM using adb, I think it will work. In my case, just mount the USB OTG and flash a ROM. When the ROM is finish, the same message will appear: updating partition details...

    8- Boot the phone.


    Now, in my case, i do not have network, BT, Wifi, GPS works not network, so probably the EFS paste was deleted when try get the phone back to work. So, be aware, if you try this method and lost your IMEI/network, im not responsable.



    I came across a feed awhile back (thx alonsoch) that works to reinstate the cell network carrier (http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2635706). More specifically:

    fastboot erase modemst1
    fastboot erase modemst2
    fastboot flash fsg fsg.mbn (file taken from appropriate stock carrier at http://sbf.droid-developers.org/phone.php?device=14)
    fastboot reboot

    then I sideloaded Ehndroix 4.4.4 [EHNDROIX_V_14.7.1_falcon,Ehndrogapps_4.4.4_20140701] ---> wifi and cell carrier network working!!!

    after that I tried with:
    Paranoid Android 4.4.3 [pa_falcon-4.4-RC2-20140617,pa_gapps-stock-4.4.3-20140629-signed] ,
    Slimkat 4.4.4 [Slim-falcon-4.4.4.build.6-OFFICIAL-5266, Slim_mini_gapps.4.4.4.build.6-112]
    and Cyanogen Mod 11 4.4.2 [cm-11-20140504-SNAPSHOT-M6-falcon, gapps-kk-20140105-signed]
    All working with WIFI and cell carrier network.

    just to note I used the gpt.bin (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/82658555/gpt.bin) and TWRP recovery (http://techerrata.com/file/twrp2/xt1032/openrecovery-twrp-2.7.1.1-xt1032.img) as listed originally in this feed [thx tatazeuz]

    also to note, in TWRP recovery, I used the wipe -> format data -> yes and advanced wipe -> swipe, before sideloading the rom.zip and gapps.zip (thx _Drifter_)

    Sideloading in TWRP: Advanced -> ADB Sideload -> Swipe; on cmd line in windows in directory with adb, rom and gapps: ADB sideload rom.zip; when done in TWRP: back; repeat with gapps.zip. reboot.

    Cheers!
    2
    Succesfully downgraded from 4.4.4 to 4.4.2

    Hi all,

    Like alot of ppls from there i bricked my Moto G XT1032 GPE 4.4.4 at bootloader loop.
    All started when i was trying to install Cyanogenmod and forget i am a GPE not a non-GPE. CM asked pe to erase everyting, i erased backup and all but this question was forever. So i lost backup, and everything. My partition changed and i was not able to reinstall any stock roms.

    Two nights i was a zoombie to try to revive my Moto, i wanted to revive it with a stock or a GPE again, not that temporal solution with a custom rom that it worked, so really TY for alternative.
    So... for two nights i got same errors like all "file is too large" , " gpt.bin failing" and "motoboot.img failing"
    Today i succesfully flashed via fastboot the single full firmware 4.4.4 from xt1032 "XT1032_RETAIL-BR-SS_4.4.4_KXB21.14-L1.40_42_cid12_CFC_1FF.xml" without any gpt or motoboot failing error and my device revived again with a stock 4.4.4.

    Was so happy but after solved this i wanted to solve also converting to GPE again, then i was downgraded via fastboot to 4.4.3 "RETAIL-BR-SS_4.4.3_KXB21.14-L1.32_34_cid12_CFC_1FF_SVC.xml" , of course i skipped flashing gpt.bin and motoboot.img, Then i downgraded again to 4.4.2 Tesco Retail GB frimware wich was my original firmware, again skipping flashing gpt and motoboot, also succesfull. Now i converted my moto G to moto g GPE using MotoToolAioV3, and installed 4.4.4 OTA update.

    So should work on other XT`s to try install a 4.4.4 stock, then downgrade to 4.4.3 with same stock region, then downgrade again to 4.4.2 with any other region. If it works let us to know.

    Hopes will work for u guys !
    cheers and hit thanks button if i helped someone.
    1
    and do i need a cutom rom with 4.4.4????????

    yes, exactly what rom did you use to recover??????????

    paranoid did not work, installed fine but stuck at logo loading

    I used the latest version of PA + Stock GApps