[HOW-TO] Installing CM11 (or CM12) Internally on Nook Tablet

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cfariz

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Jan 3, 2016
5
1
Chur
Installed CM12.1 & Gapps 5.1 with these steps on Nook Tablet

These instructions are awesome, and I was finally, finally able to get my Nook rooted to the latest CM version (CM12.1 / Gapps 5.1) . It's been stable ever since I started it up and installed stuff on it. I was just about giving up after having to unbrick it several times from other instructions on how to root and upgrade. The problem I think is that a lot of the instructions are from 2012/13 with old versions of CWM/TWRP, CM & GAPPS and if the versions don't match, you are ouf of luck.
The one thing that might help others is at the end when all is installed and you start it up the first time, my screen went dark (with that light backglow) and stayed there for 15 minutes. I had already given up hope, but the it started up from the dark and load CM.

Thank you very much, digimax. I was just about to put a hammer to the tablet because I wasted so many hours on this.

These are the versions I used and they work.

12/27/2015 08:06 AM 228,030,575 cm-12.1-20151117-SNAPSHOT-YOG7DAO1K6-acclaim.zip
01/03/2016 12:13 AM 7,459,960 flashable_CWM_6.0.4.8_chrmhoffmann.zip
02/26/2013 09:31 PM 192,512 flashing_boot.img
02/26/2012 03:27 AM 38,356 MLO
01/01/2016 01:26 PM 91,167,312 open_gapps-arm-5.1-nano-20151225.zip
01/03/2016 12:16 AM 8,548,352 recovery.img
02/26/2012 03:27 AM 179,812 u-boot.bin
 

nmyshkin

Recognized Contributor
Nov 21, 2013
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I'm ready to roll with this but am now confused about the TWRP recovery which is mentioned in the original post but which is not mentioned directly above. When I did the CM 10.2.1 flashing I think there was just the CWM recovery and it looks like there is CWM used here also so.......?

Is the CWM used basically for flashing while the TWRP becomes the recovery/backup/etc. vehicle?

Edit: and so what is the "recovery" file listed in the second column when you go to the CM site to get your chosen build? Very confusing.
 
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kyran64

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Oct 28, 2013
14
0
Just out of curiosity, what is the importance of booting with a powered cable instead of the button?
Does it make a difference if the cable is powered by a computer or the nook wall charger adapter?
 

digixmax

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Jan 17, 2011
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I'm ready to roll with this but am now confused about the TWRP recovery which is mentioned in the original post but which is not mentioned directly above. When I did the CM 10.2.1 flashing I think there was just the CWM recovery and it looks like there is CWM used here also so.......?

Is the CWM used basically for flashing while the TWRP becomes the recovery/backup/etc. vehicle?

Edit: and so what is the "recovery" file listed in the second column when you go to the CM site to get your chosen build? Very confusing.
CWM and TWRP are both "Recovery" programs with essentially the same basic set of core features. Both can be used to do backup (although they do not always use compatible backup archive formats) and to flash ROM/GApps zip files.

Each program in principle can come in two forms: for running internally on EMMC and for running on SD, the latter is for flashing custom ROM using a bootable SD card which is the only method for a device still running stock ROM. If you already have a recovery running on EMMC then you should be able to use your existing EMMC-based recovery to boot-strap the ROM upgrade process -- either use it to flash the new ROM/GApps, or (if the new ROM/GApps requires a later version of recovery, which is the case of going from CM10 to CM11 or to CM12) to use it to flash a new EMMC recovery version (e.g., the recovery img file you see listed next to the CM ROM file on CM Download site) then re-boot into the newly installed EMMC recovery to flash the new ROM/GApps (for more details see my other thread at http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2670589).

My OP made use of TWRP because only TWRP was available in SD-based form (CWM is rarely provided in SD-based form).
 
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digixmax

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Just out of curiosity, what is the importance of booting with a powered cable instead of the button?
If your NT is one of the lucky minority which can boot to SD with a "button power-up" then you don't need to use the "powered-USB cable insertion method".
Does it make a difference if the cable is powered by a computer or the nook wall charger adapter?
No.
 
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kyran64

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Oct 28, 2013
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Next question. I'm having the problem where the screen stays black for a seemingly long time and then boots to stock.
I have begun the process from scratch multiple times now, checking my work on each step meticulously with the same results. I have re-downloaded the .zip with the MLO and u-boot files, ensured that MLO is the very first thing I move to the SD after wiping it and creating a new partition.

Any other advice?

EDIT: Of note, I'm using a 64GB SD card, partioned to 0x0c FAT32 LBA, 295.GB to fit within the limits of FAT32. That shouldn't matter, should it?
 
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digixmax

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Jan 17, 2011
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Next question. I'm having the problem where the screen stays black for a seemingly long time and then boots to stock.
I have begun the process from scratch multiple times now, checking my work on each step meticulously with the same results. I have re-downloaded the .zip with the MLO and u-boot files, ensured that MLO is the very first thing I move to the SD after wiping it and creating a new partition.

Any other advice?
I'd suggest you check and make sure that MLO and u-boot.bin are not corrupted in the download and copy process -- do they have the same size in bytes as showed in the above post #21's listing?

You can also try to burn the SD image new_cwm_recovery.img in CM7-9_CWM_v5.5.x_8gb-16gb_tools_sdcard.zip downloadable from https://www.mediafire.com/#xjwc1a482a6ll to seed the MLO and u-boot.bin, then replace the remaining files with the files in the OP.
EDIT: Of note, I'm using a 64GB SD card, partioned to 0x0c FAT32 LBA, 295.GB to fit within the limits of FAT32. That shouldn't matter, should it?
It should not, but I am not sure.
 
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kyran64

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Oct 28, 2013
14
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I'd suggest you check and make sure that MLO and u-boot.bin are not corrupted in the download and copy process -- do they have the same size in bytes as showed in the above post #21's listing?

You can also try to burn the SD image new_cwm_recovery.img in CM7-9_CWM_v5.5.x_8gb-16gb_tools_sdcard.zip downloadable from https://www.mediafire.com/#xjwc1a482a6ll to seed the MLO and u-boot.bin, then replace the remaining files with the files in the OP.

It should not, but I am not sure.[/QUOTE

EDIT:
Thank you very much for trying to help me (btw) :)
Ok, after a bit of going back and forth and trying different things, what I've determined is that for some reason, if I partition my 64gb card as a 30gb partition, it blackscreens. If I make it a 14gb partition, using all of the same files that are linked from post #1, the flashboot loads just fine.

Now, my issue seems to be that all of the boot options are grayed out except for:
1) INT LOAD
2) INT RECOVERY
0) START FASTBOOT

I've tried multiple versions of TWRP (all of the the sdcard version), and CWM 6.0.4.5 as well as 6.0.4.8. I'll admit, I'm still not entirely sure what I'm doing or which is supposed to do what.

Any thoughts on getting the SDC options lit up?

EDIT EDIT:
The solution, it seems, is to not make a newb mistake when moving from working on one computer to a different computer. My desktop shows all file extensions. My laptop...does not. Naming a file recovery.img.img is a pretty good way to make sure it won't work for you ;)
 
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nmyshkin

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Nov 21, 2013
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CWM and TWRP are both "Recovery" programs with essentially the same basic set of core features. Both can be used to do backup (although they do not always use compatible backup archive formats) and to flash ROM/GApps zip files.

Each program in principle can come in two forms: for running internally on EMMC and for running on SD, the latter is for flashing custom ROM using a bootable SD card which is the only method for a device still running stock ROM. If you already have a recovery running on EMMC then you should be able to use your existing EMMC-based recovery to boot-strap the ROM upgrade process -- either use it to flash the new ROM/GApps, or (if the new ROM/GApps requires a later version of recovery, which is the case of going from CM10 to CM11 or to CM12) to use it to flash a new EMMC recovery version (e.g., the recovery img file you see listed next to the CM ROM file on CM Download site) then re-boot into the newly installed EMMC recovery to flash the new ROM/GApps (for more details see my other thread at http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2670589).

My OP made use of TWRP because only TWRP was available in SD-based form (CWM is rarely provided in SD-based form).

OK, so I asked one-too-many questions :)

This is my last one: can I just be uber-cautious and pig-headed about this and use the process outlined in the OP even though I am starting from CM 10.2.1? I'd feel more comfortable with a process I'm sort of familiar with.
 

digixmax

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Jan 17, 2011
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Hi there, Can somebody point me to how I install USB Drivers for Win7 64 bit for the Nook Tablet now on CM 12.1. I found this thread
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1354487 and downloaded these drivers http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15069134/usbdrivers.zip mentioned in the thread
but Device Manager comes back with 'Windows could not find driver software for your device'.
Are you trying to get access to the NT storage over USB?

I think you might find some helpful info/pointers at http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=35971559&postcount=13.
 
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nmyshkin

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Nov 21, 2013
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Aieeeeee!

Unable to mount "/bootdata"

I started with the TWRP version in the OP and then tried 2.8.1.0 (mentioned in a later post with the same problem).

Now what? I'm going to remake the SD card first and try again, but I'd appreciate any advice.

Edit: tried reformatting the SD card and starting from scratch using the specified files; same result. Then I tried TWRP 2.8.6.0 which another poster had luck with for CM12. Same result. I tried booting from the SD card with a computer-attached cable and just the charger-attached cable. Same result. The good news: my CM10.2.1 card restores the baby back to life...or an earlier life, anyway :(

Edit, Edit: So is this /bootdata thing an sdcard issue? Since I have a functioning booting card for CM10.2.1 could I just copy the TWRP, CWM, CM and Gapps files onto it (after safely moving the current files somewhere else) and try that?
 
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digixmax

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Jan 17, 2011
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Aieeeeee!

Unable to mount "/bootdata"

I started with the TWRP version in the OP and then tried 2.8.1.0 (mentioned in a later post with the same problem).

Now what? I'm going to remake the SD card first and try again, but I'd appreciate any advice.

Edit: tried reformatting the SD card and starting from scratch using the specified files; same result. Then I tried TWRP 2.8.6.0 which another poster had luck with for CM12. Same result. I tried booting from the SD card with a computer-attached cable and just the charger-attached cable. Same result. The good news: my CM10.2.1 card restores the baby back to life...or an earlier life, anyway :(

Edit, Edit: So is this /bootdata thing an sdcard issue? Since I have a functioning booting card for CM10.2.1 could I just copy the TWRP, CWM, CM and Gapps files onto it (after safely moving the current files somewhere else) and try that?
Unfortunately, recovery programs' error messages often are not revealing or accurate about the underlying root cause.

I don't think your issue is sdcard related, but it does not hurt to try using your existing card. Just rename TWRP (make sure that you download and use the sdcard image version and not the emmc image version) to recovery.img before you copy it over to the sdcard. Also, do "wipe /data & factory reset" and "wipe /cache", before proceeding to "install zip".
 

nmyshkin

Recognized Contributor
Nov 21, 2013
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Unfortunately, recovery programs' error messages often are not revealing or accurate about the underlying root cause.

I don't think your issue is sdcard related, but it does not hurt to try using your existing card. Just rename TWRP (make sure that you download and use the sdcard image version and not the emmc image version) to recovery.img before you copy it over to the sdcard. Also, do "wipe /data & factory reset" and "wipe /cache", before proceeding to "install zip".

Wow. So here's the thing: over and over with the same "unable to mount '/bootdata' " message at each and every action.

It turns out, you just ignore that. I read that dubious-sounding claim on a site where they were describing the installation of KitKat with one of those pre-made cards (I know, I know....). But......I tried it and am now signed in to my new CM 12.1 tablet :D

Ahem.....I really liked the Trebouchet theme and wallpaper of CM 10.2.1. Tastes vary, I know. Is there any way to get a Trebouchet theme pack?
 

digixmax

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Jan 17, 2011
2,129
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...
Ahem.....I really liked the Trebouchet theme and wallpaper of CM 10.2.1.
You can extract (using a zip archive program like 7-zip) the Trebuchet's wallpaper image files (i.e., typically named wallpaper_xx.jpg) from the folder \res\drawable-nodpi\ of the Trebuchet.apk file which in turn can be found inside the folder \system\app\ of the CM10.x ROM zip file, save them to some place in your user-data partition and then you should be able to select any of them as a replacement wallpaper for your launcher.
 
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nmyshkin

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You can extract (using a zip archive program like 7-zip) the Trebuchet's wallpaper image files (i.e., typically named wallpaper_xx.jpg) from the folder \res\drawable-nodpi\ of the Trebuchet.apk file which in turn can be found inside the folder \system\app\ of the CM10.x ROM zip file, save them to some place in your user-data partition and then you should be able to select any of them as a replacement wallpaper for your launcher.

Thanks so much for all your help. That worked like a charm. I've been battling CM 12.1 into submission and relearning where the developers hid this and that setting. I'm close to my first backup but I may be getting buyers remorse. The tablet seems a little unstable and sluggish. Well....that's why I kept my CM 10.2.1 SD card :D
 

digixmax

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Jan 17, 2011
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I'll keep that in mind. Piece of cake now :)

Any particular build?
I can't really provide an up-to-date recommendation of a build, as I no longer have a Nook Tablet (its battery headed south, and the cost of an aftermarket replacement battery is somewhat hefty plus I didn't quite trust myself being able to do a DIY battery-replacement without accidentally ripping some fragile connector/wire, so I traded it in for a Samsung-made Nook for my kid). The last CM11 build I used was the M12 snapshot and I was very happy with it. However I'd suggest that you consider CM11 latest snapshot circa late August '15 as it should have incorporated fixes for the Stagefright security vulnerability.
 
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    [Caveat emptor: adopt/follow this guide at your own risk].

    [Important Note: this process is applicable for CM11 builds that still maintains two separate partitions for /data and /media – as the case with CM10.x and stock ROMs (see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48612997#post48612997 for more info). If/when these two partitions get merged in some future CM11 builds (as being contemplated by our NT CM developers – see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2560827&page=28) this installation process will not be valid for those future builds with merged /data+media partition].

    The following is the process using SD-based recovery to install CM11 internally (i.e., on emmc) on a Nook Tablet running stock ROM. [If your NT is already running CM10.x, see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2670589 for a simpler process to update from CM10 to CM11]. This same process can also be used to install CM12.x -- see http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=64624390&postcount=21 for needed corresponding versions of CM12 ROM, Android 6.0 GApps, and EMMC-based CWM recovery.

    1. Using a disk partition tool (such as MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition) create on SD card a Primary FAT32 partition, and set the partition ID type for the partition to 0x0C FAT32 LBA and set its Active flag. Once this is done, the partition should appear as a (read/write accessible) drive under Windows
    2. Obtain and copy to the SD card the following files:
    3. Put the SD card into the NT, and boot from its power off by inserting a powered USB cable. Press and hold the N button as soon as CyanoBoot comes up to get the boot menu to display.
    4. Select SDC Recovery.
    5. [Optional step but highly recommended] Select Backup to backup your NT current ROM config (/boot, /recovery, /system, and /data).
    6. Select Wipe data & factory reset.
    7. Select install zip from SD card and install flashable CWM recovery zip file.
    8. Select install zip from SD card and install CM11 zip file.
    9. Select install zip from SD card and install Gapps zip file.
    10. Remove SD card and select reboot.

    Once the NT boots up, set up the wifi connectivity and your google account info. If you had previously used Google backup service on your NT your apps will be auto-downloaded (but their settings will not be auto-restored).

    Notes
    • If the Nook fails to boot off SD -- the two most common symptoms of failed SD boot and their likely causes are:
      • The NT boots straight to stock -- most likely the boot partition's type and/or flag are not correctly set, or the NT cannot find the MLO in the boot partition (make sure that MLO is the very first file to be copied to the freshly made /boot partition).
      • The NT screen stays dark for seemingly a long time then eventually boots to stock -- most likely the MLO or u-boot.bin are corrupted. When in doubt, compare the size of the two copies of the files in bytes.
    • Installing CM11 ROM and Gapps will override your NT's current boot, recovery, ROM, and Apps, so make sure that you backup all this stuff using recovery backup function, for easy in reverting to previous ROM if desired. See my post at http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48612997#post48612997 for more "Info and Tips for Mitigating Risks in Rooting and Flashing Custom-ROM".
      Also, I would advise against using any other functions of the recovery without first carefully researching to understand what they really do.

    My thanks to all the developers who collective work created the wonderful CM11 ROM for the NT as well as the tools and info I made use of to install it.
    2
    Wow, it worked with 12.1! I have stumbled upon THE thread that finally helped me get this to work. Countless dead ends and I finally found it.

    I took the plunge and tried installing cm12.1. Per post #1 in this thread, I used the same flashing_boot.img, MLO, and u-boot.bin that's in digixmax's mediafire folder. Also used the same flashable_CWM_6.0.4.8_chrmhoffmann.zip per post #1.

    The files that are different from post #1 in this thread are: the most recent CM12.1 release (as of tonight: cm-12.1-20151117-SNAPSHOT-YOG7DAO1K6-acclaim.zip), the most recent TWRP for SD (as of tonight: twrp-2.8.6.0-acclaim-sdcard.img; renamed to recovery.img before copying to SD as suggested) and a compatible gapps version. A little google searching led me to the pico gapps from TKruzze that I got from post #1 of this link (http://xdaforums.com/android/software/tk-gapps-t3116347). I downloaded this from the BasketBuild link under "Proper DPI Play Services" of the Pico Modular Package in post #1 of that link I just mentioned. I followed the same directions that were in post #1 of this thread that originally gave me success with CM11, and sure enough it all worked great with CM12.1. I'm now running CM12.1 and couldn't be happier.

    A HUGE THANK YOU to digixmax and everyone else who contributed to the creation of these seemingly universal files (e.g., flashing_boot.img, MLO, u-boot.bin, etc.) to enable this to work. And of course a THANK YOU to the CWM, TWRP and CM developers. Seriously, you guys rock.
    1
    How long did you wait for the first-time boot to complete?

    FWIW successful first-time boot typically takes 3 to 4 min.

    I waited around 15 minutes the first two times. I could tell it was doing something different the 3rd time as the swirling arrow would stop briefly as it presumably loaded things while the first two times it just swirled non-stop.
    1
    Great procedures

    [Caveat emptor: adopt/follow this guide at your own risk].

    [Important Note: this process is applicable for CM11 builds that still maintains two separate partitions for /data and /media – as the case with CM10.x and stock ROMs (see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48612997#post48612997 for more info). If/when these two partitions get merged in some future CM11 builds (as being contemplated by our NT CM developers – see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2560827&page=28) this installation process will not be valid for those future builds with merged /data+media partition].

    The following is the process using SD-based recovery to install CM11 internally (i.e., on emmc) on a Nook Tablet running stock ROM. [If your NT is already running CM10.x, see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2670589 for a simpler process to update from CM10 to CM11].

    1. Using a disk partition tool (such as MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition) create on SD card a Primary FAT32 partition, and set the partition ID type for the partition to 0x0C FAT32 LBA and set its Active flag. Once this is done, the partition should appear as a (read/write accessible) drive under Windows
    2. Obtain and copy to the SD card the following files:
    3. Put the SD card into the NT, and boot from its power off by inserting a powered USB cable. Press and hold the N button as soon as CyanoBoot comes up to get the boot menu to display.
    4. Select SDC Recovery.
    5. [Optional step but highly recommended] Select Backup to backup your NT current ROM config (/boot, /recovery, /system, and /data).
    6. Select Wipe data & factory reset.
    7. Select install zip from SD card and install flashable CWM recovery zip file.
    8. Select install zip from SD card and install CM11 zip file.
    9. Select install zip from SD card and install Gapps zip file.
    10. Remove SD card and select reboot.

    Once the NT boots up, set up the wifi connectivity and your google account info. If you had previously used Google backup service on your NT your apps will be auto-downloaded (but their settings will not be auto-restored).

    Notes
    • If the Nook fails to boot off SD -- the two most common symptoms of failed SD boot and their likely causes are:
      • The NT boots straight to stock -- most likely the boot partition's type and/or flag are not correctly set, or the NT cannot find the MLO in the boot partition (make sure that MLO is the very first file to be copied to the freshly made /boot partition).
      • The NT screen stays dark for seemingly a long time then eventually boots to stock -- most likely the MLO or u-boot.bin are corrupted. When in doubt, compare the size of the two copies of the files in bytes.
    • Installing CM11 ROM and Gapps will override your NT's current boot, recovery, ROM, and Apps, so make sure that you backup all this stuff using recovery backup function, for easy in reverting to previous ROM if desired. See my post at http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48612997#post48612997 for more "Info and Tips for Mitigating Risks in Rooting and Flashing Custom-ROM".
      Also, I would advise against using any other functions of the recovery without first carefully researching to understand what they really do.

    My thanks to all the developers who collective work created the wonderful CM11 ROM for the NT as well as the tools and info I made use of to install it.


    Your procedures worked out great. I've managed to take a stock Nook Table and have it running KitKat 4.4.4 in 3 day. The 1st 2 days I had only managed to root it and play around a bit. Thanks to every ones great work I'm up and running. 1st boot was a bit interesting as I renamed openrecovery-twrp-2.6.3.1-acclaim-sdcard.img to recovery.img.img but after review the SD Card / rebuilding there were no more issues. it it booted and worked great. Thanks again ===
    1
    I ran into a problem and am hoping for a hand. My NT boots perfectly form the SD card and loads up the recovery screen while following the instructions, I made a backup, but when I go to do the data wipe and factory reset or start to install the CWM file I get an error of "E: Unable to mount '/BootData' ".

    I have tried starting over by resetting up the Nook and registering it again, but same thing. If I pull out the SD card it boots right up into use as a standard NT ready to register and go.

    I am going to try again starting over and with a different version of TWRP just in case that is the issue.
    ...
    Did you try TWRP v2.6.3.0 (openrecovery-twrp-2.6.3.0-acclaim-sdcard.img at http://techerrata.com/browse/twrp2/acclaim)?