41.18 bootloader restoring 4.4.2 gpt.bin to flash CM12 nightlies after gpe convert

[d33dvb]

FIRST THING FIRST, THIS IS DANGEROUS. DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Myself and one other person have successfully done this. If you have success as well, please post here. What you DO NOT want to flash, and is the cause of bricks is motoboot.img that is older than what you have now. Just dont mess with it.

What you can do, is flash gpt.bin to get the partition tables re-partitioned to get you back to be able to flash roms from CWM, TWRP, Philz, etc.

That being said, this is my PERSONAL experience, and am only sharing because it got me out of GPE lollipop hell, and I was terrified of the bricks, like everyone else. I will attempt to be more clear in my OP.

I have an XT1034 that I converted to GPE to flash 5.0 Lollipop OTA and it gave me the new bootloader 41.18. I couldnt get to CM12 due to Status 7, and I could only flash 4.4.4 stock, lollipop stock, or CM11, any flashing to CM12 always gave errors about Status 7. Others have reported not being able to wipe /data or /system or mount either in any recovery. The problem is the updated partition table and here is the solution:

IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THIS DIRECTION YOU WILL HARD BRICK. DO NOT RUN THE BATCH FILE IN THE DOWNLOAD. IT CONTAINS 4.4.2 motoboot.img and YOU WILL BRICK. ONLY RUN THE COMMANDS LISTED BELOW!!!

ALSO DO NOT use an older gpt.bin, it must be 4.4.2 or newer!! Use the link below to get a 4.4.2 XT1034 stock rom.)

I flashed a 4.4.2 GPT.bin from this: US_retail_XT1034_KXB20.9-1.8-1.4_CFC.xml.zip (http://motofirmware.com/files/getdow...-14-cfcxmlzip/)

If you want to try the same thing, you can extract gpt.bin from the zip and run this: (ONLY!!)

fastboot flash partition gpt.bin

then download philz here: http://fs1.d-h.st/download/00145/DEw...8.7-falcon.img

rename to philz.img
fastboot flash recovery philz.img

Hold vol - and power, to reboot into recovery, then
format /system
format /data

Download the latest nightlies and gapps and push them like this:
adb push cm-10-10-1000.zip /data/media/0

Reboot into recovery, and flash cm12 and gapps.

Marcus Lemonis!

 

[lost101]

I thought it had been established flashing the KitKat Partiton Table (gpt.bin) was the cause of downgrade hard-bricking.

It would appear the 4.4.4 Partition Table is specifically the cause.

People have been hard-bricking (now have to wait for full firmware images to fix) - because they flashed the 4.4.2 image and then applied the 4.4.4 OTA Update.

Perhaps you should mention that in OP.

I don't think a gpt.bin "4.4.2 or newer" is wise advice. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[andogeek10]

I thought it had been established flashing the KitKat Partiton Table (gpt.bin) was the cause of downgrade hard-bricking.

It would appear the 4.4.4 Partition Table is specifically the cause.

People have been hard-bricking (now have to wait for full firmware images to fix) - because they flashed the 4.4.2 image and then applied the 4.4.4 OTA Update.

Perhaps you should mention that in OP.

I don't think a gpt.bin "4.4.2 or newer" is wise advice. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It is possible to flash 4.4.4 gpt bin, bit it's not possible to OTA update to 4.4.4 from 4.4.2.

 

[lept_2014]

It is possible to flash 4.4.4 gpt bin, bit it's not possible to OTA update to 4.4.4 from 4.4.2.

Exactly.

It's the same if you want come back from GPe to Retail Motorola STOCK, you need change GPe-partitions to Motorola-Partitions. There are some differents between both partitions:
GPE

'cache' -> 560,00 Mb
'system' -> 840,00 Mb

Motorola

'cache' -> 662,13 Mb
'system' -> 976,00 Mb

There is a partition with 2,28 Mb: In GPe is called 'metadata'; and in Motorola is Called 'padA'.

And there is a partition en GPE with 6,13 Mb called 'padC', but in Motorola didn't exists.

Any way, if you downgrade from LP, you don't must flash BL (motoboot.img), or you'll have a pretty brick.

 

[d33dvb]

updated op, I shouldnt have tried to walk anyone through that last night, i couldnt even understand my own english, apologies.

 

[brainscollector]

I just don't understand why peoples push 4.4.2 into phones when there is "safer" 4.4.4 that works perfectly and you must be retarded to brick phone when flashing 4.4.4 and doing anything after it. I will say for sure that 80% of hard bricks are caused by 4.4.2 android and updating to 4.4.4(which makes no sense at all) or doing anything after 4.4.2. Just. Stop. Doing. That.
Flash everything from last KITKAT except motoboot and everything will be fine.

 

[appsmarsterx]

how can I know my current bootloader version ?


P.s : ok sorry got it... it is in the bootloader mode (41.13)

 

[Qaso]

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3002572

 

[d33dvb]

Tell me where to find the 4.4.4 stock xt1034 and I'll link it. My process works. No bricks. Sbf.droid developers is down, send me the 4.4.4 and I'll link it. It is not 4.4.2 causing bricks, it is 4.3!

Sent from my Moto G using XDA Free mobile app

 

[d33dvb]

The link is not able to be verified where that gpt.bin came from, that's why I linked the whole stock ROM and not just gpt.bin


Again, try it if you like, and if you don't, don't!
Sent from my Moto G using XDA Free mobile app

 

[d33dvb]

I am not suggesting that people flash the whole way back to 4. 4.2. I'm only saying that people need to flash the partition tables from 4.4.2 so then you can install recovery and move on to CM. Re read the op I tell you NOT to flash that rom, but to only update gpt.bin

Sent from my Moto G using XDA Free mobile app

 

[Fuchsie]

Xt1032?

Do you think this will work for an XT1032 converted to GPE? I have been unable to flash any sort of custom recovery as of yet like it keeps on disappearing when I reboot the device and becoming stock recovery.

 

[audit13]

Do you think this will work for an XT1032 converted to GPE? I have been unable to flash any sort of custom recovery as of yet like it keeps on disappearing when I reboot the device and becoming stock recovery.

Are you flashing recovery from fastboot? If you use fastboot, try flashing the recovery and using the button combo to boot into recovery from fastboot.

Do you have the 41.18 bootloader?

I have an 8 GB Telus xt1032 that I converted to GPE. While on GPE 4.4.4, I mistakenly allowed the 5.01 OTA update to install. Needless to say, it hung at the boot screen and I could do nothing.

I booted back into bootloader and noticed that my bootloader was now 41.18. I downloaded the stock Telus 4.4.4 ROM and manually flashed everything except motoboot.img (this is the bootloader image and is older than 41.18) and the phone booted without issue. I then installed TWRP and can flash pretty much any custom ROM.

 

[brainscollector]

I've heard it's possible to flash CM12 over Lollipop 5.0.2 official firmware. It was from 3 sources that peoples did it without problems

 

[andogeek10]

I've heard it's possible to flash CM12 over Lollipop 5.0.2 official firmware. It was from 3 sources that peoples did it without problems

It is possible but not on the GPE firmware. There are differences in the /system partition size and the update script doesn't expect this and hence the flashing fails.

 

[Fuchsie]

Are you flashing recovery from fastboot? If you use fastboot, try flashing the recovery and using the button combo to boot into recovery from fastboot.

Do you have the 41.18 bootloader?

I have an 8 GB Telus xt1032 that I converted to GPE. While on GPE 4.4.4, I mistakenly allowed the 5.01 OTA update to install. Needless to say, it hung at the boot screen and I could do nothing.

I booted back into bootloader and noticed that my bootloader was now 41.18. I downloaded the stock Telus 4.4.4 ROM and manually flashed everything except motoboot.img (this is the bootloader image and is older than 41.18) and the phone booted without issue. I then installed TWRP and can flash pretty much any custom ROM.

No no I have the 41.18 bootloader as it's a full conversion.

To get around the boot screen hanging I fastboot flashed a gpt.bin. Cheers for the advice though

 

[zxdavb]

FIRST THING FIRST, THIS IS DANGEROUS. DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Myself and one other person have successfully done this. If you have success as well, please post here. <snip>

Marcus Lemonis!

Finally!

It worked for me: UK Stock KK to GPE KK to GPE LP, on bootloader 41.18 and unable to flash CM12.

It didn't work exactly as you described, it only worked when I did teh following: flash stock v4.4.4 gbt.bin, reboot, flash philz, reboot to recovery, format system (unable to mount it otherwise), flash twrp, convert data from f2fs to ext4 (unable to mount it otherwise), format data, then install CM12, pagapps, and SU.

Thanks!

 

[ianxblog]

Does this downgrade the bootloader to 41.13? I'm on retail 4.4.4 with bootloader 41.18, tried flashing gpt.bin from 4.4.4 and it booted straight to bootloader with the message "fastboot reason: utag flash fail configured as fastboot", then I fixed it by flashing all the other files (except motoboot of course) However I'm still on 41.18..

I just want to get rid permanently of the ripple efect every time you reboot.

 

[audit13]

Motoboot.img is the bootloader file. Once on the 41.18 bootloader, you cannot flash an older bootloader.

 

[pfufle]

The best method imo to flash custom ROMs on the 41.18 boot-loader is:
1) Flash the official Moto 5.0.2 firmwares for your respective devices
2) Flash the OFFICIAL TWRP 2.8.5.0
3) Wipe everything except internal storage. The first wipe will fail and the phone will reboot. Reboot again into the recovery and perform the wipe again. It will work this time.
4) Flash the ROM zip now.
PS: ADB sideload works for me but not MTP.