NOTE, YES, THIS IS A LONG DRAWN OUT VERSION OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY VERY VERY QUICK PROCESS. This is for reference only. I know there are a few people out there just like me who probably had a few small hickups getting back to stock with the firmware. This is to help "spoon-feed" the instructions to you.
FYI NOTE - I originally did this for the Moto X back when I still had it. Video below was on a VZW Moto X back in September. I also did the EXACT same process when I received my MAXX two days ago. Exact same hardware, same process.
Two Methods-
Method 1 - RSD Lite
Method 2 - Manual Flash
If you cannot get RSD Lite to recognize your device, try Method 2, it works like a charm!
Downloads:
I assume you already have adb drivers if you're even here.....otherwise get them from the latest sdk here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
Moto Drivers (Motorola Device Manager): https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/88481
RSD Lite (I used version 6.1.5): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/42057363/RSDLite_v6.1.x.zip - Extract and use 6.1.5
Stock Firmware: http://sbf.droid-developers.org/ thanks to Skrilax_CZ and Firmware Team
Moto Fastboot exe: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0dUKGxGylgNTk43eU0xc3VLekE/edit?usp=sharing - NOTE - YOU MUST UNZIP AND USE THIS WHERE MANUAL FLASH SAYS "mfastboot"
My Setup: Windows 8 machine <--obvious driver issues as usual
My Devices: VZW Moto X AND Droid MAXX
METHOD 1 - RSD LITE
Step One - Download and install RSD Lite. At the moment, I can't find where I got mine from, so anyone who wants to add a proper link to it would be appreciated. I used version 6.1.5 and it worked fine.
Step Two - proper driver installation. If you're like me, you probably at one point got drivers quasi-working but here's what I did that worked - download and install "Motorola Device Manager" and it *should* give you the proper drivers. This was necessary (maybe) because I could get adb to recognize my device, as well as fastboot, however RSD refused to see it. This install fixed that.
Step Three - download and install the proper firmware for your device. NOTE: You MUST MUST MUST choose the right firmware for your device or you will FUBAR your phone.....not my responsibility.
Step Four - Unzip your firmware zip file, open it up through the layers and find the file "VZW_XT1060_4.2.2-13.9.0Q2.X-116-MX-17-53_CFC_1FF" or whatever version/carrier/build number file yours is, its the XML Document file. Right click -> Open with.. -> Notepad/word editor/XML Editor/wordpad and find the line:
<step operation="getvar" var="max-download-size" />
^^^You need to select this entire line and just delete it out of the file. This is the line that gives fastboot flash error. Select it, delete it, then resave the file an exit out of it. Done.
NOTE: This is required or the firmware flash will immediately fail giving a "failed flashing process. Unknown fastboot command. (getvar)"
-For the sake of security, and not messing with important files, I'd actually recommend zipping the file back up after this and keeping as your final version (once you've confirmed yours works correctly)
Step Five - Plug in phone, enable USB debugging, then "adb reboot bootloader" - this will boot you into fastboot mode so RSD will recognize your phone
Step Six - Run RSD Lite - note that some people have had trouble and have to right-click run as administrator. In RSD Lite, make sure phone shows up in slot 1 - mine shows up, under Model, just says fastboot, USB port type, info N/A, important part is that it shows as Connected in status. Select the three-dot browse file button, then you can go down into the unzipped file you created of the XML folder, and select the XML file that we just edited earlier (or select the rezipped package). Select open and flash. (or decompress and flash)
Step Eight - Profit
METHOD 2 - MANUAL FLASHING
Much easier AND don't have to deal with getting RSD Lite to work....
Note - this was done on VZW variant, and based on XML file of that particular firmware. Get these instructions from your firmware package XML file.
Note 2 - VERY IMPORTANT!!! - You MUST use mfastboot (Moto fastboot) for the system.img flash as its too large for standard Android fastboot to handle, your flash WILL fail if you use standard fastboot. Hence why it says "mfastboot" this is not a typo.
First simply boot into fastboot mode - manually OR adb reboot bootloader
FYI NOTE - I originally did this for the Moto X back when I still had it. Video below was on a VZW Moto X back in September. I also did the EXACT same process when I received my MAXX two days ago. Exact same hardware, same process.
Two Methods-
Method 1 - RSD Lite
Method 2 - Manual Flash
If you cannot get RSD Lite to recognize your device, try Method 2, it works like a charm!
Downloads:
I assume you already have adb drivers if you're even here.....otherwise get them from the latest sdk here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
Moto Drivers (Motorola Device Manager): https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/88481
RSD Lite (I used version 6.1.5): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/42057363/RSDLite_v6.1.x.zip - Extract and use 6.1.5
Stock Firmware: http://sbf.droid-developers.org/ thanks to Skrilax_CZ and Firmware Team
Moto Fastboot exe: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0dUKGxGylgNTk43eU0xc3VLekE/edit?usp=sharing - NOTE - YOU MUST UNZIP AND USE THIS WHERE MANUAL FLASH SAYS "mfastboot"
My Setup: Windows 8 machine <--obvious driver issues as usual
My Devices: VZW Moto X AND Droid MAXX
METHOD 1 - RSD LITE
Step One - Download and install RSD Lite. At the moment, I can't find where I got mine from, so anyone who wants to add a proper link to it would be appreciated. I used version 6.1.5 and it worked fine.
Step Two - proper driver installation. If you're like me, you probably at one point got drivers quasi-working but here's what I did that worked - download and install "Motorola Device Manager" and it *should* give you the proper drivers. This was necessary (maybe) because I could get adb to recognize my device, as well as fastboot, however RSD refused to see it. This install fixed that.
Step Three - download and install the proper firmware for your device. NOTE: You MUST MUST MUST choose the right firmware for your device or you will FUBAR your phone.....not my responsibility.
Step Four - Unzip your firmware zip file, open it up through the layers and find the file "VZW_XT1060_4.2.2-13.9.0Q2.X-116-MX-17-53_CFC_1FF" or whatever version/carrier/build number file yours is, its the XML Document file. Right click -> Open with.. -> Notepad/word editor/XML Editor/wordpad and find the line:
<step operation="getvar" var="max-download-size" />
^^^You need to select this entire line and just delete it out of the file. This is the line that gives fastboot flash error. Select it, delete it, then resave the file an exit out of it. Done.
NOTE: This is required or the firmware flash will immediately fail giving a "failed flashing process. Unknown fastboot command. (getvar)"
-For the sake of security, and not messing with important files, I'd actually recommend zipping the file back up after this and keeping as your final version (once you've confirmed yours works correctly)
Step Five - Plug in phone, enable USB debugging, then "adb reboot bootloader" - this will boot you into fastboot mode so RSD will recognize your phone
Step Six - Run RSD Lite - note that some people have had trouble and have to right-click run as administrator. In RSD Lite, make sure phone shows up in slot 1 - mine shows up, under Model, just says fastboot, USB port type, info N/A, important part is that it shows as Connected in status. Select the three-dot browse file button, then you can go down into the unzipped file you created of the XML folder, and select the XML file that we just edited earlier (or select the rezipped package). Select open and flash. (or decompress and flash)
Step Eight - Profit
METHOD 2 - MANUAL FLASHING
Much easier AND don't have to deal with getting RSD Lite to work....
Note - this was done on VZW variant, and based on XML file of that particular firmware. Get these instructions from your firmware package XML file.
Note 2 - VERY IMPORTANT!!! - You MUST use mfastboot (Moto fastboot) for the system.img flash as its too large for standard Android fastboot to handle, your flash WILL fail if you use standard fastboot. Hence why it says "mfastboot" this is not a typo.
First simply boot into fastboot mode - manually OR adb reboot bootloader
Code:
fastboot oem fb_mode_set
fastboot flash partition gpt.bin
fastboot flash motoboot motoboot.img
fastboot flash logo logo.bin
fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
mfastboot flash system system.img
fastboot flash modem NON-HLOS.bin
fastboot erase modemst1
fastboot erase modemst2
fastboot flash fsg fsg.mbn
fastboot erase cache
fastboot erase userdata
fastboot erase customize
fastboot erase clogo
fastboot oem config carrier vzw
fastboot oem fb_mode_clear
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