[Q] All ROMs are failing

[neolid]

Hi all!

Almost all ROMs out there are failing to work correctly or even boot on my Defy (red lens). Some do boot, some go to bootloop.
Here's the full story. Two days ago the latest CM10 nightly from Quarx went to bootloop, it was working just fine, but at some point the phone rebooted and didn't boot back up.
I've decided to try another ROM and installed WIUI v4 (JB) from CWM. I went to check device's internal memory and it appeared that I had 48 MB used and that that was all internal memory - the system hasn't even loaded total memory info.
I performed some search and found this thread with the similar issue: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1940503
It suggested flashing an SBF via RSD Lite. I did that using the SBF from that thread (2.2 CEE Froyo). I suppose that was my mistake since the thread referred to Defy with a green lens. However, I was finally able to boot the device. I decided to try another SBF. JRDNEM_U3_3.4.2_179-002_DEBLUR_SIGN_SIGNED_UCAJRDN to be precise. Everything went just fine. I was able to root the device, install CWM using SndInitDefy 2.0, and install stable CM7 (the official one, update-cm-7.1.0-jordan-signed.zip) and Froyo kernel from WIUI.
Everything was working fine except for the camera. It was showing the following error:
"Camera error. Cannot connect to camera"
After that I though that maybe I've messed up with SBF versions. The phone is not sold in Ukraine officially and I didn't remember which SBF it used when it was shipped.
I then followed the guide from All-in-one beginners guide and installed that Chinese SBF with Version 5 CG (thus I presume I can't flash any full SBF now since this will cause a black screen and I will have to re-flash 97.21.51 SBF and do all that stuff all over). Again, I was able to root the phone and stuff. However, none of Quarx's nightlies are working, CM7.2 or 2nd-boot CM10 are simply bootlooping, WIUI v4 can't connect to any of Google's services (they constantly FC), and none of the ROMs can connect to the camera.
Currently I'm using the following:
official CM7.1.0
Android 2.3.7
kernel [email protected] #1
Build number Gingerbread GWK74

I'm okay with staying on CM7.1, but I require the camera to work. So, the question is, what should be done in order to make the camera work?
Maybe, I should change some lib files, if so, could you please provide with the link to the correct ones? I've already tried some camera fix SBF's but they didn't seem to work. If there is any additional information required, please let me know.
Any help will be really appreciated!
Thank you in advance.

 

[thekguy]

Maybe you could get rid of the sbf problem(camera issue caused by wrong flashing) by flashing a defyplus sbf with group code 6. Then your camera should work.

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[neolid]

Thanks, thekguy! Will try this later today.

 

[neolid]

Nope, that didn't work, unfortunately. Flashed 4.5.1-134_DFP-125, but the camera is still failing, as well as the latest CM10. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[thekguy]

Hmm, latest cm10 2ndboot right? That's a very bad sign, since that rom indeed works with both the camera modules, and its really curious that it's not working.

Flash back to any defy bl6 sbf from this list(don't flash defy+ sbf since that approach isn't working):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=966537

Wipe data, and use the defy ultimate wiper script(it's there in themes and apps section, use ext4 version if you're on cm10 or ext3 for any other rom).

Now flash cm10 2ndboot build, and try using the camera.

Normally that should work, even if you have a green lens module, but if not so then it could be add a result of a hardware failure

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[neolid]

Yeah, I've also tried CM7 for Defy+, but that didn't work either. And I guess I pushed my device few steps closer to the brick yesterday. I flashed one of Chinese SBFs (JRDNEM_U3_3.4.3-36-1_CHINESE_SIGN_SIGNED_UCAJRDNEMARAB1B80AA03A.0R_PDS03C_USAJRDNFRYORTINT_P011_A013_HWp3_Service1FF). It's BL7 SBF and it's known for its outstanding unbricking abilities. Didn't work for me. However, the bootloader is still accessible and I will keep playing with the phone today.
I'm getting tired of all this.

 

[thekguy]

Didn't work? Camera or unable to boot?

Remember, you must wipe data from stock recovery before you can boot into the stock rom

Once you are running on the stock rom, check if the camera works. If not then follow my other post about getting to cm10 2ndboot. It may hang once on boot but it will boot after that. If still the camera is not working then I'm afraid it's beyond help

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[neolid]

Didn't work? Camera or unable to boot?

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Didn't boot at all, just a blank black screen. I can't enter stock recovery and the bootloader is not visible. However, if I boot up with power+vol+ and connect the phone to the desktop, RSD Lite detects the phone and I can flash an SBF. But my guess is that this would be useless since the last SBF I flashed was BL7.
Well, I'm at work right now, thus I can't try anything out right now. Theoretically, I should be able to flash any SBF with BL7, and root it using this guide http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1542956

 

[thekguy]

Then, flash both sbfs from that guide, and it should work.

You shouldn't get any blank screen, simply because you've got the highest possible group code, and you cannot have a wrong kernel just after flashing the sbf. It must work

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[neolid]

Thanks. Will definitely give it a try once I get home.

 

[neolid]

OK, I've managed to install 4.5.1-134 DFP-231 Retail.en.EU CEE, root it, and flashed CM10 2nd-boot nightly. However, I'm still unable to boot the phone. It shows CM10 logo spinning for 10-20 seconds and then reboots. I assume that this is the only ROM which can make the camera work. Am I right? If yes, what should I check or do in order to fix the boot looping? If I can use some other ROM, could you please let me know which one exactly and what can be done in order to fix the camera?
Thank you!

 

[neolid]

Just flashed CM10 and checked the log, there's the following message:

set_perm: chown of /system/xbin/tcpdump to 0 0 failed: No such file or directory
set_perm: chmod of /system/xbin/tcpdump to 6755 failed: No such file or directory

Could this be a source of the problem?

 

[neolid]

Another update. I've installed WIUI v4 for GB kernel and looks like it requires less internal memory/RAM to run so I'm able to boot the phone completely. And it's showing that I have 0.00 MB of internal storage in total and 58 MB used. I guess internal memory issue is somehow related to the bootloop.

 

[thekguy]

Before flashing cm10, use both the ultimate wiper scripts(ext4 and ext3 version)


After flashing cm10, go back to boot menu and select tools, file system tools and format to ext4. It should boot now

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[neolid]

Thanks for the clue, but I'm afraid that didn't work. Since I had some time and have no data to lose, I wiped the phone from stock recovery, flashed both standard 4.5.1-134 DFP-231 and rooted 4.5.1-134 DFP-231, wiped everything using both ext3 and ext4 Ultimate scripts, flashed Quarx's 2nd boot CM10, formatted data and cache to ext4 using File System tools. CM10 still bootloops, but at least now I have internal memory info displayed correctly in WIUI v4 (JB). But since it's not a 2nd boot ROM, the camera isn't working.
In fact, I've tried some other 2nd boot scripts (NEGAN-6DIC and Codenameandroid 3.6.6), but they are bootlooping as well.
Maybe there are some other 2nd boot ROMs I should check? Or maybe if I get a nandroid backup of a working system I could restore it on my phone?

 

[thekguy]

Try converting to ext4 and flash after that. It is really curious why it bootloops. You must get cm10 to boot, so that the camera works. Look here for downloading a stock kernel that should hopefully fix the boot loops.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1909242

Scroll down for the post which talks about having a compatible stock kernel which should allow 2ndboot to work(it's titled for bl7 users).

Flash this kernel after stock sbf flash, then try installing cm10.

Let's see how this goes

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[neolid]

Still no joy. Neither formatting, nor following this guide http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1909242 worked. Is there a way to see boot log from a desktop? I have both Debian and Win7 on my desktop.
Thanks.

 

[thekguy]

There is a way to debug using uart, but I have no experience with it. So, sbf flash+ compatible stock kernel failed? Please describe the boot loop. Does it reach the cyanogenmod logo? Or stuck at red Motorola logo? I am at my wits end at this one. All my semi bricks and other problems I could fix by the methods outlined in my previous posts, but they don't seem to work in your case. You flash full sbfs right? And are you able to boot the stock Rom?

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[neolid]

Here's how it loops:
- the phone starts
- shows red Moto logo
- blue led
- red led
- blank black screen
- HW buttons blink once
- CM10 spins for approx 5-10 seconds
- the phone restarts and all the steps repeat
Yes, I'm able to flash full SBF (BL7 ones). I'm able to boot into a stock ROM, I can flash modded SBF for BL7 (the rooted one). I've tried flashing CM10 SBF, but the phone booted into a bootloader and showed an error, with set of numbers. Looks like because of the kernel (my guess is that SBF contains non-2nd boot version of CM10).
If I install WIUI v4 right after I flash rooted SBF I have no issues with the internal storage.
If I install 2nd boot CM10 (Kayant's, Quarx's) I get a boot loop (Ultimate Wipe doesn't help)
If I install WIUI v4 after CM10 (without re-flashing SBF's), I get 0.00 internal storage, but wiping data/cache from stock recovery solves the issue.
Unfortunately, wiping data/cache from stock recovery doesn't do the trick for CM10 2nd boot builds.
One more thing, after I flash CM10 and try to wipe data/cache from stock recovery for the first time, it shows recover log errors. There are errors when entering stock recovery after that.

 

[thekguy]

Might be a false trail, but what about wiping from custom recovery? Dalvik cache wipe?

This indicates that the kernel had loaded before some other problem caused the phone to enter into boot loop. What about the camera in the stock build? Same error as before?:banghead:

The cm10 sbf probably had a lower group code(bl6 perhaps) hence that approach won't work, and even discarding that it will yield the same results as before.

Also, in stock, check if the kernel version changes after you flash the compatible stock kernel from the thread I had mentioned earlier. This is important because otherwise there is no chance for cm10 to boot.

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