So I have one of those dreaded 2.51 stock ROMs, what now?

[ToTTenTranz]

Greetings,

I just bought and legally unlocked a Motorola Defy from Spain, and the carrier was Vodafone.

Checking the ROM in it, it says the following:

System version:
Blur_Version.2.51.1.MB525VF360Blur.Vodafone.en.ES

While the build number says:
JRDNEM_U3_2.51.1


So it's a 2.51.

What exactly does this mean?
I've searched the forum up and down and I still don't quite get it.

The only info I got was:

!!!!!!!!! Flash only if you come from a 2.21 or 2.34 rom "That is because it has version 2 for CG31 and CG39, if you are on stock 2.51 those versions are 3 and if you flashed leaked froyo those are 4 and you cannot flash any firmware with lower versions. if you are on 2.21 or 2.34 you can flash this, otherwise you will brick your phone. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I don't understand what this means. What's version 2 and 3? What's CG31 and CG39?


There's no official 2.2 Froyo update for my phone, and AFAIK there's no news saying when that may happen.
I don't want Blur (I want to be able to use stock Android widgets), and I don't want the Vodafone or any other operator's stuff.
I know there's no stock ROM without those things so I'll have to do with a modded ROM (I'm very compelled to getting this one).

I'd also like to have the oportunity to reflash the phone to its stock ROM, in case I need to send it to warranty.


I flashed my girlfriend's Milestone with the latest UK official ROM through RSD Lite (after the phone bricked when I used the official update procedure!), and it was a rather simple procedure.


So given that I have one of those "bad" 2.51 ROMs, what additional procedures do I need to make, besides the sbf flashing through RSD Lite?

 

[marhensa]

don't worry mate.. i have 2.51 too.

where to start it..
um.. maybe this.
CMIIW.

SBF is just like RAR and ZIP, it is packaging file.
inside SBF there many files, two of those are CG31.SMG & CG39.SMG.
some newer release SBF (froyo) might have EARLIER "version" of CG31.SMG and CG39.SMG
than CG31.SMG and CG39.SMG on your phone (2.51).
which mean it can't be done to flash it (flash to earlier version).

as long as you not flashing CG31.SMG and CG39.SMG when you apply froyo (leaked or official) update. it's fine..
i think someone here (fritolays) found method to FIX the SBF to exclude CG31.SMG and CG39.SMG. name of that SBF is FIXED SBF.

so if you want to upgrade to froyo, do not flash FULL SBF.
but use clockwork recovery to wipe data and wipe cache, then apply the nandroid backup, then flash the FIXED SBF using RSD Lite 4.9.

----------------------------------------
my advice before you doing anything,
do a factory reset, get root, install custom recovery,
then just create a nandroid backup of your stock 2.51 with custom recovery,
and make sure you have a FULL SBF of 2.51 of your region, and you have FIXED SBF 2.51 of your region.

so if you want to go back to eclair stock:
-install custom recovery, go to custom recovery, wipe data and wipe cache,
-apply restore nandroid backup of your stock
-flash the FIXED SBF 2.51 of your region.
-----------------------------------------

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Ok, I now have a nice brick, for the moment.

After rooting, installing the clockwork mod and backing up my original ROM, I flashed a "fixed" SBF from the 3.4.3-11 version.
After the flash, the phone just hangs in the motorola symbol on and off (by about 2 minutes).
I tried both this SBF:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12596803&postcount=845
and this one:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12357943&postcount=62


Both give me the same result: Motorola logo on and off, and no boot.
The bootloader is still accessible.


RSD Lite says to power up the phone manually, but it does so by itself.
Is there some hidden ritual that I don't know of? (like unplugging the USB at a certain time or pressing some buttons?)


Any suggestions?
I've seen this one:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12620475&postcount=7

But I don't even know if it's a fixed ROM or not.. should I try it?

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Tried the following ROM with the same result:

3.4.2_155-Fixed.CEE_DEBLUR.sbf

I'm starting to get a bit preocupied here.
Help?

 

[Dewman4life]

Try restoring a nandroid backup first, then right when you reboot go into stock recovery and flash the fixed sbf for that nandroid backup you installed and it should work fine. It sounds like you may have flashed a fixed sbf before you installed a nandroid backup. Hope this helps.

Sent from my MB525 using XDA App

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Try restoring a nandroid backup first, then right when you reboot go into stock recovery and flash the fixed sbf for that nandroid backup you installed and it should work fine. It sounds like you may have flashed a fixed sbf before you installed a nandroid backup. Hope this helps.

Sent from my MB525 using XDA App

How can I restore the nandroid I did previously?
The clockwork restore boot has been uninstalled, and the restore boot I have right now only has "wipe data", "wipe cache" and "apply update.zip"..

 

[antony.ps]

As far I know, you can't enter custom recovery from a boot loop. I don't know if this is correct, but the only way i see to you is flash the full SBF of your stock rom, that you can find here:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=966537

Tons of JRDNEM_U3_2.51.1, choose that best fits your phone and go. Next time, BEFORE flashing the fixed SBF, restore nandroid.

 

[marhensa]

Ok, I now have a nice brick, for the moment.

After rooting, installing the clockwork mod and backing up my original ROM, I flashed a "fixed" SBF from the 3.4.3-11 version.
After the flash, the phone just hangs in the motorola symbol on and off (by about 2 minutes).
I tried both this SBF:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12596803&postcount=845
and this one:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12357943&postcount=62


Both give me the same result: Motorola logo on and off, and no boot.
The bootloader is still accessible.


RSD Lite says to power up the phone manually, but it does so by itself.
Is there some hidden ritual that I don't know of? (like unplugging the USB at a certain time or pressing some buttons?)


Any suggestions?
I've seen this one:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12620475&postcount=7

But I don't even know if it's a fixed ROM or not.. should I try it?

oh damn..
you just bricked your phone right...
the steps are wrong... the steps are:
root>install custom recovery>apply nandroid backup of froyo>reboot but immediately go to bootloader>flash fixed sbf of froyo.
you have to restore nandroid backup of froyo 3.4.3-11 first before you flash the fixed SBF of 3.4.3-11.

from your explanation,
you create backup of your 2.51 then flash the fixed sbf of 3.4.3-11?

if it is true, the ROM is still eclair 2.51 and you install the 3.4.3-11 firmware,
i think that's the problem.
you should restore nandroid backup of froyo 3.4.3-11 first before you flash the fixed sbf of 3.4.3-11.

after that, you follow what pays thread says to do to install his rom.

just because your defy cannot be started,
what you can do now is just flash your phone back to eclair 2.51 first with full SBF, not fixed.

the condition now is you have FIXED firmware of 3.4.3-11, but with 2.51 ROM inside.
just because it is fixed, you still have a chance going back to eclair 2.51
search Full SBF Eclair 2.51 of your region, and flash it with RSD Lite.

hope and make sure your battery is full enough to flash the full SBF, maybe 60-80% is enough.
because with that condition, i think the battery is not charging, even you charge it.

after everything is back to normal (eclair 2.51)
then if you still want to use pays, follow this method
-root
-install custom recovery, reboot to custom recovery
-restore nandroid backup of froyo 3.4.3-11 (if you can't find it pm me)
-immediately flash fixed sbf of froyo 3.4.3-11
-now your phone should froyo 3.4.3-11
-install pays rom with custom recovery

 

[ToTTenTranz]

I flashed this sbf and I now have a working phone with a 3.4.2-155 firmware. Phew...

So I should have "restored the nandroid backup of 3.4.3-11" while still having the 2.51 firmware and only then I should have flashed the fixed firmware?
Sorry, this is really confusing for me.


With this 3.4.2-155 firmware, can I still do that procedure to get the pays rom?

 

[marhensa]

I flashed this sbf and I now have a working phone with a 3.4.2-155 firmware. Phew...

With this 3.4.2-155 firmware, can I still do that procedure to get the pays rom?

oh no...
you flash the FULL SBF of 3.4.2-155??

you should flash FULL SBF of 2.51...
i think you lost your downgradeability now...

but you still can use pays,
just follow like pays thread says.

just because you lost your downgradeability,
you shouldn't even care to flash the full SBF 3.4.3-11 now..
(you don't have to use any nandroid backup now to upgrade to newer build)

So I should have "restored the nandroid backup of 3.4.3-11" while still having the 2.51 firmware and only then I should have flashed the fixed firmware?
Sorry, this is really confusing for me.

yea, you should do that...
while still having 2.51 firmware,
you should restore the nandroid backup of 3.4.3-11 first,
and then you flash the fixed sbf of 3.4.3-11.

 

[antony.ps]

Now you are +1 that can't go back to 2.1 \o/ (like me kkkk)
If you have flashed the full SBF from 2.51.1 you could still have a chance.

And yes, you can go to any ROM that is 2.2 now, test Pays, LiquidArc and BluelessGinger from JBoogie3 and Barebones from Fritolays(my favourite). Don't worry about nandroid backups anymore, just do the full SBF when you install a new ROM (it's what I do).

 

[ToTTenTranz]

But as soon as the Spanish Vodafone release a Froyo ROM, I should be able to flash to that and still get the warranty if I need to, right?


Truth be told, I would never want to go back to 2.1, except for warranty procedures.

 

[antony.ps]

The problem is that, only if you can find a SBF from Vodafone ES you will have your warranty. And this is just a possibility, since this SBF was not released yet. Good luck for you (and for me, since I'm in the same situation, heheheh)

 

[marhensa]

But as soon as the Spanish Vodafone release a Froyo ROM, I should be able to flash to that and still get the warranty if I need to, right?


Truth be told, I would never want to go back to 2.1, except for warranty procedures.

as long as the official spanish vodafone SBF have the latest version of CG31.SMG and CG39.SMG inside (newer than CG31.SMG and CG39.SMG inside 3.4.3-11), it should be fine..

otherwise there's workaround though.
if just in case the CG31 and CG39 are in lower version,
you should restore nandroid of official froyo spanish (when it released)
then you flash the fixed sbf of that release.

i am sorry for your lost...
but you can still go back to 2.51 though..
but not in proper "real eclair 2.51"
i will post this method if you ask.

 

[Dewman4life]

Helps to read all the threads on the process as there are many. Now the problem lies your on froyo and can't get back to eclair if you need to send it in for repair. The main thing tho is your back up and running.

Sent from my MB525 using XDA App