[SOLVED] "fastboot boot recovery.img" not working in Android 4.3

[wzyboy]

I would like to receive OTA updates in the future so I left the recovery untouched on my Nexus 4. In the past I used "fastboot boot recovery.img" to boot into CWM recovery and flash an "update.zip" of SuperSU. So I get a rooted Nexus 4 without flashing custom recovery.

However, things changed after I flashed my Nexus 4 with Android 4.3 factory image listed on Google Developers' page.

In fastboot mode, I tried to use my old routine of "fastboot boot recovery.img", the command line shows:

$ sudo fastboot boot recovery-clockwork-6.0.3.4-mako.img 
downloading 'boot.img'...
OKAY [  0.398s]
booting...
OKAY [  0.002s]
finished. total time: 0.400s

Screen goes off, Google logo appears, screen dimmed, a few minutes passed, nothing happened.

My phone has already "fastboot oem unlock", of course. I tried it again and again. With different CWM recoverys and TWRP, the results are same.

I tried "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img", it works, and I can boot into recovery. But I want to preseve stock recovery so I flashed it back.

I just don't know why "fastboot boot" does not work in Android 4.3 any more while "fastboot flash recovery" still works?


To test it out, I tried these on the Nexus 4 of a friend of mine:

1. Her Nexus 4 was 4.2.2.
2. "fastboot boot recovery.img" works.
3. Flash factory image of Android 4.3, everything's fine.
4. "fastboot boot recovery.img" does not work any more! (neither CWM nor TWRP)
5. "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img" works.

So, the results are exactly same on my Nexus 4 and my friend's. There must be something wrong with Android 4.3, e.g. new security enforcements. Do anyone know something about this? Google did not return any valuable results.



EDIT: Problem solved. As 3rdstring explains: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=44004032&postcount=6 , the new version of bootloader shipped with Android 4.3 factory image changed some of the "fastboot boot" command so you need to specify a kernel commandline to use "fastboot boot" command. For Nexus 4, the command is:

fastboot -c "lge.kcal=0|0|0|x" boot customrecovery.img

 

[italia0101]

Yea Google took out fastboot boot for some reason.... Fastboot flash works fine though

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[wzyboy]

Yea Google took out fastboot boot for some reason.... Fastboot flash works fine though

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Well... I did not see any documentation announacing that... So we cannot use "fastboot boot" in Android 4.3 and future releases?

 

[italia0101]

Well... I did not see any documentation announacing that... So we cannot use "fastboot boot" in Android 4.3 and future releases?

So far no, looks like it was taken out of the updated bootloader.... Maybe security? Maybe they want people who have root to have an unlocked bootloader etc

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Alex240188]

So far no, looks like it was taken out of the updated bootloader.... Maybe security? Maybe they want people who have root to have an unlocked bootloader etc

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

You usually have to unlock you're bootloader to be able to use fastboot boot anyway

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

 

[3rdstring]

Google changed something but it's still possible according to this thread.

fastboot -c "lge.kcal=0|0|0|x" boot customrecovery.img

 

[joshnichols189]

For what it's worth fastboot boot fails on the new Nexus 7 as well, but flash works fine.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[thos25]

For what it's worth fastboot boot fails on the new Nexus 7 as well, but flash works fine.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

So I have read through here quite a bit and I see the new commands for fastboot boot. My problem is I can't even connect with fastboot. Adb works but fastboot just days waiting for device. I deleted my existing SDK and downloaded the newest version (7/29/13). Still no luck. Windows 8 64 bit. Any suggestions?

 

[denzel09]

Interesting

 

[JalopyPilot]

Works Again?

For the record: "fastboot boot recovery.img" just worked fine for me on a Nexus 5 with 4.4.4

 

[pXbz]

even after flashing recovery, device shows stock recovery. I advise folks to visit MiUi forum for the twrp, that way it was quick and easy

 

[thefallnn]

Google changed something but it's still possible according to this thread.

fastboot -c "lge.kcal=0|0|0|x" boot customrecovery.img

what is lge.kcal=0|0|0|x

 

[Longturd]

I dont always boot into recovery from fastboot but when i do, i use
fastboot reboot-recovery



Keep flashing, my friends!