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Root help save a brick

1

13kyl

Member
My wife got a droid-2 almost a year ago. I got a piece' o' shite'. I recently inherited my dad's htc droid eris (he got an iphone4) I loved my droid eris (even more than the droid 2) for 2 days (I even got it tethered), it ran like spitfire until I decided I should root it. clearly I know less than I thought.

I now have an un-rooted (I tried and failed) eris with no os. I have tried recovery and tried; ok I have literally been scouring threads for eight hours straight. It is now six in the morning and the sun is coming up. I need to know how to unbrick an eris. I cannot go back to my glyde or pay fifty dollars to replace my broken pile of no data or video, crappy battery life piece of ungodly shit.

Please help.

I have installed the drivers for bootloader on my pc (windows 7). I can get the eris to the FASTBOOT USB screen, and HBOOT mode. I have a micro sd card with PB00IMG.zip <-- that on it and it doesn't work from hboot mode or from restore.zip.

I need serious help and I apologize for that. If anyone out there can walk me through this I would very much appreciate it. I can't go back to my glyde!
 
The Eris is extremely difficult to brick. Hang in there and let the guys who know about this kind of thing chime in. They've brought more than one Eris back from the dead.

As a preliminary, how did you attempt to root your Eris?
 
I was following the instructions on theunlockr.com

I ran into trouble after I was able to get the bootloader installed and visible in device manager.

The instructions said to turn the phone back on and enable usb debugging (which I had done before).

The problem is, my phone wouldn't load.

I must have interrupted a step somewhere because all I get is a splash screen.

I tried to follow a thread in another forum using the "battery removal trick" and I've read about "ahmen-ra" but couldn't figure out what it is or how to get it. In the thread with the battery removal trick the guy really seemed to know what he was talking about but the thread tapered off and there was no recorded conclusion. Perhaps they gave up or perhaps they fixed it and didn't post the final outcome. I just can't give up. I can't justify the cash for a new phone and my contract doesn't upgrade for over a year. If I can get a rom that will pass signature verification (like a factory default) I think it will work.

If anyone knows how to get around signature verification in a non-root phone with no os that would work. Again, I've heard ahmen ra, but I don't know if that will work. I'll continue to look for a resolution today.

*Amon Ra
 
There is a deleted forum post that mentions .sbf

Someone in the replies mentions it's illegal and the post was deleted and the member's status is "banned"

This looks promising, but also like something someone really doesn't want anyone to know about.

If you google "unbrick eris" it's the first result.
 
It looks like this is the end of the line.

Does anybody know how to unbrick an Eris????

Does anyone know how, where or from whom I can download a version of android that will work (with "apply sdcard:update.zip") from the recovery screen in a phone that does not have root.
 
I'm in the same boat as you are... Phone won't boot past the Skateboard Droids, can't mount the phone the computer, so I have honestly no idea how to root it without getting into the actual OS. I've been searching, but found nothing. :confused:
 
I think a lot of people are in the same boat. I wish there were explicit instructions not to pull your battery EVER when attempting to root. No one mentions that.

To recap. NEVER pull your battery! I hope someone sees this before they make the same mistake as I did.
 
13kyl said:
I think a lot of people are in the same boat. I wish there were explicit instructions not to pull your battery EVER when attempting to root. No one mentions that.

To recap. NEVER pull your battery! I hope someone sees this before they make the same mistake as I did.
Click to expand...

13kyl,

metlcat gave me a heads-up that you had posted a thread here...sorry I didn't see you earlier, but I don't often scan the trouble-shooting sub-forums since there's usually not much going on.

Can you give a little more information and description about the current state of your phone, what exactly you've done, the links from which you've obtained files (especially the PB00IMG.zip file, its size, and MD5 checksum).

The more detailed information, the better since its a pretty slow and tedious process to do this kind of debugging over a forum thread, like I'm sure you've seen from your reading. Be precise and if you need to describe something that you've already seen a post or image about, please provide the link for reference (so we can look at the same thing you are).

Since it doesn't sound like you've rooted or messed with ROM manager, you might be able to resurrect your Eris by using the RUU (ROM update utility)--its probably the best and first, most obvious step to try. I'll dig-up the information about that while you respond to this post.

Cheers!
 
First please post the info on your hboot screen. I'm not at home right now,but ill try and help as best I can till I get there.
 
scotty85 said:
I got a similar heads up. Looks like you are in good hands :cool: I will check in a lil later :)
Click to expand...

Scotty,

I think the OPs had a long, hard day...wish we had seen this earlier when he/she had more time and energy.

Take heart though, 13kyl, there's several things that can be tried.

I might let Scotty drive though if he doesn't mind :D -- I've only been a sideline observer for the most recent near-bricking recoveries.

Scotty, do you think I should move this to the all-things-root sub-forum just in case eu1 is watching?

Cheers!
 
Thank you so much for responding scary alien and scotty85.

Here is my HBOOT screen:

PB00100 XC SHIP S-ON
HBOOT-1.49 0000 (PB0010000)
MICROP-0111
TOUCH PANEL-SYN104
RADIO-2.42.01.04.27
Feb 8 2010,00:08:56

I got PB00IMG.zip from here:
How To: Root the HTC Droid Eris (and Get Android 2.1)(Updated ? 06.11.2010) | TheUnlockr

I manually installed a drivers on my pc from a zip called android-usb-driver I got from a link from: trying to find the exact page

I don't think I ever actually did anything to my phone except remove the power source when it was booting.



I was trying to use "unrevoked 3" I have it downloaded. I never actually got to that step though.
 
Okay, just some prep work and info for you while we wait on Scotty's input, too. I just wanted to have you download and get the RUU since that's probably what I'd have you do first.

Download (but don't run, yet), the HTC Eris RUU (ROM update utility):

Shipped ROMs

(FYI, the above was referenced from here:

http://androidforums.com/eris-all-things-root/92096-verizons-ruu-official-2-1-droid-eris.html

and here:

RUU_Desire_C_Verizon_WWE_2.36.605.1_release_signed _with_driver.exe - xda-developers)

I do have a question for you though, did you actually move the PB00IMG.zip file to your SD card's top-level (root) directory and try to load it as the Unlockr instructions tell you?

I'm re-downloading that file (again) to (re-)compare with my copy of the base root ROM. I'll post back here with the size and MD5 checksum for you to compare to your copy (hopefully, you simply had a partial download and it wouldn't flash).

Cheers!
 
13kyl,

FYI, the PB00IMG.zip file downloaded just fine for me (for the umteenth time, LOL) and its MD5 checksum and size check-out against the good, known values:

MD5 checksum: 63eacc5ede3b179f95dc22d8ef585f94
File size (bytes): 107,427,740

So, if you can verify those attributes, you'd be sure that you at least have a good, working copy of the base root ROM that we'll (eventually) use to try to get the S-OFF (unsecured) bootloader. You should be able to find an MD5 checksum app for your particular PC / OS with a simple Google search (the one I primarily use is DOS/command-line based).

Cheers!
 
thanks for steppin in scary! i think this should defiantely be in the all things root subforum.

so first things first... i know one user can get to hboot and fastboot,but lets go over some basics.

what happens when:
1) you power off,unplug the phone from the pc,then power on holding volume down? make sure youre holding vol - a little before hitting and holding the power button
2) when you power on while holding volume down?
3) when you send + end (again,make sure youre hitting send a little before)
4)what happens when you try and run the PB00IMG file?please try to give as much detail as possible.

there are actually only 3 reasons that a phone will not find an IMG file
1)the file is not correctly named. note that those are zeros(PB00IMG) and not the letter "O". a common error using windows is to name the file "PB00IMG.zip" as windows will add and hide the file extension,so you may be accidentally naming the file "PB00IMG.zip.zip" :eek: try renaming it to just "PB00IMG".
2)the sd card is not formatted FAT32. if its just FAT,or something else,back it up,reformat it,put the PB00IMG back and try again
3) you put the PB00IMG file inside a folder,not on top level of the sd card.

also... have to ask: how long are each of you giving the skateboard guys? i have done some hboot updates that take what seem like hours if youre sitting there staring at the phone :eek: id give it at least 20 minutes before you decide its not going any further.

after answering all that,and verifying the md5 as scary requested above,i believe the first step will be try and run the RUU and see what happens. maybe it will work,and it will end there :) im suspecting pulling the battery while it was booting,however has prolly effed things up pretty good.

you can reference this thread,this is basically what were going to do. since you can still get into hboot,it may work out a lil easier for you :) http://androidforums.com/eris-all-things-root/350856-htc-eris-ruu-wont-run.html

im leavin again,ill be back in a couple hours. hopefully some others can chime in while im gone.

edit: 2nd user having prollems,if you are able to get to hboot by pressing vol- and power please list the info as 13kyl as done
 
ryanmic92 said:
I'm in the same boat as you are... Phone won't boot past the Skateboard Droids, can't mount the phone the computer, so I have honestly no idea how to root it without getting into the actual OS. I've been searching, but found nothing. :confused:
Click to expand...

Ryan,

Sorry, I totally spaced your post, too. Sorry that your first post had to be under these circumstances :(.

All,

Anyway, I've moved this thread to the Eris all-things-root sub-forum since that's the way this troubleshooting is moving.

Cheers (and Scotty and I (and hopefully doogald and/or eu1 will join the party) will be here).

Scotty,

Should we have the OP try the RUU first? (seems that's the first thing that most folks try anyways).

Cheers!
 
My MicroSD card was NOT formatted in FAT32 (it was simply FAT)

It is totally working right now

Blue bar filling up!

Sorry about my absence. My wife seems to think think there are more important things for me to do than work on my phone for 12 hours straight. I totally disagree, but what are you gonna do?

I'm at the splash screen after restart, fingers crossed.
 
Fingers definitely crossed... :D

Since you didn't make any mention of "ROM Manager" or ClockworkMod, I was hoping that yours was not another case of bad blocks on your internal memory (that is a lot more involved to debug and recover from).
 
Hooray! If you got all "ok"s ill assume it will boot fine. Assuming it does,do NOT continue following he unlockrs procedure. We can help you do it more safely. :)

This is the root rom, right scary? He will be s-off after,so there are several ways he could procede :)
 
scotty85 said:
Hooray! If you got all "ok"s ill assume it will boot fine. Assuming it does,do NOT continue following he unlockrs procedure. We can help you do it more safely. :)

This is the root rom, right scary? He will be s-off after,so there are several ways he could procede :)
Click to expand...

Yep, if its the same one that we've referenced above (I double-checked the MD5s with a thread that eu1 posted about the base root ROM). If that's what he's really flashing, he'll have a shiny, new S-OFF bootloader :D.

Cheers!
 
Well it has been ten minutes and I am still on the splash screen. Should I attempt again?

Originally I had a big post answering all of the questions sequentially, but when trying to recreate I ran across the FAT32 suggestion and it appeared to work.

It has been on the splash screen for 14 minutes now.
 
I think it is safe to say something went wrong. I am downloading the MD5 Checksum and I have obtained a new copy of PB00IMG.ZIP from the link I sourced earlier to ensure I'm on the same page.

I really appreciate your help walking me through this.
 
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