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Root Issues with fastboot installation of recovery (Too many links)

H

hartm134

Lurker
I've got an issue flashing recovery.

My bootloader is certainly unlocked, I know that for sure.
The first time I tried rooting, I did it all in one go and got stuck at this very step. So I stopped and waited a few weeks. I used the phone, repopulated it and everything.
Now I'm coming back to it and I'm attempting to flash recovery via the ADB Command Method and it's just a mess.

I just need some more detail on exactly what to do after the Bootloader is unlocked, because I've forgotten what I did before.

Like exact down to what I should see on my phone and what my computer should be doing -- serious noob here.


Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
From the guide:

various methods to install amon ra 2.3 recovery:

ADB command method
1.download amon ra 2.3 from here:
PC36IMG_RA_2.3.zip
2.extract the file and then go into and move recovery.img file into the android folder you created when unlocking your bootloader.
3.on your phone after you have unlocked your phone you should be in the bootloader menu screen, select the fastboot option
4.on your computer press and hold shift while right clicking the android folder.
5.select open command window here option (windows 7)
6.enter command:
Code: 
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
congrats!!!!!! you have just installed amon ra 2.3

android flasher method
Android Flasher, what is this and how do i use this?

well with android flasher, you can flash radios, your splash screen (that is what the htc white screen is called right before sprint's boot animation), and your recovery. you will need to extract the .img file from the .zip file. in this case i will show you how to install a custom recovery amon ra2.3.

so here is what you will need to do:
1.download android flasher from here:
AF Downloader
2.and extract it to someplace on your desktop where you can find it.
3.next you will need to download amon ra 2.3from here:
PC36IMG_RA_2.3.zip
4.extract the img.file and place it some where you will be able to find it.
5.run android flasher
6.go to the recovery slot and select browse and then navigate to the amon ra .img file
7.select it and then select recovery
8.then1 at the very bottom select flash

congrats!!!!!! you now have amon ra 2.3 installed.
 
Rxpert, thanks for such a quick reply!

Right, so I've tried the ADB Method.
A few questions:
This "Android Folder" it mentions to put the recovery.img into, is this located on the computer, or on the phone? How particular is the location of this folder?

Also, I'm in the bootloader on the phone, while it's plugged into the computer during all of this. When it says to "Select Fastboot", do I simply highlight it or actually choose it and then do the right click shift thing?

I saw the step by step in the guide, I just really need something far more detailed.
 
hartm134 said:
Rxpert, thanks for such a quick reply!

Right, so I've tried the ADB Method.
A few questions:
This "Android Folder" it mentions to put the recovery.img into, is this located on the computer, or on the phone? How particular is the location of this folder?

Also, I'm in the bootloader on the phone, while it's plugged into the computer during all of this. When it says to "Select Fastboot", do I simply highlight it or actually choose it and then do the right click shift thing?

I saw the step by step in the guide, I just really need something far more detailed.
Click to expand...

The andriod folder is going to be on your computer. It should contain a file called fastboot.exe. The folder doesnt have to be called, android, it just has to contain fastboot.exe and the recovery image your trying to flash.

You need to be in fastboot mode ON THE PHONE. when in bootloader there should be an option for this. highlight it and select using power.

If you have everything in the correct folder, you just need to to do the shift+right click method on the android folder to open up a command prompt there, and then copy and paste the code I quoted above
 
Ok I did a little picture tutorial. Sorry they are so small I can re-upload

Here is an example of my "android" folder. Note its named platform tools here because I was meddling in development for a while. The title of the folder doesnt matter. You just need fastboot.exe and your recovery.img in the same folder.

Note, I do not have the recovery in my folder. You will need it. I also have a lot of crap in there you probably wont have

Shift+right click somewhere near the bottom where there's white space and select open command line.

androidfolder.png




After that all you need to do is enter the correct command to flash. Note: You can copy and paste the correct code.

Keep in mine my "android" folder is named differently, so the words in my command prompt may look different. As long as you use the Shift+right click method to open the command prompt you will be in the correct folder


This image may help clear up whats going on:
commandprompt.png
 
Awesome Tutorial, and you're my hero. But I'm still snagged.

Few things: I'm on Windows XP, so the shift-right click deal required a workaround. I downloaded a tool and I can do it successfully though. Not sure if the workaround might affect my success, but I figure it's worth mentioning.


I have a folder, named "EVO" with all of the stuff from my original attempt in it, including this "fastboot" file and a newly downloaded "recovery.img"
With my workaround, I have to shift-right click on the actual folder containing these files - EVO - and then I can open the command prompt and type in the code.


So I plugged my phone into the computer, turn it off, boot back up into the bootloader, select Fastboot, press the power button, in red the phone says "FASTBOOT USB
THEN I shift right click and type in the command. Below is what happens:
Here's an image, if it's too small, let me know.
recovattempt.jpg



I'm not sure what "too many links means? Maybe I should use a less populated folder? Something wrong on the phone's end?
Thanks again for all your help Rxpert
 
It looks like you have everything setup correctly and correctly entered in the command prompt. So that is good.


Let me do a little digging to try to find out what that error means


Your bootloader is still unlocked correct?


Edit: in the meantime, try it a few more times
 
Ok I had to hop on an IRC channel, but user yhuh from xda says to use:

Code: 
fastboot erase cache
fastboot reboot-bootloader


then redo the

Code: 
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
 
Alright Rxpert, I've got perhaps a small crisis on my hands.
I tried it a few more times and finally looked over at my phone and it appears to be frozen in fastboot usb.

The power button and volume buttons don't do anything and the screen is static.
There's what looks like a green progress bar in the top right that's about 80% full

Is it okay to take the battery out in this mode for a hard reset? Or will that certainly brick the phone? Is it practically bricked already?
 
hartm134 said:
Alright Rxpert, I've got perhaps a small crisis on my hands.
I tried it a few more times and finally looked over at my phone and it appears to be frozen in fastboot usb.

The power button and volume buttons don't do anything and the screen is static.
There's what looks like a green progress bar in the top right that's about 80% full

Is it okay to take the battery out in this mode for a hard reset? Or will that certainly brick the phone? Is it practically bricked already?
Click to expand...

Was this during the recovery.img flash?

I don't think it should brick the device if the battery gets pulled, but I'm not sure why it froze. I think the worst case scenario would be recovery gets borked, but we are trying to overwrite that anyway.

If you pull it def go back into fastboot and do the cache wipe command I suggested above. Maybe restart your computer as well to make sure the drivers didnt lock up
 
Okay I've got it reset and back into Bootloader. Had a fine scare, there.

Do I run those commands the same time I was running the other one? While the phone is in fastboot?
 
Rxpert, I just tried those commands in fastboot, and all it every says is "waiting for device"

Worth noting at this point: I'm not sure if it's new, but on my bootloader screen there's a green RECOVERYoption. That isn't proof that it's done is it?

How exactly will I know that it's done when it's done?
 
hartm134 said:
Rxpert, I just tried those commands in fastboot, and all it every says is "waiting for device"

Worth noting at this point: I'm not sure if it's new, but on my bootloader screen there's a green RECOVERYoption. That isn't proof that it's done is it?

How exactly will I know that it's done when it's done?
Click to expand...

That should be there even in on stock. You can always select it and try booting into recovery. if you get a red triangle with ! thats the stock recovery.

If your stuck waiting for device try reinstalling the drivers


EDIT:
Convo moved to its own thread to keep things easy to follow.

With multiple problems going on in the dummies thread it can be hard to follow whats going on
 
Just reading thru this here, and fwiw, I have had either a "waiting for device" or a "offline" message in adb.
I then used the command, adb kill-server, waited 10 seconds, then adb start-server. The daemon started up, Adb then "saw" my device.
 
Thanks for moving our convo Rx!

Okay so I've restarted the computer, rebooted the phone, and attempted again.

Put the phone in fastboot, shift right clicked my folder, typed in "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img"

and I got the same message: Failed: Too many links.
The same as my previous screenshot.

Then I tried the other commands, clear cache and reboot bootloader, and it only says "Waiting for Device"

Also very much worth noting: the phone has frozen again, just like before. I'll have to do a hard reset to try again. This appears to happen when I try the command prompt.

EDIT: The phone UNfreezes when I unplug the usb, then comes back alive - even when I plug it back in.
 
hartm134 said:
Thanks for moving our convo Rx!

Okay so I've restarted the computer, rebooted the phone, and attempted again.

Put the phone in fastboot, shift right clicked my folder, typed in "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img"

and I got the same message: Failed: Too many links.
The same as my previous screenshot.

Then I tried the other commands, clear cache and reboot bootloader, and it only says "Waiting for Device"

Also very much worth noting: the phone has frozen again, just like before. I'll have to do a hard reset to try again. This appears to happen when I try the command prompt.

EDIT: The phone UNfreezes when I unplug the usb, then comes back alive - even when I plug it back in.
Click to expand...

I had a look around for solutions and some people recommended the following.
When plugging in your device on your pc go to device managers, find android device, and uninstall the drivers.
Unplug your device restart fastboot and connect to your pc again to reinstall the android drivers. I think this can also be done when powered down and plugged into your usb port
The post says that this should work. Can't say I've tried this exact method but I have done something similar a while ago and it did solve the issue.
 
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