Getting back to OTA upgrade path, retaining root, 901 installation

[locofocos]

EDIT: Please also see this extremely relevant page- http://rootzwiki.com/topic/13485-unb...r-bionic-here/

P3Droid recently released a 1-click method to get back on the upgrade path, despite any leaked firmwares you may have taken. I was on 5.7.893 rooted, and it took about 4 or 5 hours for me to finally reach the latest 5.9.901 and keep root access. I've seen many people are having problems keeping root and getting various CG ctd.bin errors. The information is out there, but it's spread across multiple websites, sometimes buried many pages into various threads. I'm putting together everything I found to help get back onto the OTA path, install the latest 5.9.901 firmware, retain root, and install a compatible custom rom. I don't claim any of this information as my own, I'm simply putting it here so you won't have to search as much as I did.

Before beginning any of this, I recommend making a nandroid and titanium backup, if you have the option. Clear your data, cache, and dalvik cache. I didn't, and I believe it has just caused problems. You might be able to get by without it, but if you can't get any of this to work, clear you data and cache, then try again.

To access the bionic's boot menu, with the bionic powered down, hold down volume up and volume down, then tap (or hold if tapping fails) the power button. Once in the boot menu, the volume down button moves the selector down, and volume up selects. "Recovery" will put you in the recovery menu. After you select it, you'll see an android and an exclamation (!) symbol. Tap both volume up and down to move to the recovery menu. Here you use volume up and down to move up/down, and power to select. This allows you to clear data and cache, and install OTA zip files (you'll probably be put here or at the exclamation mark at some point during the 1-click script). If you need to get into fastboot mode, select "AP Fastboot" in the black and white boot menu instead of recovery.

Here's P3's release thread- Bionic Path Saver 1-Click Method
Download link- Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

No matter what rom/firmware you have this will take your device and put you back on the official update of 5.5.896 and you will have the option to update to the 5.9.901 update. This update will also root your device so all you have to do is double click on the runme.bat file.

Step four says "4) The phone will reboot in recovery mode and you will need to install 5.5.896, if you want to try 5.9.901 install it immediately after 5.5.896." In my experience, and reading other posts, it appears that if you install 901 as well right here, step 5 will not properly root your phone. I would recommend just installing 5.5.896, reboot and let it root your phone, perform a forever-root (option 3, or option 2 if root isn't working), then install 5.9.901 if you want.

A user on mydroidworld, realbbb, has released a fix that is supposed to keep root through P3Droid's 1 click method. Bionic Path Saver 1-Click Method - Page 4

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54323236/BPS_fix.rar
Above is a fix for keeping root through this process. Includes updated su binary's and latest zergrush. fyi - this method will throw cdt.bin issues if previously on 59901 and you stop at 55893. included cdt.bin from 901 (named cdt.901). If getting a CG error on cdt.bin, run "moto-fastboot flash cdt.bin cdt.901". Boot CG errors are usaully because 886 boot file was successful. Start stock recovery and apply 55893 and 59901 updates. Other CG errors, try starting the batch over.

EDIT: He has taken the link down and the file is no longer accessible. I've reuploaded the file here- http://www.mediafire.com/?3rdwzi5l84scyqw

After you have extracted P3Droid's 1-click, extract realbbb's BPS_fix.rar into it, overwriting any files. You should then run "runmebbb.bat" instead of "runme.bat". If you are coming from an update before 5.9.901 and haven't ever installed 5.9.901, I get the impression it should properly upgrade you and retain root.

I had already installed 5.9.901 using P3Droid's unpatched 1-click method, which gave me 901 but without root. When I ran realbbb's patched version, it gave me a CG ctd.bin error and I was stuck in fastboot mode. I used this to fix the error- FIX SOLUTION - Invalid CG Version (CG: boot) when going to 5.9.901

If stuck in fastboot...Again, get BBB file unzip it into p3 unzipped folder. Open up the zip file of the version you were upgraded on and copy files over (can rename to keep track...ie cdt.bin from version 901 is now cdt.901)...the files you want are cdt.bin, recovery.img and boot.img. Run the following in command prompt with your phone connected, again you have to be sure you are in the right directory in command prompt (use cd X, where X is the directory to open new directory, and cd.. to back out of directory, use these until you are in the correct folder where you saved these files) If getting a CG error on cdt.bin from 901, run in command prompt in windows with your phone connected "moto-fastboot flash cdt.bin cdt.901". then restart the process from runmebbb.bat

If you're unable to run the one-click, but ran it previously, you should still have the update zips on your SD card. You can boot into fastboot (or if you're here after fixing a CG ctd.bin error) and start the 1-click batch file. I think it fails copying the update zips, but it should continue to flash everything and work fine.

Even after using realbbb's patched version, I didn't retain root when I installed 5.9.901 in the same recovery session immediately after 5.5.893. I believe the root exploit only works for 5.5.893, so you need to let it boot up, root it (the script is supposed to do it), forever root it, then install 5.9.901. If you get to 5.5.893 and it isn't rooted, root it using either
[How To] Root (or re-root) after 5.5.893 or
R3L3AS3DRoot and 43V3R root for the BIONIC v2.1 Forever Root (43V3R root for the BIONIC v2.1)
When performing the zergrush root exploit, it should give a message something like "It's GG man, it worked". If it says something like "Hellions with blue flames", the root failed, probably due to being on 5.9.901. If you didn't use the forever root, go ahead use "43V3R root for the BIONIC v2.1" and pick option 3 (or option 2 if you don't yet have root access or just want to make sure). This should make your phone retain root when you install 5.9.901. You can use a root only app like SuperDim, Titanium Backup, AdAway, or open up terminal and type "su" and enter. To make sure forever root was applied, you can open up a root capable file browser (I recommend Root Explorer) and go to /system/bin/ . Open mount_ext3.sh in a read-only mode (like text-viewer in Root Explorer). Scroll down to the bottom, and there should be these three lines-

chmod 4755 /system/bin/su
chmod 4755 /system/xbin/su
chmod 4755 /system/app/Superuser.apk

Make sure you don't change anything, don't save the file, and don't change any permissions on the file. I have heard that other file browsers' editors may modify the permissions, so they recommend copying the file to your SD card, then reading it.

Once you're on 5.5.893 with root access with forever root applied, you can install the 5.9.901 update. You might be asked to install it, but it should have been copied to your SD card when you ran the 1-click OTA restore from P3Droid (original or patched by realbbb). The file name is "update901.zip". To install it, turn off your phone. Hold down volume up and volume down, then press the power button. Use volume down to move the selector to Recovery, then press volume up to enter it. You'll see an android and an exclamation (!) symbol. Tap both volume up and down. Here in stock recovery you use volume up and down to move up/down, and power to select. Select install update from SD card, then pick "update901.zip". I'm fairly confident it should properly install and you should retain root if you've followed what I've posted.

If everything fails, try this- A easier way back to the update path - RootzWiki It's something you flash in RSDlite. Put your phone in AP Fastboot mode.

Once you get 5.9.901 installed with root access, congratulations! You'll probably want to install a custom rom. Most custom roms will not work properly since they were built off a previous OTA. This thread has links to Eclipse 2.0, Kinetix 1.0, and Liberty, all patched for 5.9.901- .901 radio working with custom rom! - RootzWiki. I used the Bionic Bootstrap to install Eclipse 2.0, and it's working great. I had a great experience with Kinetix on 5.7.893, but I've heard that DroidTheory has discontinued development on the Bionic I've heard good things about safestrap, but haven't tested it myself.

Thanks to all the developers and random forum users I gather information from, including dhacker29, P3Droid, realbbb, stoffelck for this post that led me in this direction- Bionic Path Saver 1-Click Method - Page 9, and any other developers I forget to mention who made this possible. Feel free to post any other information you find that might help other users. (I hope to gather everything here so it isn't buried 10 pages into random threads...)

[namjak]

Thank you for the detailed and lucid instructions. It helped a lot.

[713King]

Thank you so much for this! Putting your hard work of finding stuff into this thread! Thanks again

[gsDroid]

Great compilation of the scattered explanations and procedures for getting back on the upgrade path. Thanks so much, I'm starting the process now coming from Kin3tx rooted with the 5.7.893 update. I'll post back how it goes.

[Pjohn91]

After doing all this, to prevent you from having to do something similar next update install Safestrap!!! Leave your main system alone and boot to the safe recovery to install any roms. That way if an update comes out all you will need to do is boot back to "unsafe" to accept it!

PS> Theory roms are BUTTER with no bugs that I have found yet so not much support needed there and he is still working on ICS for the Bionic.

[gsDroid]

Having a problem getting to the upgrade path. I'm using the P3 method with the updated files from realbbb and the runmebbb.bat. After pushing the files to the sdcard and entering fastboot, my phone at the top says 'AP Fastboot Flash Mode (S) (flash failure)' right away and the cmd prompt sits on sending 'system' <262144 KB>. I am forever rooted on the 5.7.893 kernel/radio with the Kin3tx rom. I also tried the rsd method from 'A easier way back to the upgrade path' and it wipes cache, updates several small files, then hangs on flashing 'system' and fails. Any help would be much appreciated.

[locofocos]

See this thread- HELP: Fastboot Flash Failure ... AP Fastboot mode every time on startup!
Try forever root option 4 (restore bionic). Try installing the latest Motorola USB drivers. Try going into stock recovery and clearing your data/cache. Some people report that rear USB ports are better, being connected directly to the motherboard (or maybe just less of a chance of your cat walking in front of the computer and disconnecting it). You might try redownloading all of the tools and files in case something is corrupt.

[psychdroid]

Awesome work putting all this information in one place locofocos
And as always a big thanks to all the devs who work on building all these files

[psychdroid]

PS> Theory roms are BUTTER with no bugs that I have found yet so not much support needed there and he is still working on ICS for the Bionic.[/QUOTE]

DT is pulling the plug on BIONIC. Check out his twitter, hes mentioned it a couple times

[jecki]

It took some time with plenty of hellions and soft bricked bionics but thanks to you putting all the info in one place I am now running incredibly fast 4g hot spot for free. My co-workers and I thank you!