Solution to Experiment gone wrong, stuck on logo, No recovery image is found

[cfrockit]

We'll sometimes things go wrong when you experiment with different applications (.apk) especially when you root and put unknown applications in the /system/app folder.

After many, many months of a stable working Sylvania SYNET7LP I become a little to adventurous an attempted to get Google Calendar working by copying some apk files from another infoTMIC powered tablet. I copied these three apk's to the /system/app folder after gaining root. I changed permissions and properties to match to the application in the folder.

Feeling confident I turned off the tablet and turned back on and after the initial infoTMIC logo the SYLVANIA logo popped up and stayed on the screen. The animated SYLVANIA logo never appeared, oh no, the tablet was stuck. Easy answer, "factory reset (three finger method)" but guess what appeared?

No recovery image is found, try recover from SD

Are you kidding, this tablet has NO "recovery image" how can this be. I've done this dozens of times before over the last 6 months. Oh how easily I forgot, after sending various tablets back to Digital Gadgets Customer Service for repair this one has actually been functioning and I hadn't had to factory reset.

So what do I do? Manually update with one of the six (6) known 11.2.1.8 infoTM Update Wrap (.ius) files? Which one? Is anyone better than the others? No way for me to tell? At least I knew this tablet's Hardware ID "hwver" as I recommend anyone finding out immediately or after getting it back from Customer Service, since they are ofter swapped out.

Comparing the "/system" folders of beta4 to beta5, [which where obtained by exporting ADR_AS image "zSYS.img" with vio's IusEdit_0.41 then removing the uImage header, extracting the gzipped system.img archive and finally "Extracting contents of system.img ... " using HTC Android Kitchen by dsixda (xda-developers.com)], I discovered they were exactly the same. Comparing 11.2.1.8.2.2 "/system" folder to beta5 revealed some differences mostly related to Busybox commands. So which one? I decided upon beta5 based on previous discussions surrounding Busybox issues, no other reason.

However, performing a "manual update" seemed like overkill as someone else also noted. Using a PC analogy, reinstalling the BIOS, and the operating system, and updating all the drivers just to get a working tablet seems unreasonable for a simple electronics device.

So to the point of this post.

Instead I decided to use the knowledge gained from all the posts related to updating, development, and recovery and came up with this approach. Way back, the initial update method for other infoTMIC tablets was to use WinHex to "Create bootable SD card" by using the "Disk Tools" to "Clone Disk" with a raw image file "aben.start_sector.001". Upon creating the Clone Disk, the 705 MB partition is formatted FAT 32 with the Format Options - Quick Format. Then on the newly formatted partition an "android" folder is created. So after doing all this, and reviewing their procedure, the files added to the folder included zSYS.img which we've learned is the "recovery" image extracted initially from the InfoTM Update Wrap (.ius) file. Using vio's IusEdit_0.41 I exported ADR_AS image and saved as "zSYS.img" in the "android" folder on the bootable SD card.

With the tablet turned off, I inserted the "bootable SD card" and crossed my fingers. Upon turning on, the tablet displayed -

Booting from SD

Updating Image Android

Burn file system finished

Take off SD and reboot.

Rebooting the tablet, I was returned to the stuck SYLVANIA logo. What was I thinking? I was burning the "recovery" image not a new file system. So I turned off the tablet by using the stylus to push the "reset" button. This time I applied a "factory reset (three finger method)".

Getting recovery image ...

Extracting recovery data ...

Burnning file system ...

Note: Their mispelling, not mine

Recovery OK!

System will boot normally in %d seconds ...

The tablet restarted - infoTMIC logo, SYLVANIA logo, miniturized animated SYLVANIA logo, "Touch crosshair to calibrate" screen. After calibration, the locked Home Screen appeared. Success!

Successful recovery using only zSYS.img instead of having to manually update with InfoTM Update Wrap file containing multiple images including U0 "u-boot-nand.bin", Ramdisk, Kernel, Userdata.

However, not a complete success. Why is the animated logo so small, and after turning Wi-Fi on getting "Unable to scan for networks". Now going to try the method again with the zSYS.img from 11.2.1.8.2.2 and see if any better succes.

So to cut a long story short - if after experimenting or if something goes wrong requiring a "factory reset (three finger method)" and you receive the "No recovery image is found, try recover from SD" message, knowing the Hardware ID 'hwver" and having a recent InfoTM Update Wrap (.ius) file for the tablet, you can use vio's IusEdit_0.41 to export ADR_AS image "zSYS.img" from the file, then use the WinHex "aben.start_sector.001" method to create a "bootable SD card" and copy zSYS.img into an "android" folder on the card. Boot the tablet to burn the "recovery image", then use the "factory reset (three finger method)" to restore.

For those that can't create the "bootable SD card" you could easily burn an exported zSYS.img using the InfoTM Update Wrap Tools (IUW.exe) with "USB mode: Expert burn" with "SYSBACK" checked.

It's "Recovery" it's just not easy!

Enjoy!

Note: This will NOT "unbrick" a tablet when the incorrect InfoTM Update Wrap (.ius) has previously been burned as the U0 "u-boot-nand.bin" image controls the communication with the tablets board. This is only for restoring the file system.

Update - The zSYS.img exported from 11.2.1.8.2.2.ius restored the animated logo to normal size and resolved the Wi-Fi scanning issue.

 

[Cat88Extreme]

cfrockit, could you load the ius file you pulled from your tablet and upload it onto a file sharing network and give us the link so we all can easily create a bootable SD card with the factory 11.2.1.8 file. I feel it worked better than the beta5 version I'm currently using. I messed up my 7LP trying to get the samsung galaxy tab email app working on my tablet (it worked for about 5 minutes before starting to force close, what a beautiful 5 minutes it was, I love that email app).

 

[Jv90]

But i tought that beta5 was the one os that didnt have the button for autorotate screen?? do you think it would be better than beta4? it has been working fine on mine whitout any problem at all......

 

[Cat88Extreme]

Beta5 has autorotate screen. That was the one thing I was afraid I would loose when I had to use a downloaded ius to unbrick and was pleasantly surprised that it worked with Beta5.

 

[cfrockit]

But i tought that beta5 was the one os that didnt have the button for autorotate screen?? do you think it would be better than beta4? it has been working fine on mine whitout any problem at all......

Beta5 has autorotate screen. That was the one thing I was afraid I would loose when I had to use a downloaded ius to unbrick and was pleasantly surprised that it worked with Beta5.

Is autorotate (screen orientation) a function of the file system or the Kernel?

I seen posts related to being out 90 degrees and changing /system/lib/hw/sensors.default.so but never related to getting the function to work. If it's as simple as drivers in the /system folder then we should investigate a working solution for those without the "feature".

As with Cat88Extreme, I was extremely hesitant to have to reset or reload for fear of losing a "feature" but was pleasantly surprised that neither of my attempts to add the recovery image and do subsequent "factory reset (three finger method)" affected autorotate (screen orientation). It worked before and continues to work. One of the few tablets returned for service previously was due to this feature not working.

Work In Progress - researching posts related to sensors.default.so

 

[meggiedude]

All interesting stuff cfrockit.

Couple of questions (that may have been asked before, so forgive me).

Do we have an image that could be used by the Disgo 6000 users out there, like me. At the moment we have no ability to do the 3-finger reset, just factory data reset.

Also, in our case we have no auto-rotation - its all very manual.
So is it likely we don't have the hw for this functionality, or we just don't have the right code loaded for this function to be enabled.

 

[Cat88Extreme]

cfrockit, maybe I missed something or misread your post, I thought you were able to pull the ius file from your tablet and used that to recover the tablet, not a beta.ius file. Or am I wrong?

 

[cfrockit]

Do we have an image that could be used by the Disgo 6000 users out there, like me. At the moment we have no ability to do the 3-finger reset, just factory data reset.

We need a valid Disgo 6000 2.2 update file. A 2.2 InfoTM Update Wrap (.ius) hasn't been located yet. It could only be done using the 2.1 file disgo_12.2.0.5.1.4.ius.

When yours is returned from Customer Service we'll want you to dump the mtd2 "resv" partition to see if there is a valid update or recovery image present.

Also, in our case we have no auto-rotation - its all very manual.
So is it likely we don't have the hw for this functionality, or we just don't have the right code loaded for this function to be enabled.

Reviewing the output of the command "dmesg" may or may not shed some light whether the orientation sensors exist and if a driver is loaded to support their operation. I'll see if I can find an example to post. I am curious though if their functioning is a result of a driver or Kernel programming or both.

 

[cfrockit]

cfrockit, maybe I missed something or misread your post, I thought you were able to pull the ius file from your tablet and used that to recover the tablet, not a beta.ius file. Or am I wrong?

In fact I was NOT able to pull the needed files from the tablet, they were missing. This tablet was a replacement tablet from Customer Service so I was surprised they had not done a complete installation of what I thought was potentially an "official" update to 2.2. What I wanted to ensure, since most of the update files have beta in the name, is NOT to have to install U0, Ramdisk, Kernel, Userdata if not needed. I just wanted the recovery image (zSYS.img) from a good working tablet. Without one, I resorted to exporting one from the known updates. What I think this saved me from is bricking the tablet with a bad U0 image or screwing anything up by burning a beta Kernel image. Again, there is no way to really compare these except installing to see what works and what doesn't and I'm past that point now after many, many months of trying various fixes, hacks, solutions and returning tablets over and over again to get features/functions to work or to get working again.

Other users have posted success in finding the proper files in the mtd2 "resv" partition however, this tablets mtd2 partition was just filled with padding (0xffffffff). Again, really surprised given some of the more recent posts. My guess is those users reported doing at least one successful Over The Air (OTA) update. Since I've had the tablet back from service no new updates have been posted on the update server, so the way it return was basically stock.

I have several months left of warranty so maybe by then there will be an "official" update in that time. If not, time will tell.

 

[meggiedude]

We need a valid Disgo 6000 2.2 update file. A 2.2 InfoTM Update Wrap (.ius) hasn't been located yet. It could only be done using the 2.1 file disgo_12.2.0.5.1.4.ius.

When yours is returned from Customer Service we'll want you to dump the mtd2 "resv" partition to see if there is a valid update or recovery image present.

Reviewing the output of the command "dmesg" may or may not shed some light whether the orientation sensors exist and if a driver is loaded to support their operation. I'll see if I can find an example to post. I am curious though if their functioning is a result of a driver or Kernel programming or both.

OK, Thanks.
As it turns out my replacement Disgo 6000 arrived today,
So I am happy to give this a go.
For the dump, I am assuming you are looking for a dd , as in

dd if=/dev/mtd/mtd2 of=/sdcard/mtd2.img bs=4096

It'll have to wait until tomorrow now. My wife thought I had got rid of the tablet and another turns up today. Not in her good books ;-) lol.

 

[cfrockit]

OK, Thanks.
As it turns out my replacement Disgo 6000 arrived today,
So I am happy to give this a go.
For the dump, I am assuming you are looking for a dd , as in

dd if=/dev/mtd/mtd2 of=/sdcard/mtd2.img bs=4096

It'll have to wait until tomorrow now. My wife thought I had got rid of the tablet and another turns up today. Not in her good books ;-) lol.

LOL as well! If you can either start a new thread or find an appropriate thread as all of us especially the disgo 6000 users will want to know - what Hardware ID "hwver" was returned, what version of firmware, if auto-rotation works, is there a recovery image, and anything else you find. The dd command is correct - if you want to view the image with a Hex editor and it has data then we can investigate, if it's all "ffffffff" that's just padding meaning it's blank, no recovery.

 

[meggiedude]

LOL as well! If you can either start a new thread or find an appropriate thread as all of us especially the disgo 6000 users will want to know - what Hardware ID "hwver" was returned, what version of firmware, if auto-rotation works, is there a recovery image, and anything else you find. The dd command is correct - if you want to view the image with a Hex editor and it has data then we can investigate, if it's all "ffffffff" that's just padding meaning it's blank, no recovery.

Arrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh.

Well the news is not good. When missus not watching powered up the charged tablet, ......or rather tried.

DOA.

Sorry gents, tired of this now. One problematic tablet, one DOA. Frustrating or what?

Like Giveen, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say goodbye too, as this one is going straight back. Sorry.

 

[bobhobbs]

Thanks for the info. I loaded my SYNET7LP tab with many NEWS apps, and then lost my SD2 port. Now I can't upgrade, and effectively have a stagnant tablet (I'm afraid to do a factory reset)!
I must be content to use it "as is".
Please post instructions for a bootable SD card, if possible.