11 replies to this topic

[Jimi]

I've recently gotten a hold of a brand new Motorola Droid X (original). I've heard the horror stories of the bootloader, but I figured they were mostly cleared up now if Cyanogenmod was now offering support. The phone is currently running 2.3.4 and .621 straight from Motorola.

The wiki looks like it's only for the Droid X prior to the .621 update. I've found this thread on XDA which describes a method of flashing to a sbf of the Milestone X and then running zergrushv4 root method. After doing so, will I be able to install CM7? What other steps would be left?

I'm trying to be careful before I actual bother doing anything and it looks like most of the documentation for the rooting/flashing process is out of date since the phone is a bit aged.

Edited by Jimi, 04 May 2012 - 07:12 AM.

[bassmadrigal]

Once you are rooted, you should be able to continue along with the CM guide.

http://wiki.cyanogen...orkMod_Recovery

[CoJaBo]

You need to downgrade to the OTA release that is specified in the wiki; if you do not, the update will fail to flash, causing you to waste a lot of time starting over. You also need to use z4root- the root method specified in the wiki does not work for Motorola devices, I'm not sure why its even still listed.
The builds link on the devices page is wrong, you should install RC1 from the correct page: http://download.cyan.../?device=shadow
There is a camera/torch(flashlight) fix also on this forum that you'll need to get the camera working; the camcorder does not work reliably (it will record, but the recordings are not playable about 75% of the time). This is the only major issue I have noted, and it is otherwise significantly more stable than stock.

[Jimi]

Hmmm. I'm not sure if I can safely flash from this Milestone X ROM to the .340 and not have the 30.04 bootloader get angry at me. I'll have to read up a bit more before playing more. When flashing with CWR I get the "assert failed: run_program("/tmp/check?kernel")" error.

Anybody using CM7 on the DX with bootloader 30.04?

Edited by Jimi, 04 May 2012 - 06:27 AM.

[mecha2012]

You cannot downgrade OTA .621 yet so you're stuck like me lol bit there is light at the end of the tunnel.

First download this
http://goo.gl/WBnOy

Burn it to a CD and boot it its a Linux livecd that's pretty straight forward only 3 options and one of them is reboot lol so the other 2 options are the important ones.

After using that CD you should be factory defaulted and rooted on .621 and since its a gingerbread kernel base lets get the
http://goo.im/roms/R...GB-20120428.zip its gingerbread base not froyo from the official nightly.
Gapps etc...
There you have it 30.04 bootloader with CM7 more stable than the official nightlies

Edited by mecha2012, 06 May 2012 - 04:59 AM.

[DarkIron112]

I have .621 and this is a huge problem for me. I can't downgrade, I'm finding, as people have warned me (but now I understand exactly what that means). I have a thread in the Stable forum. If someone has additional insight as to this I'd appreciate a post! Thanks!

[HerrSonntag]

Would any of these steps be more appropriate for someone who upgraded to .621 via the OTA update?

If the wiki's so out of date, and the currently sold/current version of the Droid X assumes .621, why not update the wiki to reflect this?  Or at least add a section for it (or at least make the WARNING section in the wiki stand out a bit more, i glossed over it and though i bricked my phone trying to flash .602 onto it, lol)

[DarkIron112]

HerrSonntag, on 06 July 2012 - 02:06 PM, said:

Would any of these steps be more appropriate for someone who upgraded to .621 via the OTA update?

If the wiki's so out of date, and the currently sold/current version of the Droid X assumes .621, why not update the wiki to reflect this?  Or at least add a section for it (or at least make the WARNING section in the wiki stand out a bit more, i glossed over it and though i bricked my phone trying to flash .602 onto it, lol)

I had .621 and found myself unable to flash back to previous OSes. To recover from this I flashed Motorola Milestone X (google search ".621 root", it's an XDA article). After which I rooted, got a Droid X recovery from clockwork running, and then I put the Cyanogenmod 9 for Droid X beta installed, which flashed flawlessly (I flashed both the mod, and the Gapps as well). I know it's ICS and if that's not what you're into it, so be it. But currently I don't think there is a way to get the GB ROM onto a .621 Droid X, and if you're aching for non-stock, this ICS does perform well. It's fast, the battery doesn't suffer (might even be better, in my opinion), and the added functionality of a more advanced OS, plus the added functionality of Cyanogen (Profiles/Volume music control FTW!) makes this more than worth it. Note, it's an unofficial port right now but it is being developed. And even if it isn't, it works well enough for me. It makes calls and does wifi, and runs apps (except some more integral ones, like Chrome).

Link -> [beginning] .droidforums. [net] /forum/droid-x-roms /199030-cyanogenmod-9-beta-dx-6-22-a. [html]
Gapps source -> [beginning] .goo. [im] /gapps/gapps-ics-20120429-signed. [zip]

[mdfilio]

HerrSonntag, on 06 July 2012 - 02:06 PM, said:

Would any of these steps be more appropriate for someone who upgraded to .621 via the OTA update?

If the wiki's so out of date, and the currently sold/current version of the Droid X assumes .621, why not update the wiki to reflect this?  Or at least add a section for it (or at least make the WARNING section in the wiki stand out a bit more, i glossed over it and though i bricked my phone trying to flash .602 onto it, lol)

The wiki hasn't been updated since no one has had the guts to change it since we are all 'beginners'. This is one of the disadvantages of online communities with information not really consolidated and spread out through multiple forums. No one has ownership.

In any case, I will at least update the wiki to that effect, since this is one of the advantages of it being an open community, you can participate and do things vendors never will and how you ultimately ended up here in the first place.

**EDIT**
So I did edit the wiki, but my changes were judged inferior and reverted for not providing enough new info besides a warning and a couple of suggested links. So there goes that...

Edited by mdfilio, 05 August 2012 - 05:57 PM.

[HardRock]

Well, I misunderstood the terrific instructions and now I think I've bricked my phone. I was on v4.5.621 with the 30.04 bootloader. After trying to install the 2.3.340 firmware downgrade, I did he battery pull and tried to get to the Android/Triangle screen. Problem is, I got stuck in the bootloader with no way out. After some time, I started getting the message "low battery".

The screen reads:

Bootloader

30.04

Cable Corrupt

Battery Low

Cannot Program

Is there anyway to save the phone???

[patronanejo]

HardRock, on 22 August 2012 - 12:47 AM, said:

Well, I misunderstood the terrific instructions and now I think I've bricked my phone. I was on v4.5.621 with the 30.04 bootloader. After trying to install the 2.3.340 firmware downgrade, I did he battery pull and tried to get to the Android/Triangle screen. Problem is, I got stuck in the bootloader with no way out. After some time, I started getting the message "low battery".

The screen reads:

Bootloader

30.04

Cable Corrupt

Battery Low

Cannot Program

Is there anyway to save the phone???

I agree, the Wiki was not just vague--it was misleading. The sentence

If an attempt is made to downgrade to an earlier version through the SBF method below, the bootloader will throw an error and the phone will not boot

seems to encourage the use of the RSD Lite method over the SBF Flash method, when in fact both are counterproductive against firmware 4.5.621--the author is referring to RSD Lite as an SBF method !

I have updated the wiki with clarified instructions, including how to recover from Bootloader 30.04 error and a link to the 4.5.621 firmware, which you will need to restore in order to de-brick your DroidX.

In the meantime, I hope you have found a way to charge your battery--as you have learned, the DroidX will not charge over USB while it is stuck on the bootloader.

Edited by patronanejo, 30 August 2012 - 11:49 AM.

[fatesausage]

I found all this (throughout the InterWEBz) confusing loading up a friends phone.  The wiki is alright, but like a lot of cyanogen wiki it takes some careful reading to carry out successfully.  I ended up loading Liberty ROM, I think I tried CM7.2, but had no luck (this was before I found out about the kernel).  The wiki was helpful getting me out of a soft brick, but then the thread in the link below was helpful too in getting things running.  I'm not sure if the kernel has to be loaded for CM ROMs or not, maybe not the ICS and higher ROMs, but at least the GB ROMs I believe you likely need the kernel and may need the WIFI update in this thread:

http://www.droidxfor...html#post561868

Then to get the phone working on Cricket Wireless I went to this thread:

http://www.droidxfor...t-metropcs.html

However, in the QPST program (section 4) I ended up changing to a standard com port (I believe COM 1 or 3) and doing that part of the programming on COM 3, contrary to the instructions which said use COM8 or higher for the virtual port.  Without a doubt this phone was the biggest pain of any Android devices I have worked with in both hardware (replacing digitizer) and software--due to Motorola locking it down just to laugh at us all I guess.  Not to mention the age of the device doesn't help it's future development hopes and old methods no long work for some things.  I think in this thread is where I started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (thanks DarkIron112), so just wanted to add my 2 cents here.  

Droid X .621 overcoming the curse from Motorola/Verizon

1.  Need a fresh .621 updated phone (don't update to 621 if you don't have it, you'd do better stabbing yourself with a rusty knife).  
2.  Root it with the boot CD mentioned above from mecha2012.  
3.  Install ROM Manager from the market, you'll also need the bootstrap apk or you won't be able to get into CWM, rather you'll get a normal recovery that won't install zips, but does give you an option to.  
4.  Now you can install a ROM of your choice.
     a. Wipe data/factory reset and also clear Dalvik as well as Cache.  
     b. Install the ROM zip from CWM.  (DO not reboot)
     c. If it's a GB ROM then you will likely have to update the kernel and wifi drivers from the links I already gave, or wherever someone else has a copy (there may be one for CM 7.2).  
     d.  Boot it and get things up to par, apps, ROM Manager etc.  May want to turn on USB Debugging, Unknown Sources, and don't forget to put it into "PC MODE" if things don't work.    
5.  (Optional) If you're on a carrier other than Verizon then you may have to run through the second link above, to "fully flash" over to another carrier (so your internet and MMS will work).

Edited by fatesausage, 16 January 2013 - 03:54 PM.