312 replies to this topic

[Sebastian404]

About RELEASE

Recovery Manager is an Android Application for the ZTE family of devices it allows you to Install custom recovery images, Install custom firmwares, as well as backup and restore your device.


Downloads

• RecoveryManager_v0.37b.zip : MD5: 159902acaf00cb14a0a703862ac9ad75

Installation

Make sure your phone is rooted and has ChainDD's Super user application installed.  I recommend you use UniversalAndroot v1.6.1
Download the Zip file and either install it using ADB:

install RecoveryManager_v0.36b.apk

or copy the file to your SD card and install it using the file manager of your choice.

Change Log

Please see next post below this one for the changes in each release.


Known Issues & Future development

Please see next post below this one for the changes in each release.


Frequently asked questions

Please see two posts below this one for the changes in each release.


Screen Shots

    

Edited by Sebastian404, 28 August 2011 - 08:15 PM.

[Sebastian404]

Change Log

• v0.23b - 2011-01-17
  • Initial Release
• v0.26b - 2011-01-18
  • more debug output & error trapping
    
  • Remove TitaniumBackup from search path of recovery images
    
  • add full wipe when installing firmware
    
  • add install firmware update option
    
  • sorted firmware/recovery selection box alphabetically
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database
• v0.29b - 2011-01-25
  • resolve permissions issue for some firmwares (eg MoDaCo)
    
  • added currently installed to front screen
    
  • added support for clockworkmod recovery v3
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database
• v0.32b - 2011-02-01
  • fixed first run message to only display once
    
  • added Options Menu
    
  • added exit program option
    
  • moved 'check for update' to Options Menu
    
  • removed 'Download Firmware' from firmware menu
    
  • added 'Wipe User Data' option to Firmware menu
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database
• v0.34b - 2011-02-09
  • application name now 'Recovery Manager'
    
  • expanded supported devices
    
  • added debug output
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database
• v0.35b - 2011-02-11
  • potential fix for recovery recognition
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database
• v0.36b - 2011-03-31
  • expanded debug output
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database
• v0.37b - 2011-08-28
  • Fixed support for 2.3 devices
    
  • update built-in firmware/recovery database

Known Issues

• filenames/directory names of recovery images & firmwares can not contain spaces
  
• filenames/directory names of backups can not contain spaces or other irregular characters.

Future development

• Add more error trapping and debug output
  
• Add In-Application download/install of Recovery Images
  
• Add Support for more devices
  
• Improve Icons (yeah.. well I'm not an artist you know)
  
• Localized Language support

Edited by Sebastian404, 28 August 2011 - 08:17 PM.

[Sebastian404]

Frequently asked questions

• The application Force Closes on me
  

  Make sure your device is rooted, and you have SuperUser installed, I recommend you use Universal AndRoot or z4root

  
  
  
• The application still Force Closes on me
  

  Are you sure your device is rooted? and you have SuperUser installed? Did I mention that I recommend you use Universal AndRoot  or z4root?

  
  
  
• Yes I'm sure, and its still bust, I hate you!
  

  I understand fully, I hate me too <sadface>.  If you can replicate the fault, please run logcat from ADB and post up your log here and I will do my level best to try and fix it for you.

  
  
  
• What is this logcat you speak of?
  

  if you have the USB drivers installed, and Android Debug Bridge (ADB) you can run this command 'adb logcat RecoveryManager:* *:s' if you can copy and paste the parts of that log it will help me understand why your having problems.

  
  
  
• What's a Recovery Image?
  

  Erm...

  
  
  
• What's a Firmware Image?
  

  The Firmware is the Operation system that your device uses, in 99.9% cases on the ZTE-Blade that's android.  You will find several fine example of customized Firmware on this very forum.

  
  
  
• You mean a Firmware is a ROM?
  

  Some people call them ROMs yes.. but I'm going to call them Firmware, and I don't care what your mother says... lalalalala not listening....

  
  
  
• My Currently Installed recovery is not recognized
  

  This could be because you are using an older version, it was flashed to the recovery partition incorrectly, download the most recent version and install that using the application to ensure correct installation.

  
  
  
• My Currently Installed firmware is not recognized
  

  Since the application is in BETA only a limited selection of customized firmwares are recognized, as time goes on more will be added, use the 'Check for Firmware Update' to update the Application (but not too often)

  
  
  
• Which firmwares are currently recognized
  

  You can find a list of firmwares & Recovery images that the Application will recognize here  http://recoverymanag...om/manifest.php.

  
  
  
• My Currently Installed firmware is listed on your supported page, but the application still does not recognise it correctly.
  

  It is possible that you have a modified version of the firmware, or you have changed some of the settings yourself, as the aim is only to recognise your installed firmware, unless you suffer from OCD it should not be too much of an issue... right?

  
  
  
• RA_recovery is not full supported, what gives!?
  

  Unfortunately you cant externally initiate backup/recovery with the current version of RA_recovery, nor can you disable zip signature checking, so you can install and reboot to RA_recovery, but it wont let you do anything else.

  
  
  
• But are you not the idiot who ported RA_recovery why not add more stuff to it!?
  

  I did consider doing just that, but it would no longer be RA-recovery...   I am also working on my own fully built from scratch recovery image, that will be available when it is ready.... but hold your breath..

  
  
  
• <feature> does not work!
  

  The application is in BETA, so expect it not to work exactly as you'd expect, if you can reproduce the error, please include a copy of your logcat output so I can look into it.

  
  
  
• Woah Dood!  you've copied Koushi's ROMManger!
  

  I admit there is some similarity, originally I set out to write a simple application that would just install Recovery Images, as time went on the 'feature creep' resulted in adding more and more features.

  
  
  
• I am a ROM/Recovery developer and I want my ROM/Recovery to be recognized
  

  Drop my a PM here and I will let you know what I need to supply for it to be recognized.

  
  
  
• I am a ROM/Recovery developer and I do not want my ROM/Recovery to be recognized
  

  Drop my a PM here and I will remove ROM/Recovery.

  
  
  
• I have a great Idea for a feature you HAVE to add
  

  Don't be shy, post up your idea, once we have all laughed at it, I might even add it to a future version.

  
  
  
• Hurumble?
  

  An excellent word. It is to be used in place of words such as "hurrah", but not in place of words such as "dog" or "pineapple"

  
  
  
• Can I see your source code?
  

  Ahhh, yes see. a dog ran away with it, or the cat ate it.. one of those.  I'm still cleaning it up, it needs a lot more work before I'd be happy to share it with anyone, but eventually I will post the source to my GitHub for you all to laugh at and ridicule.

Edited by Sebastian404, 08 June 2011 - 03:54 PM.

[Sebastian404]

Well, this is a combination of my annoyance at seeing people having problems installing ClockworkMod Recovery, and a strange desire to write an Android Application....

It's been 10 LONG years since I last did any JAVA and while bits of it have come flooding back (mostly the pain,suffering and late nights at university trying to get Elevators to go up and down on screen)... I sort of enjoyed the whole process... yes I am CRAZY

I've tested it to death as much as I can, but I'm sure you guys can find lots more problems with it...

It is an open Beta, so I'm open to your comments/complaints/compliments....

I would like to expand on this to encompass more things..   I've build the framework so it will one day support other devices than the ZTE Blade... and who knows where we might end up.....

This is a BETA, so I expect lots of problems... so in the words of my C++ Lecturer... go on, screw this up then...

Edited by Sebastian404, 17 January 2011 - 01:07 AM.

[jimbobvfr400]

Brilliant FAQs  

Gonna give this a try at some point and I'll report back how it goes

[StevenHarperUK]

Great work Sebastian.  I will work on updating my guide monday night.
3 methods of updating now.  

Truly the blade is the most hacker friendly device ever.

Edit: I have just ran my first backup.
System rebooted and handed over to clockwork 2.5.1.8 perfectly, then rebooted.

However on the first launch of the app I had a blank screen instead of the superuser prompt. Obviously a fault with su. So I task killed them both and relaunched the recovery app.  Each time after this it force closed. It must have been a partial first run thing. I re installed and it worked perfectly.

One question does your app work with all 3 current versions of clockwork and RA_recovery?

[popoyaya]

can this be used to flash zips for mods such as audio_boost.zip or wifi_fix.zip?

[StevenHarperUK]

More feedback

I do like the toast message that pops up when you swap tabs, however I think that the detected recovery /firmware should have its own space one each tab. Or maybe even one the first tab.

P.s.  Stickied

[StevenHarperUK]

Another question

Does the app tell recovery to do a wipe/factory reset?
If it does then themes and patches will not be installable

Also any chance of adding an md5sum feature so users can see the md5 before they confirm the install?

EDIT. The md5 check could also be automated once you have the download feature done.
Maybe just take the URL of the firmware and add .md5 to its URL.

[jt_mcg]

Will this be out of beta by wednesday so I can install the perfect rom?

Seriously, great work! Is this what you needed localization for?

I'll get it done for you in italian if you'd like.

Keep up the great work and thanks!

[lordofangels]

Seb you've surpassed yourself yet again...
your FAQ's are great

Edited by lordofangels, 17 January 2011 - 02:59 AM.

[TheDOC1]

Great App. Could you recognize Paul's Froyo images?

I've got Paul's image on my device and a self compiled AmonRa-Recovery (built from your sources). Both aren't recognized. Could you add some way to add those things on my own or do you really plan on having to support every firmware available?

Edited by TheDOC1, 17 January 2011 - 04:34 AM.

[vareBlade]

Once again, seb404 you are the man!

[paraselene]

It can't recognize JJ RLS7.5><"

[StevenHarperUK]

paraselene, on Jan 17 2011, 08:09, said:

It can't recognize JJ RLS7.5><"

I think Sebastian mentioned that most ROM's Firmware's are not detected - probably just his at the moment.

[buneech]

Some feedback, i tried to make a backup of the current firmware, and whilst having installed Clockwork Mod 2.5.1.8, i get an Error message, that i need to install a custom firmware before i can backup my Firmware. I'm on JapJelly RLS7.

[leetron1]

Thanks seb..great stuff..doesn't recognise my JJ RLS7..can you add to the list of ROMs sorry FIRMWARE!!!  

[goatee]

Thanks Seb - just installing now.

leetron1, on Jan 17 2011, 09:48, said:

Thanks seb..great stuff..doesn't recognise my JJ RLS7..can you add to the list of ROMs sorry FIRMWARE!!!  

You should put a post in the JJ thread (or send a message to KK) to get him to talk to Seb, so that the appropriate information can go in the firmware, for this to recognise it.

[Arr Too]

Badly needs an option to only install perfect ROMs.  On Wednesdays.

[Sebastian404]

StevenHarperUK, on Jan 17 2011, 01:10, said:

One question does your app work with all 3 current versions of clockwork and RA_recovery?

Unfortunately you cant externally initiate backup/recovery with the current version of RA_recovery, nor can you disable zip signature checking, so you can install and reboot to RA_recovery, but it wont let you do anything else.

Amon has posted the source to 2.2.1 and I'm going to look into porting that later today, I'm not sure yet if that has improved thing or not yet.

StevenHarperUK, on Jan 17 2011, 01:49, said:

I do like the toast message that pops up when you swap tabs, however I think that the detected recovery /firmware should have its own space one each tab. Or maybe even one the first tab.

Thats not a bad idea.. consider it added..

StevenHarperUK, on Jan 17 2011, 01:54, said:

Does the app tell recovery to do a wipe/factory reset?
If it does then themes and patches will not be installable

The install firmeare option just installs the zip, theres no wipe unless the author of the the firmware has added them to the installer script... I guess adding the option to wipe or not is probably something to be added in future..

StevenHarperUK, on Jan 17 2011, 01:54, said:

Also any chance of adding an md5sum feature so users can see the md5 before they confirm the install?

EDIT. The md5 check could also be automated once you have the download feature done.
Maybe just take the URL of the firmware and add .md5 to its URL.

I had planned on adding the md5 checking to the download option, but when your installing from an an SDcard it just uses whatever it finds...