56 replies to this topic

[djmcnz]

Okay,

So I suspect a few of you are going to want to jump on the NVFlash train that Paul is easing out of the station at the moment. NVFLash is the Nvidia utility for writing to the ROM on your Tegra2 phone, reading details and otherwise critical low level functions. For all intents and purposes this is akin to fastboot for many devices (although not the same as).

Below are the simple instructions and links to the necessary files.

Quote

** WARNING **
NVFlash is a powerful utility that works at a very low level on your phone. There are few safety mechanisms built into a tool like this because it is intended for use by people with suitable training. NVFlash can not physically damage your phone but it can render it inoperable. It is unlikely to create an irrecoverable situation but it does have the power to create a situation that you can not recover from yourself requiring factory maintenance. Warranty coverage for your phone is not assured after using NVFlash. Please proceed with the use of the tool carefully and at your own risk. Neither myself nor MoDaCo can be held accountable for any consequences from the use of NVFlash on your phone.

Get Software

• Grab the NVFlash utility from here: http://djmcnz.batter...uff/NVFlash.zip
  
• Extract the contents of that archive to a single directory
  
• Grab the NVidia boot-recovery driver from here: http://djmcnz.batter...vmobileboot.rar
  
• Extract the contents of that archive to a different directory

Prepare Phone

• Power down phone
  
• Remove battery
  
• Hold VOL_DWN+VOL_UP & plug in USB connection from computer (note, your phone will not visibly respond but it will boot to APX mode quickly)
  
• Open Device Manager in Windows and you should see "APX Device" listed with an error
  
• If not, rinse and repeat

Install Driver

• Right click on the APX device
  
• Select 'Update driver software'
  
• Select 'Browse my computer...'
  
• Select 'Let me pick...'
  
• Select 'Have disk'
  
• Browse to directory you extracted the *driver* software to above
  
• Select 'NVIDIA USB Boot-recovery driver for mobile devices'
  
• Accept any warnings, including the big red alert (you may need to disable UAC)
  
• Now in Device Manager under 'USB Controllers' you should have an 'NVIDIA USB Boot-recovery driver for mobile devices'
  
• If not, uninstall the driver, reboot, rinse and repeat

Testing

• Make sure your phone is still plugged in to the computer! (some people, wow.)
  
• Navigate the the directory you extracted the NVFlash archive to
  
• Run a harmless command such as "nvflash --sync"
  
• You should get something back like:

Nvflash started
rcm version 0X20001
System Information:
   chip name: unknown
   chip id: 0x20 major: 1 minor: 3
   chip sku: 0xf
   chip uid: 0x0280404444803457
   macrovision: disabled
   hdcp: enabled
   sbk burned: false
   dk burned: false
   boot device: emmc
   operating mode: 3
   device config strap: 0
   device config fuse: 17
   sdram config strap: 0

Update 27/04

Okay, now that the G2x has been released there are different procedures from this point on to follow to flash the O2x and G2x back to stock. You must look in the appropriate forum to download the necessary files as well as the command line script.

Tip - For Reading This Far

One of the things you may want to do after flashing your phone is install a custom recovery (e.g. ClockworkMod). Many, many, many people try and fail to boot their 2x in recovery mode and spend endless hours wasted. So, it may save you some time to know the following.

To enter recovery mode use the following procedure but BE WARNED: If you do this BEFORE you install a custom recovery you will factory reset your phone. This is because it will boot the stock recovery image which auto-wipes your device.

Hold VOL_DOWN then press & hold POWER
Keep both pressed UNTIL the recovery menu appears then release POWER then release VOL_DOWN

The menu text in ClockworkMod Recovery is orange if you get a green menu or a message that your device was reset then you're not running ClockworkMod... sorry.

Edited by djmcnz, 27 April 2011 - 05:17 PM.

[gensplejs]

Works perfectly!

Well then... im ready to go for testing CWM and any roms :-)

Edited by gensplejs, 24 March 2011 - 07:11 PM.

[sibbor]

Yes, works out good. Brilliant instructions! :-)
EDIT: got he same information as you frm "nvflash.exe --sync".

Edited by sibbor, 24 March 2011 - 10:57 PM.

[action294]

At the end I also get a message like:
"command failure: no bootloader was specified"

Is this normal?

[djmcnz]

action294, on Mar 25 2011, 20:08, said:

At the end I also get a message like:
"command failure: no bootloader was specified"

Is this normal?

Yes,  that's okay.

[slogen]

I have an LG-P990 from 3 Denmark. Android 2.2.2, stock kernel: 2.6.32.9, baseband 1035.21_20110223, build number FRG83G, LGE version LGP990-V10a.

I am having trouble getting NVflash.exe to find the USB connection to the phone in nvflash mode. I am hoping that someone may be able to give me a hint.

C:\Documents and Settings\hej\Desktop\LG\NVFlash>nvflash.exe --sync
Nvflash started
USB device not found

I have the 'NVIDIA USB Boot-revovery driver for Mobile devices' installed for the APX device and it is loaded (and unloaded) when i do the power-on+vol-down dance. The device manager reports 'This device is working properly' for the device. So I think I am correctly putting the phone into recovery-mode and have the right driver configured.

I have already tried to reboot windows, uninstalling (by right clicking in the devicemanager) and re-installing the Boot-recovery (APX) driver.

USB Connections to the phone works nicely when it is booted into the normal ROM, so I don't think it's a cable problem.

I have tried running the cmd from which i run nvflash.exe as adminstrator, so I don't think it's a permission problem.

Any hints?

[djmcnz]

slogen, on Mar 26 2011, 09:08, said:

I have an LG-P990 from 3 Denmark. Android 2.2.2, stock kernel: 2.6.32.9, baseband 1035.21_20110223, build number FRG83G, LGE version LGP990-V10a.

I am having trouble getting NVflash.exe to find the USB connection to the phone in nvflash mode. I am hoping that someone may be able to give me a hint.

C:\Documents and Settings\hej\Desktop\LG\NVFlash>nvflash.exe --sync
Nvflash started
USB device not found

I have the 'NVIDIA USB Boot-revovery driver for Mobile devices' installed for the APX device and it is loaded (and unloaded) when i do the power-on+vol-down dance. The device manager reports 'This device is working properly' for the device. So I think I am correctly putting the phone into recovery-mode and have the right driver configured.

I have already tried to reboot windows, uninstalling (by right clicking in the devicemanager) and re-installing the Boot-recovery (APX) driver.

USB Connections to the phone works nicely when it is booted into the normal ROM, so I don't think it's a cable problem.

I have tried running the cmd from which i run nvflash.exe as adminstrator, so I don't think it's a permission problem.

Any hints?

It may just be a typo but are you trying to get into recovery (vol dwn & pwr) as you describe or nvflash (vol dwn & vol up & usb) as is required?

Edited by djmcnz, 26 March 2011 - 09:06 AM.

[slogen]

djmcnz, on Mar 26 2011, 10:05, said:

It may just be a typo but are you trying to get into recovery (vol dwn & pwr) as you describe or nvflash (vol dwn & vol up & usb) as is required?

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately that's a "typo". I am having a bit of difficulty with the precise naming here

I think I am getting into nvflash mode on the phone, as confirmed by:

• The USB device appearing in windows when inserting usb and holding down both vol buttons and disappearing when taking out the usb
  
• The display on the phone, which is completely blank.

I can get into 4 modes from "powered off". I don't know their "approved" names, but here is my description and a guess at a good name:

• Normal: Battery in, push power for ~2sec.
  
  Boots into the (currently stock) installed kernel.
  
  Windows device manager shows 'LGE Android Platfrom Composite USB Device' (Device ID: USB\VID_1004&PID_618E\5&2BA8691F&0&6) and 'USB Mass Storage Device' (Device ID: USB\VID_1004&PID_618E_UMSINTERFACE\6&111656F2&0&0000).
  
  Two removable devices shows up on 'My Computer' (H:,G:). This happens no matter if I have an external SD inserted or not.
  
  If I "Turn on USB storage" I can browse the internal and external sdcard respectively through H: and G:
  
  
• Upgrade: Battery in, hold vol-down, push power for ~1sec.
  
  Boots into screen that shows round icon with 2 green arrows in a cycle and the text "S/W Upgrade Please wait while upgrading..."
  
  Windows does not show any USB adapters (that have anything to do with the phone)
  
  
• nvflash: Battery out, hold vol-down and vol-up, push power.
  
  Boots into blank screen within ~1 second
  
  Windows device manager shows a 'NVIDIA USB Boot-recovery driver for Mobile devices" with
  
  DEVICE Instance Id: USB\VID_0955&PID_7F20\5&2A8691F&0&6
  Device Coinstallers: WdfCoInstaller01007.dll,WfdCoInstaller,WinUSBCoInstaller.dll
  
  
• recovery: Battery in, hold vol-down & power for ~10secs (untill LG logo does a small "flash")
  
  Boots into ClockworkMod Recovery (MoDaCo Beta 1) which i have dd'ed to /dev/block/mmcblk0p7
  
  Windows device manager shows the same a in mode "A" (Normal). I have not experimented with how to expose the internal/external SD.

[djmcnz]

slogen, on Mar 26 2011, 11:37, said:

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately that's a "typo". I am having a bit of difficulty with the precise naming here

I think I am getting into nvflash mode on the phone, as confirmed by:

• The USB device appearing in windows when inserting usb and holding down both vol buttons and disappearing when taking out the usb
  
• The display on the phone, which is completely blank.

I can get into 4 modes from "powered off". I don't know their "approved" names, but here is my description and a guess at a good name:

• Normal: Battery in, push power for ~2sec.
  
  Boots into the (currently stock) installed kernel.
  
  Windows device manager shows 'LGE Android Platfrom Composite USB Device' (Device ID: USB\VID_1004&PID_618E\5&2BA8691F&0&6) and 'USB Mass Storage Device' (Device ID: USB\VID_1004&PID_618E_UMSINTERFACE\6&111656F2&0&0000).
  
  Two removable devices shows up on 'My Computer' (H:,G:). This happens no matter if I have an external SD inserted or not.
  
  If I "Turn on USB storage" I can browse the internal and external sdcard respectively through H: and G:
  
  
• Upgrade: Battery in, hold vol-down, push power for ~1sec.
  
  Boots into screen that shows round icon with 2 green arrows in a cycle and the text "S/W Upgrade Please wait while upgrading..."
  
  Windows does not show any USB adapters (that have anything to do with the phone)
  
  
• nvflash: Battery out, hold vol-down and vol-up, push power.
  
  Boots into blank screen within ~1 second
  
  Windows device manager shows a 'NVIDIA USB Boot-recovery driver for Mobile devices" with
  
  DEVICE Instance Id: USB\VID_0955&PID_7F20\5&2A8691F&0&6
  Device Coinstallers: WdfCoInstaller01007.dll,WfdCoInstaller,WinUSBCoInstaller.dll
  
  
• recovery: Battery in, hold vol-down & power for ~10secs (untill LG logo does a small "flash")
  
  Boots into ClockworkMod Recovery (MoDaCo Beta 1) which i have dd'ed to /dev/block/mmcblk0p7
  
  Windows device manager shows the same a in mode "A" (Normal). I have not experimented with how to expose the internal/external SD.

Well, I can't see anything wrong with what you're doing - on face value anyway.

Since you now have a custom recovery it's probably not critical, what would you like to do?

[slogen]

djmcnz, on Mar 26 2011, 11:49, said:

Well, I can't see anything wrong with what you're doing - on face value anyway.

Since you now have a custom recovery it's probably not critical, what would you like to do?

I agree that it is not critical to me (at least now).

However, I would certainly feel a lot safer flashing away on baseband and ROM if I knew that I could always nvflash to get back to a working phone.

At least my problem is now documented and it doesn't sound like I am just being too stupid to flash In time a solution may appear or I may find out what I am doing wrong.

I have backup of the entire internal mmc (gzip </dev/block/mmcblk0 >backup.gz) , so I should probably be able to get stuff working as long as I have CWM.

[Stefing]

djmcnz, on Mar 24 2011, 16:54, said:

If so, you're good to go, now just be patient...

Excellent stuff, just one question (this is where I've had problems before)
Has anyone tried this with Windows 7 x64?

[Sanotsuke]

Hello all im new here
I really messed up my phone it seem.

First there a occasional of blackout on the original so i decided to do a root on it
I got the quick recovery thing
Then back up and use the fr10
rebooted it and it never work. it keep reloading boot screen over and over
did a wipe after that and reinstall
it went into the os but i frozed after
so i came to this channel hoping to save my phone firmware..
did all the things above..

and run flash.bat
right now it say NVflash started


what do i do now ? im not sure if it even moving lol

[Ken Petersen]

Stefing, on Apr 1 2011, 09:06, said:

Excellent stuff, just one question (this is where I've had problems before)
Has anyone tried this with Windows 7 x64?

I have tried once and failed, nvflash started but nothing happend. Didn't want to try again.

[Ken Petersen]

Sanotsuke, on Apr 10 2011, 17:53, said:

and run flash.bat
right now it say NVflash started
what do i do now ? im not sure if it even moving lol

Happend for me too on Win 7 64 bit, fortunately I was just messing around, so mine still works, before and after.

I had to abort the process, since NVFLASH did not nothing and just hang there

[Johan O R]

Problem:
Installed clockwork, But was unable to reboot in recovery.. The I used menu in clockwork [Recovery] to get into recoverymode.

Then installed the pre baked ROM from MoDaCo. and restarted the phone.

Then i ended up in a boot loop , started up showed MoDaCo logo, and the restarted... never ending...

I could not in any way go into recovery mode (because the phone did not boot up.. )

SOLUTION:

I followed this guide:
http://android.modac...s-links-active/

was able to get to recovery mode after this.
Installed the ROM again and after that BEFORE I restarted the phone, I wiped all data and cache.

NOW I WORKS
THANKS!!!!!

Tag:
LG Optimus X2 loop, LG Optimus X2 boot loop, LG Optimus X2 stuck at startup

Edited by Johan O R, 02 May 2011 - 09:27 AM.

[soundsk]

Can NVFlash be used to make a low level backup of the current state of my phone (ROM, recovery, etc.)? Or is it only for writing? Been looking at the help in the executable but I'm afraid to damage something.

Can't find my version of the FW anywhere, so I would like to backup mine this way.

Hope someone can help out.

Cheers!

[goatee]

Only for restoring the image as far as I can tell. Just use the backup option in Clockwork .

soundsk, on May 18 2011, 08:50, said:

Can NVFlash be used to make a low level backup of the current state of my phone (ROM, recovery, etc.)? Or is it only for writing? Been looking at the help in the executable but I'm afraid to damage something.

Can't find my version of the FW anywhere, so I would like to backup mine this way.

Hope someone can help out.

Cheers!

[soundsk]

Did a bit of googling and some folks do use it to make backups (VEGA, and Gtablet etc.). I think it makes sense.

The stock ROM Paul released didn't appear from thin air, so I'm guessing he used nvflash or something like that to create the image. But the process is probably quite technical and device-specific (partitions and such) involving a whole bunch of arguments that must be set correctly, and so Paul or someone could make a small how-to or batch/shell script with the correct nvflash arguments to create such backups.

Perhaps smartflash could also fit the bill... I'll see what i can find out...

Cheers!

[moler]

Hi i have read this guide and the posts in it and can understand that some have problems using win 7 x64 are that a common problem or is x64 safe to use?

[djmcnz]

moler, on Jun 16 2011, 22:17, said:

Hi i have read this guide and the posts in it and can understand that some have problems using win 7 x64 are that a common problem or is x64 safe to use?

Yes, there are problems. I don't know the solution but you should check on XDA as well.