What Have I Done to my OSF?

[Guest Celtic67]

I switched to an Xperia Neo V ages ago and haven't done much with the OSF, except keep it is a spare. I fancied trying a new rom, but it needed 185MB of space on system, which I didn't have.

I used TPT Helper to create a new TPT with the necessary space, swithced off, then on holding Menu & Vol+. It sat at the Android logo for about half an hour, until I gave up & switched it off. At this point, it no longer booted CM7. So I thought it might have succeeded & installed the new rom with no errors. Try to boot & I get as far as the boot animation, no further.

At this point, I realised that the phone no longer switches on without USB power. It was definitely fine before. So I thought I'd get it working again, then worry about the power issue. Flashed CM7 again & it booted. Things looked OK, though it rebooted within 5 mins. Checked status and battery said 56%, so I pulled the USB power. It switched off instantly.

It was so long ago that I don't remember which method I used to go from Gen1 to Gen2. I don't think I can get into fastboot mode, holding down Vol+ and powering on just gives me the Android logo. Windows detects something but won't install correct drivers. I've tried on 2 different PCs with diff versions of Windows. Menu & Vol+ shows the same logo.

So, is it knackered? I'm willing to persever to try to get back to some kind of working state, but this battery/USB power is a worry. If I boot into CM7 and check status, I can see that it thinks the battery is charging as it does go up. Does that and that it was working before discount a dead battery? Has something been fried?

[Guest hydo1]

Seen as you have a San Fran you will need a Gen 1 to Gen 2 tpt. I would download a tried and tested one from amphoras.co.uk (search zte blade tpts)

Extract the zip to your SD card (so that file structure goes sdcard/image/.

Then power on with vol + held and report back here. If all goes well your San Fran should boot into recovery.

[Guest Celtic67]

Thanks for that. I've tried a few TPTs and checked that the MD5 is fine. Stuck the image directory onto the SD card and switched on with Menu & Vol+ held down. It just sits on the green Android logo. I've left it for at least half an hour & nothing happens.

I'm trying to run Amphoras Blade Checker, but the phone keeps rebooting before I can get my Google account setup. I'm going to give it some time to relax before I try again, but I suspect I may have used the Windows Gen2 method, meaning I need to use different TPT files. One concern is that the instructions say to make sure the phone has plenty of charge and unplug it before TPT. I can't do that, it won't power up without power through the USB.

[Guest Stuart_f]

It sat at the Android logo for about half an hour, until I gave up & switched it off.

Sounds a lot like you used a Gen2 TPT on a Gen1 Blade. You should have seen green writing not the android logo.

Try again with a Gen1 TPT image like hydo1 says.

You can get a Gen1 TPT image and CM9 ROM in this thread http://www.modaco.com/topic/355059-romgen23157-cyanogenmod-9-konstakang-android-404/

[Guest Celtic67]

I have tried a definite Gen1 TPT image. MD5 checks out, SD card has an image directory. Switch on with Menu & Vol+ and all I get is the Android logo.

Is it possible to do a TPT with USB power connected? As that's the only way I can get the phone to power on, it's my only option.

[Guest Stuart_f]

All TPTs have an image directory.

Does it have a large .bin file in it or lots of .mbn files?

[Guest Celtic67]

Sorry, I realise they all have an image dir, my point was only that I'm putting it in the right place (I think). It's lots of mbn and img files.

Tried a different SD card, same result.

[Guest Celtic67]

Getting somewhere now. There's a bad connection on the battery connector. If I push it *almost* in, so it's at an angle, things work. It's tricky holding it that way, but the TPT worked. Now used a bit of card at bottom of battery to push it slightly close to connector and all seems to be working again. I'll see if I can gently ease the connectors out again to create a better connection.

So the answer seems to be that, no, you can't do TPT with USB power connected.

[Guest apeman69]

You seem to know what you're doing so I won't insult you with daft suggestions (I hope :))

I have had TPT flashing problems with a low battery. Make sure it is well charged by leaving it plugged in the mains for a few hours until the back button lights green, if it does. Chances are that the battery will have been very low if left for a long time.

Try the GEN1 to GEN2 TPT ('converts' GEN1 phone to GEN2) as this has worked for me on 2 phones now.

Try to isolate and resolve the charging problem be it USB cable (are you using a different one than you used to? damaged or faulty?), battery, charger port, possibly contaminated battery connections if it's been left in for a long time.

It may be worthwhile opening the case and checking for general crap/corrosion depending on how and where it's been stored: bit of a last resort consideration.

I have had a phone stuck on the android logo due to volume buttons being faulty: no matter what key combinations were pressed it thought the vol+ was repeatedly being pressed hence stuck on android logo. Jiggling the vol buttons while trying to power on would sometimes bring a different outcome.

[Guest apeman69]

Congrats, and I wish I'd seen your response before I started typing half an hour ago!

The battery connectors will bend out. You may find it easier to access if you take out the plastic cover which goes over the main PCB (8 screws, pry it out).

[Guest hydo1]

Great that you have got it to work, I would highly reccommend that you bend your terminals back because that will start to cause all sorts of problems, like the phone just dying randomly.

Just for the record I forgot to mention that sometimes you have to hold menu key at the same time as vol+ to enable TPT mode.

[Guest Celtic67]

Thanks for teh help, terminals are now bent out a little & battery is working fine without cardboard wedge.