[One (M8) Android Development] peteri8706:
FW upgrade HELP...

Hi all.

Had a try at upgrading FW with a heap of issues when first getting the M8 and installing IC ROM. Some tried to help there, but we've been unsuccessful, so thought best to ask in this thread as it is specific to FW updating.

Here's some history:

Bought fully unlocked M8 with UL Bootloader, S-OFF and SuperCID already done. Phone is second hand but in perfect condition. The FW version is 1.54 and it is international GSM. Original FW was Australian Telstra based GSM.

Now, IC ROM was already flashed for me. Checked the Hboot/FW versions from bootloader and they are in fact for 1.54 with 3.16 hboot.

I'm no stranger to FW flashing as I did it many times on my M7 without fail. On this phone, I have had nothing but issues.

I want to update to 2.22.401.4 FW and with every method I've tried - it always fails.

Every method of flashing the FW actually works - from externalSD card zip in the phone method, right through to flashing through Bootloader - oem rebootRUU method. All gets flashed without issue, albeit a couple of times the phone did not do the 'preupdate' and I had to do it again (oem rebootRUU).

Now here come the troubles - after I have flashed any of the GSM FW's (full/no-red-text, hacked partials) I either have to reflash recovery (if the zip file was for a full wipe of OS/FW) or if it doesn't wipe recovery I can then go into recovery. I have used - Capt throwbacks - latest TWRP, Philz CWM and TWRP official 2.7.0.1.

The issues start here: Once I go into recovery I have a whole stack of partition errors. I then go back into bootloader - factory reset - good - FW hasn't changed or reverted - reflash recovery (all recoveries tried) and then try and flash any sense based ROM - Viper, IC etc and they all flash with an ending error - 'Set_perm - some changes failed' and an installer error of 7.

This only happens on any newer firmware (GSM based) over 1.54!! Then, I cannot even restore a backup of my ROM (found on my ext-SD) on the newer firmware and after many recovery based wipes/system folder repairs from within recovery - nothing works and my backup is also screwed!! You have no idea how much this has peeved me off - set up the phone from scratch over 4 times, each time takes hours as my backups from extSD then get screwed by recovery and won't get past the 'data' restore section.

If I go back to 1.54, then all installs will go without fail. But my backups still fail to restore - so a full phone setup again from scratch!! :crying::crying:

A couple of things I've noted as messages from TWRP recoveries after I've flashed any newer FW - when I flash a ROM and it fails - recovery says I have 'NO OS Installed - do you want to still reboot?' And, when I see this, I do a full wipe from within recovery, 'Format', 'Wipe' and 'Advanced' and try and reinstall ROM/s and they still fail. If recovery throws out a successful wipe - as not all wipes are successful - 'android secure error' from wipe, 'partition errors' from wipe etc, then when I go to reboot recovery as it says 'data' may not be available until recovery reboot - then when it goes to reboot it says my phone is not 'rooted'?? What? Isn't that what installing a recovery like TWRP or CWM is meant to achieve??

But again, going back to 1.54 I have to then wipe/factory reset and start the ROM install process again from scratch and the ROM installs ok. Just my backups are screwed every time??

SO, does anyone have any idea on why this is happening and what to do to fix it? The newer FW is obviously more refined so it is required for radios/hboots etc so, yes, I do want to update - even for the simple reason of getting a much quicker boot up time as current hboot is scattered for newer based ROMs.

Thanks for any/all advice-info-feedback, and I hope I don't have to throw this phone in the bin (it's getting very close to it!!) :eek::eek: