Recovering from a Boot Loop - with adb tools (TC970 Le Pan1, maybe other models)

[yann2]

Most of the credit for this post goes to sburns90, who posted it on the XDA Developer's thread for the Gingerbrad Beta release for TC970.

I found it useful, and it could help some of us here if needed. So, sit back and read on.

Based on a original post by sburns90; heavily edited (for simplicity and ease of use) by yann2; Guide starts : -------v

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If you are caught in a bootloop after pressing the button on the back of the Le Pan TC970 follow these instructions.

First make sure you have either the the CWM recovery [ClockWorkMod - a Le Pan 1 TC970 version is provided HERE (cas_xp's post) - or via Mirror, Direct Download link] or the Manufacturer Firmware image on your SD card. (Latest firmware version as this is written is the un-official 4749 leaked build.)

Once those are on your SD card you need to have ADB [editor note: 'Android Debug Bridge' tool, ADB for short. ADB's homepage for more info here.] .

The EASIEST way to get a working ADB install is to get the SuperOneClick and Windows Drivers for TC970 packages found here. (XDA Developer's 'Root Achieved for Le Pan TC 970', by DerKoch)

• Download the drivers package from XDA thread [or from this Mirror - direct download], install them first.
• If Windows b1tches the drivers are not signed, etc, slap it. Make it install them!
• Drivers installed OK? Then download the SuperOneClick tool from XDA thread, or [mirror here - direct download].
• Install the program. My suggestion is to use a directory right off the root, like c:\superoneclick or similar.

Now you must navigate to the directory you saved the above SuperOneClick and you will find these files [editor note: they are under the ADB subfolder, in the install directory for SuperOneClick] :

• adb.exe (or apropriate Mac or Linux adb file)
• AdbWinApi.dll
• AdbWinUsbApi.dll

Once this has been done bring up the command prompt/terminal and navigate to the ADB directory; For anyone who needs help with the DOS-like command line :

• Use Start - Run windows buttons, type cmd on the popup window.
  That will open a command line window.
• It should be showing c:\Documents and Settings\username. My copy of SuperOneClick is on D:, so I typed these commands to get to ADB directory :
  
  
  

...then type :

adb reboot recovery

and then the file [editor note: ClockWorkMod, or factory firmware, etc] that you have on your SD card will load.

The ADB files in the special SuperOneClick are not the normal ones, as DerKoch (the guy who made that SuperOneClick version) said they are special ones that he "procured from somewhere".

They work perfectly, and this method is very simple, compared to installing the Full ADB package from th Developer's site, then have to fiddle with drivers, etc.

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If you found this useful, or have any suggestions, comments, please post here. Thank you!


EDIT : March 9, 2012 - Information on the iBoot Menu :

We have a nice and detailed thread by sburns90, with details he found on a mysterious other boot loader in the TC970 tablets.

You can see his post here : at the LPL thread or the XDA forum post.

 

[yann2]

After posting this thread here with the boot loop recovery instructions, I find myself being the first 'customer' needing them.

Tried installing a new beta version for testing a friend's build, some things went wrong; but the ADB Reboot Recovery worked flawlessly to bring me back into ClockWorkMod - when even a paper clip reset wasn't working.

In another post here earlier today, I described how some users might already have a working ADB installed in their system - those who rooted their Le Pan 1s with DerKoch's method and drivers/tools.

For reference, here it is :

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A tip for anyone who has rooted their TC970 Le Pan 11 using DerKoch's modified SuperOneClick :

- if you did install it, it includes the windows drivers to get your device recognized as an Android Device. That's half the battle.

- if you installed it, and did not remove it, even better. You will find an ADB directory under the install folder of SuperOne Click.

In my case, that was d:\SuperOneClick\ADB.

- Ope a cmd window (the old days of DOS shells!), type the proper CD command to get there. If you extract the alsa.omap3.so file (from the ZIP attached above) into this ADB directory.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Used this exact method, and typed in:

adb reboot recovery

- that took me right into CWM, and I could wipe caches, user data and Dalvik cache to clean up, then re-install cleanly.

 

[yann2]

Original post heavily edited.

I used the method to recover last night, it's one single command line you type on a command line window (adb reboot recovery), and could save someone's bacon and sanity.

To make this easier, I heavily edited the first post, from the original by sburns90, and added notes, screenshots, command line steps plus direct download links to mirrored copies of the Drivers and SuperOneClick packages you need.

This is really not hard - try it, even if you are just installing to see if it works, having it ready there will be handy someday if you like experimenting and tinkering.

Hope this helps.

Edit : added more info, links to ClockWorkMod, including direct downloads for ALL the files you need to get this working. Painlessly, honest. Enjoy.

 

[sburns90]

For those who are still stuck in a boot loop or who have been unable to get the computer to recognize your device, there is still hope,
check out this guide i made that ties in with this current one.


iBoot how to:

xda-developers - View Single Post - Gingerbread on lepan TC970 (Beta3.1--Charge in power off)

 

[yann2]

Hey, sburns90 - thanks for the link, we were just discussing that iBoot menu and how to get to it.

Thanks! Welcome to AT forums.

EDIT : March 9, here's a snapshot of the iBoot Menu (courtesy of dbaybay at LPL) :

sburns90's post (linked above and also added as an edit in the OP above) describes the iBoot Menu, how to access it, etc.

It could be another way to escape a nasty boot loop situtation, so keep it in mind.