Now some context info:
After my searching for good guides on how to flash a bricked mobile phone using Linux Manjaro stranded, I have decided to have both Windows 10 and Manjaro in my laptop. (I have already all needed resources to flash inside Windows.)
Problem:
How to do this partitioning the wisest way? As I have come to understand, one should first install Windows 10, then Manjaro subsequently, this because Windows tends to override partitions made prior to it. Is this correct?
This is how I think I should do it:
Backup. I am using Timeshift’s snapshot.
Reformat my laptop.
Making the Windows partition - where I will be doing the flashing.
Making the Manjaro partition.
What do you say? What I worry about is that simply adding a Windows 10 partition now could cause serious problems. I’d rather try not to take any risks.
I’d also love to learn what is the safest way to make use of the Timeshift snapshot once the new Manjaro KDE partition is installed and working?
Where are you backing up to? Snapshots are not “backups” in the truest sense of the word.
What about your user’s home folder?
Once you format the drive and partition all over again from scratch (such as letting the Windows installer do its thing), then you lose everything on the laptop.
You didn’t mention whether or not you actually backed up your important data (even all of your data) to another source.
If it is just for unbricking a phone (or attempting to …)
you could simply use a virtual machine (VirtualBox for example)
Microsoft even has ready to use VirtualBox images available for download
so deployment is very quick and does not even involve any installation.
I’d have to dig a little where to find it - but these are fully functional images for testing and developing Internet Explorer aka Edge
and are free to download and use and even licensed (for a limited amount of time).
Nothing illegal or shady.
You’ll find it by yourself … if you are interested in going that route I’ll dig up the link tomorrow if you can’t find it.
I was in a similar situation 4-5 months ago
but in the end the Windows tools didn’t help - some trial and error with adb and heimdall did the trick at the end
For pics, txts and such I already use cloud and external HD. But I would like to be able to, after the dual partition Windows/Manjaro, get right back into the full Manjaro settings I have already built. I get your point about snapshots, so in that specific sense is Clonecilla the better choice?
I don’t dare using the home folder in case something goes wrong during the process. I need a method that is foolproof. I am in a hurry, so I have no time for big mistakes this time.
For cloud I use MEGA and it syncs all data I am really afraid of loosing. At certain points I transfer from MEGA to an external drive.
That idea is really interesting. I find it rather troublesome it didn’t cross my mind yesterday, as I do know about VB. But are you actually saying I can install, say, VirutalBox, after which I can install Windows 10, after which I can run Windows-based flashing tools? Of so, I think I would go for that method, because I have no genuine interest whatsoever of supporting Microsoft in any way whatsoever. I need to keep my association with that corp at an absolute minimum.
So, I tried flashing the Linux way, but I cannot, it seems, find the right file for "Download-XML in the SP Flash Tool. I have tried all recent versions and the problem remains the same: I have no idea where to find the wanted “./download_agent/flash.xml” in the load. I have searched and searched - and found literally nothing. See pic:
Yes.
You install a virtualization software
like VirtualBox
download the virtual machine image
they even provide instructions how to deploy it - but that is the standard way as also documented everywhere else
It’s not really an installation - it’s much faster.
You basically just extract the image and are done.
and then you can use it just like a real installation of windows
pass through your USB controller or just the one port that you need to the virtual machine
install and use your software
just as you would in a real install.
I have no knowledge about the tool that you included a picture of.
I was putting LineageOS onto a Samsung phone (A3 2016) when the flashing went wrong.
I don’t know whether the tools I used (heimdall, adb) are even appropriate for your phone - and it was a trial and error process which I didn’t document, so I don’t know exactly what it was that fixed it in the end. I don’t recall.
Perhaps I can help - and be it even only with hints - if you tell more about what you need to do/what you want to achieve.
Download and install went all fine, but problems start as soon as it wants that flash.xml file. I have found no relevant description of it anywhere. I have been told, though, that drivers and support for flashing is much better with Windows than with Linux. Which I find odd. Or at least, I have no idea why it is so (if it is).
What I want to achieve:
Originally my MAIN-GOALwas this:
Learn to flash a bricked phone (Volla Phone X). That phone came with Ubuntu Touch OS, and I wanted to switch to the Volla OS, so I was advised to use Ubuntu’s UBports installer. I believe I flashed wrong OS, though - a sorry mistake, sigh. Then phone went all dead. No response at all.
To learn flashing, however, I believe I need to make use of a smart phone flash tool (URL above) to awaken the phone. I need to get back into the phone. I have not succeeded in this, I always strand at that flash.xml file about which I find nothing.
Which brings me to this issue described in this post: to correctly and fool-proof-safely partition my Lenovo into a Windows and a Manjaro. You are now telling me I could use a virtual machine, which sounds way better in my ears, than spending lots of time re-formatting and re-partitioning my laptop.
I’m sorry, but I cannot help you with that phone - lack of personal experience
with that phone and with the tools.
But since it was running some Linux variant
there probably is Support out there (fora like this here)
I’m totally unfamiliar with anything but flashing Android phones
and flashing some routers with OpenWRT to replace the original software …
There is almost always a way to recover from a brick - but it might involve getting actual hardware access and might be really work intensive.
The best and safest way is to have Windows and Manjaro on two seperate discs (two UEFI paritions, each for a disc). That is how I have set it up 7 years ago and have no issues with it.
So basically, WIndows disc already existed, I just added SSD disc, where I installed Manjaro, poitned in GRUB to the Manjaro’s GRUB UEFI path and all runs correctly.
Let me recap so as to ensure I really understand what you are saying.
Secure stuff I want to keep, using cloud or external device.
Download Windows 10 and Manjaro KDE, say, on 2 separate flashdrives.
Reformat the laptop.
Partition laptop, by way of flashdrive, into Windows OR Manjaro.
Partition the second flashdrive OR external SSD into Windows OR Manjaro.
If this is correct:
Perhaps the easiest was to just keep my system as is and buy an SSD putting Windows 10 there?
I will also have to research another possible method mentioned by @Nachlese: namely to keep system as is, but do the tasks in a virtual machine set up for Windows.
Either of those two options are better than getting crazy with resizing, formatting, and/or reinstalling operating systems on your existing (and working) setup.
You can even get a cheap SSD just for Windows, since you won’t really be using Windows much.
The virtual machine method can work, so long as you don’t mind the extra space being used up on your current home partition just to hold the VM image.
If you already have Manjaro installed and are willing to buy a new SSD, then there is no need to re-format or re-install your current OS install. However, for safety reasons, do a backup first or sync your files with cloud.
Plug in the new SSD.
Add flash drive with Windows Install, reboot to it (by changing boot settings in BIOS), so the install would start, install Windows normally on a new SSD.
Now, this part will differ dependtly on your firmware, but basically you need to go to BIOS boot settings, chose curent OS install (Manjaro).
Start Manjaro, be sure you have os-prober enabled, if not, enable it.
Update GRUB, so os-prober would start detecting new systems.
If everything works fine, Windows should appear on GRUBs menu.
Again, since Windows is on seperate drive, there is no need to mess with the current install, but to be on a safe side, do a backup first.
In my case, I had HDD with WIndows 10, added SSD and installed Manjaro on it. Since I don’t use Windows (maybe once a year), I decreased size of its parition, and the new space I got, formatted to ext4 and use for keeping files (symliked to my home folder).
Yes, I have now installed VirtualBox. Getting ready to set it up with Windows 10. Looking forward to it. If it gets too time-consuming, I will simply buy a cheap Windows laptop. But I am still curious about doing flashing from whatever Linux distro, though I will have to postpone that project for later.
