[HOW-TO] Restore Nook Color to rooted stock

[Will Shanklin]

UPDATE 1/28: Try this method first - it's pretty solid and is by far the easiest:

* credit to nootered, whose xda thread is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=931720

1. Download this bootable Clockworkmod Recovery SD card image. Unzip it using WinRAR or something similar.

* credit to thecubed for the bootable CWR image

2. Use Win32DiskImager (Windows) or dd (Mac) to burn the image onto an SD card (card must be larger than 128MB). For detailed instructions, refer to the rooting thread as burning the image is the same.

3. Download the 1.0.1 stock restore zip (large file, could take a while).

* credit samuelhalff for the restore zip

4. Copy the restore zip to your SD card. This time you aren't burning an image, just drag and drop.

5. Power off the nook, insert the SD, and power on. It should boot into ClockworkMod Recovery (in clockwork, volume keys are up/down, "n" is select, power/sleep is back (back doesn't always work).

6. Under "mounts and storage," select "format system."

7. Still under "mounts and storage" select "format data."

8. Then install zip from SD card from the main CWR menu, and choose the restore 1.0.1 zip.


* If you have problems getting Clockwork to read your SD card, you can get a second (non-booting) card, put the restore zip on it, and switch it in after clockwork has fully loaded.

. . . For that matter, if you only have one SD, you could probably boot into clockwork, remove the SD, format it somewhere else, placed the zip on it, insert it in your Nook, and flash it.

After finishing this, reboot and you should be back to stock. This is a relatively easy, very solid method. Refer to the rest of this post for archive - this should be all you need now.

ORIGINAL POST:

First, in MOST cases, you'll be able to simply interrupt the boot process 8x (by powering it down while booting) to restore to unrooted stock (before doing this, go into settings and deregister/factory reset if you can). Then just re-root if you want rooted stock.

If, for some reason, you've done something completely insane with your internal memory (who, me?) and need to restore the bad boy to stock by other means, these (surprisingly simple) instructions will get you there (credit to shad0wf0x on xda).

IF YOU HAVE CLOCKWORK RECOVERY INSTALLED (AND WORKING):

Then this is pretty easy:

1. Download this file and put it on any (non-booting) SD card. Leave it as a zip file.

2. Put the SD in your nook, and enter clockworkmod recovery.

3. Under mounts/storage in clockwork, format both 'data' and 'system' partitions.

4. Choose flash zip (or install zip, whatever it says) and choose the file you just downloaded from your SD. If, for some reason, it's saying there's no SD, choose mount SD card under mounts/storage.

You should now be back to stock.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE WORKING CLOCKWORKMOD RECOVERY:

One option is to boot into nookie froyo from an SD card, download ROM Manager from the market, flash ClockworkMod Recovery from ROM Manager, and then boot into clockwork to do the option above.

THE LONGER WAY:

You'll need to have adb installed on your computer already. If you don't know about adb, then you probably don't need these instructions.

First, you'll need the following two files:

Boot

System

Put these two files on the SD card partition of your booting Nookie Froyo card. If it's saying your SD partition is too small, follow the instructions in the stickied Nookie tips thread to expand the partition. Once you know it's big enough, the two easiest ways to get the files there are:

1. Boot into Nookie, visit this page on your nook and download the files. Move them from sdcard/download to sdcard/ (using Astro or Root Explorer).

2. Download the files on your computer, and then use market app Wifi File Browser to transfer them to your Nook's sd.

Now that you have an SD card with a working copy of Nookie Froyo booting off of it (full instructions in the stickied "run nookie froyo off SD" thread), with the files in the sdcard/ directory, proceed with the following:

Boot into Nookie Froyo, hook your Nook up to your computer, and, in your adb tools directory, issue the following (enter after each line of course):

adb shell

dd if=/sdcard/boot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p1

dd if=/sdcard/system.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p5

Then power down, remove the SD card, and power back on. You should now be on stock B&N 1.0.1.

 

[imtravis]

I really could've used this about a week or so ago, but at least it's here now..

 

[Tarpit_Carnivore]

Hook your nook, I like it

 

[l0m31n]

this didnt work for me, still rooted.

 

[Will Shanklin]

this didnt work for me, still rooted.

I'll update the OP to clarify, this is intended to restore to rooted stock. To completely unroot, merely interrupt boot 8x. If that isn't working (because you installed clockwork or altered boot in some way) then do only the step in OP to restore boot (the system part shouldn't be necessary), then interrupt 8x.

 

[l0m31n]

i have clockwork installed, but for some reason installing the boot img doesnt overwrite it. im running adb on win7 64bit.

 

[Will Shanklin]

i have clockwork installed, but for some reason installing the boot img doesnt overwrite it. im running adb on win7 64bit.

If this boot image is really dd'd successfully, I can't imagine how clockwork could be on there. You can try pushing system too, or starting over and making sure all the files are in place and all the commands are registering in adb . . .

UPDATE: easier solution for those with clockwork recovery installed posted in OP.

 

[necroscopev]

What is the easier solution? I have clockwork installed and i can not get adb to work over usb, only over wireless so the dd solution does not work. Is there an update i can force ROM Manager to run that will revert to stock? I have the sound issue and need to return nook for replacement and i need to be back to standard. Thanks.

 

[WGallahad]

Boot Link doesn't work for me

 

[Will Shanklin]

Boot Link doesn't work for me

Updated OP with new link.

 

[imtravis]

Updated OP with new link.

Still not working...

 

[Will Shanklin]

Still not working...

Heinous posting error there, half the post was in the link. Everything should be fine now.

 

[del3ted]

This is what happens when I try to run the first command:

dd if=/sdcard/boot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p1
dd: can't open '/sdcard/boot.img': No such file or directory
# dd if=/sdcard/boot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p1

any thoughts, was able to get everything else up to this point no problem

 

[Will Shanklin]

This is what happens when I try to run the first command:

dd if=/sdcard/boot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p1
dd: can't open '/sdcard/boot.img': No such file or directory
# dd if=/sdcard/boot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p1

any thoughts, was able to get everything else up to this point no problem

My bad, just realized I left out the minor step of moving the files to your SD card :\ I updated the instructions, you can either re-download the files onto your Nook or use something like WiFi file Explorer to upload the files to your Nook if your computer (Windows?) doesn't mount your SD card.

If your Nook is so borked that you can't do either, use an SD reader or something to drop the files onto the root directory.

 

[robt1]

My bad, just realized I left out the minor step of moving the files to your SD card :\ I updated the instructions, you can either re-download the files onto your Nook or use something like WiFi file Explorer to upload the files to your Nook if your computer (Windows?) doesn't mount your SD card.

If your Nook is so borked that you can't do either, use an SD reader or something to drop the files onto the root directory.

ummm...ok noob question, but I had the same problem as the above poster. How do I drop the files onto the sd card? It's a bootable froyo installation flashed using an img file and win32diskimager. The files won't fit so clearly I'm doing something wrong. Any help would be appreciated!

Long story short, I borked my internal memory. I booted up via SD card, and installed clockwork but it won't boot into recovery. So now I'm trying the second method

Edit: god this thing is infuriating! I found a clockwork boot image on xda and used it on a spare sd card to try and fix my problems. I used a stock nook zip but the thing still wont boot without a sd nookie card in it.

 

[Will Shanklin]

ummm...ok noob question, but I had the same problem as the above poster. How do I drop the files onto the sd card? It's a bootable froyo installation flashed using an img file and win32diskimager. The files won't fit so clearly I'm doing something wrong. Any help would be appreciated!

Long story short, I borked my internal memory. I booted up via SD card, and installed clockwork but it won't boot into recovery. So now I'm trying the second method

Edit: god this thing is infuriating! I found a clockwork boot image on xda and used it on a spare sd card to try and fix my problems. I used a stock nook zip but the thing still wont boot without a sd nookie card in it.

To make room on your card, you can use a program called EASEUS. Check out the nookie froyo tips thread for instructions on expanding your SD partition (procedure is the same in your case). I'll update the OP with this part.

To get the files there, either download them on your nook while running sd nookie, or use Wifi File Browser to transfer them from your computer. I also edited OP to include this.

Let us know if you run into any more roadblocks.

 

[timmyjoe42]

I've borked mine up something awful. I tried to install a Froyo zip from the sd card using a ROM manager, but it just gets to the Android in center of the screen and just flashes.

I can only power it on and off. I can't get to any other modes to drop files on or factory reset it. At this point, I'd take restoring it to factory 1.0.1 but I'd love to just have Froyo? (I'm with robt1 that this is infuriating.) I think I am going to go cry.

 

[Will Shanklin]

I've borked mine up something awful. I tried to install a Froyo zip from the sd card using a ROM manager, but it just gets to the Android in center of the screen and just flashes.

I can only power it on and off. I can't get to any other modes to drop files on or factory reset it. At this point, I'd take restoring it to factory 1.0.1 but I'd love to just have Froyo? (I'm with robt1 that this is infuriating.) I think I am going to go cry.

The instructions in the OP will get you there. There are several different versions - it sounds like you need the adb section of directions.

 

[timmyjoe42]

Yea, I don't know anything about using adb...:-\

 

[Will Shanklin]

Yea, I don't know anything about using adb...:-\

I know it probably sounds intimidating, but it's easier than you might think. Set aside some time, install the Android SDK, then go over the instructions for restoring. For these purposes, you don't have to have a background in it, just the ability to download some stuff and follow some directions.