How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the Motorola Photon 4G
In order to install custom ROMs on your Motorola Photon 4G, you need a custom recovery installed on your device. A custom recovery allows you to replace your current ROM with any of your favorite custom ROM. By doing so, you’ll get a completely revamped interface as well as features. If you’ve made your mind to try out custom ROMs, then lets’ see how you can install ClockworkMod Recovery on your Motorola Photon 4G.
I. Before You Begin:
1. You must have unlocked bootloader of your device. Head to XDA Forums to find out the procedure to do so.
2. You must have rooted your device before doing this procedure. Please head to our how to root the Motorola Photon 4G procedure first, finish it, then return to this procedure and continue.
II. Downloading Required Files:
1. ClockworkMod Recovery Image (Download link is given in the first post)
2. Fastboot
III. Installing ClockworkMod Recovery on the Motorola Photon 4G:
1. Download and place both the files to your Desktop.
2. Extract files from the Fastboot archive to your Desktop. You can use WinRAR to do so.
3. Connect your device to your PC via USB cable.
4. Open a Command Prompt Window on your Desktop. To do that, press and hold the Shift button on your keyboard and right-click on any empty area on the screen, then choose Open command window here.
5. Type in following commands into the Command Prompt Window:
moto-fastboot devices
moto-fastboot erase recovery
moto-fastboot flash recovery recovery-photon3.img
6. Reboot your device.
7. You’re done now!
Congratulations! The CWM Recovery Image has successfully been flashed on your device, making it capable to have custom ROMs as well as tweaks!
IV. Flash a Custom ROM (Optional):
1. If you are ready to flash custom ROMs on your device, head to the How To Flash a Custom ROM on the Motorola Photon 4G to learn how to do that.
If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.
This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our Android How To’s, head here.
Link for fastboot is broken, where else can I get fastboot?
Hey Kolongi,
Thanks for letting us know about it. We’ve just updated the link with working one and you won’t have any issues downloading the file.
Thanks!
what camera recorder application that can zoom tender / smooth for photon 4g?
hi ,is this working only unlocked phone?
Should work on any device.
i have had my phone for 4 years and want to take it back to factory settings without all the built up files that the normal recovery leaves behind. i have rooted my phone, but i am not sure what to do now.
Just flash back the stock firmware on your device and it’ll wipe off all the data on your device (including the custom recovery).
Hope it helps!
Like, just un-root my phone and then use the phones normal reformat option?? Cuz i’ve done that four times and my phone is still super slow, even before I start adding apps.
Maybe im wrong, but the phone holds a lot of old files like pictures and such regardless of reformatting?
First off, format all the data stored on your device using the format option available on your device.
Then, flash the stock firmware on your device using the following procedure – https://theunlockr.com/2012/11/28/how-to-unroot-the-motorola-photon-4g/
I don’t think you’d have any issues after flashing back the stock firmware on your device.
Hope this helps!
What if my origianl android version is 2.3.5 not 2.3.4??
That doesn’t matter.
My device stucks during when I press power button.
Hi, when i try to write the moto-fastboot… it sends me a error like it doesn’t recognize the command. And if i write without the “moto”, it show me the devices but when i write the “erase recovery” command, it appears = “erasing recovery, failed (remote:00180001)