Fix: TWRP Failed to Unmount System or Data: Device or Resource Busy Error

This tutorial will show you how you can fix the TWRP failed to unmount the system or data issue on your smartphone. Most devices include the partition, including the boot, vendor, vbmeta, system, userdata, recovery, and more. However, the included number, types, and size of partitions on the device may vary, and these partitions could be found in almost every device. These system partitions are the most important because they hold the OS on your smartphone and other devices.

If you find any issues regarding the partition on your device, then you might face these issues, especially with the TWRP. Multiple users have reported on several platforms, including Reddit and Twitter, that they cannot mount the system partition on their own devices. As a result, whenever users try to flash a Custom ROM, TWRP displays the failed to unmount system or data and shows an error message on the smartphone. Thankfully, some possible fixes are available, and you can easily troubleshoot the problem by trying those methods. So, without any further ado, let’s move on.

What is TWRP Failed to Unmount System or Data: Device or Resource Busy Error?

TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a custom recovery software project which can be used only in Android devices to perform a variety of activities or system-level tasks such as flashing Custom ROMs, rooting smartphones, creating backups, and more. As we said, most users attempt to perform one of these tasks, and TWRP may encounter an error message issue that says, “Failed to Unmount System or Data and Device or Resource Busy.” This issue may be frustrating if you’re trying to flash your smartphone or installing Custom ROMs and try on your Android smartphone.

In addition, several users have faced this error message on their smartphones while trying to flash or install Custom ROMs on their Android devices. The TWRP failed to unmount the system or data or show the busy device error is caused by various reasons. If the TWRP has failed to unmount the system or data on your device, it’s possible that there is a reason which prevents the error from working.

Reason Why You Getting This Error?

The “Failed to unmount system/data and the device or resource showing busy” error message in TWRP is caused by various reasons. Several users experience this issue while installing Custom ROMs or flashing the device, which can be annoying. In addition, the error usually occurs when the system or data partition is being used by a running application or processor on your Android device.

In other words, a certain active program or task which accesses the system or data partition on the device prevents the TWRP from unmounting it, and you aren’t able to mount the system or data properly. This could be due to a background service, application, or system process using the partition.

Pre-Requisites:

Take a Backup of Your Data

Whenever you’re trying to flash your smartphone or installing Custom ROMs using TWRP on your smartphone, make sure to back up your personal data, including photos, videos, and documents. Sometimes during the process, it will erase your device data, and you won’t be able to restore it.

A backup is essential while flashing the device or installing Custom ROMs using TWRP. Make sure to create and backup the file in a secure folder. Once you have finished with the TWRP activity, you can easily restore the backup data.

Ensure Your Device Is Charged

You must also check your smartphone battery percentage while flashing your device or installing Custom ROMs with TWRP. Ensure you have enough battery percentage, which could be required at a minimum of 50% on your device. In most cases, the TWRP fails to unmount the system or data due to low battery charge, and it will prevent your device from mounting. If your device isn’t charged, try to put it in charge mode and wait until it is charged at least 50% minimum.

Verify TWRP Version Compatibility

Before proceeding with Flash or Custom ROMs on your Android smartphone, verify TWRP version compatibility. In most cases, the TWRP fails to unmount the system or data and shows an error message due to TWRP compatibility issues. Incompatible TWRP devices won’t allow you to proceed with Custom ROMs, flashing firmware, and other activities. So, before trying to mount the system or data, check whether your device is compatible with the TWRP.

Steps to Solve TWRP Failed to Unmount System or Data

Now that we have all the prerequisites done, let’s start fixing the issue. There are four steps to follow, one of which is optional. Make sure you follow all the steps to get the issue fixed.

1. Reboot Into Recovery Mode

Restart your Android device and enter recovery mode. To enter recovery mode, follow these steps:

Turn off your device.
Press and hold the Power and the Volume down buttons simultaneously until you see the recovery mode screen.
Release both buttons.

2. Manually Unmounting System and Data Partitions

If TWRP is unable to unmount the system or data partitions, you can try unmounting them manually. To do this, follow these steps:

In TWRP, go to the main menu and select Mount.
Uncheck the boxes next to System and Data.
Now, navigate back to the main menu and select Wipe.
Check the boxes next to System and Data and then swipe to wipe them.
After the wipe is complete, return to the main menu and select Mount.
Check the boxes next to System and Data to mount them again.

3. Updating or Reinstalling TWRP

If the above steps don’t work, you can try updating or reinstalling TWRP. This will reset the TWRP and fix any issues due to corrupt installation. To do this, follow these steps:

Go to the TWRP website and download the latest version of TWRP for your device.
Copy the TWRP file to your device’s internal storage or SD card.
In TWRP, go to the main menu and select Install.
Navigate to the TWRP zip file you downloaded and select it.
Swipe to install the TWRP update.
If you’re reinstalling TWRP, select Wipe instead of Install, and then select Advanced Wipe.
Check the box next to System and Data, and then swipe to wipe.
After wiping, go back to the main menu and select Install.
Navigate to the TWRP zip file you downloaded and select it.
Swipe to install the TWRP update.

4. Performing a Factory Reset (Optional)

If none of the above-mentioned step’s work, you can try performing a factory reset. It is important to note that performing a factory reset on your device will erase all data, so make sure to back up all your important files before doing so. Here’s how to perform a factory reset:

In TWRP, go to the main menu and select Wipe.
Check the boxes next to System, Data, and Cache.
Swipe to wipe these partitions.
After wiping, go back to the main menu and select Reboot.
Your device will now be restored to its factory settings.

Alternative Custom Recoveries

If TWRP isn’t working for you yet, then there is likely no more hope. So, what to do? Well, you can try other custom recoveries or alternatives to TWRP. Here are a few well-liked alternate custom recoveries for Android smartphones:

Each recovery has its benefits and features, including touch-based user interfaces, sophisticated backup options, and support for custom ROMs and kernels. You need to decide which recovery best suits your own requirements and tastes.

Conclusion

I hope the above-mentioned solutions help you solve TWRP’s failure to unmount the system or data issue on your Android smartphone. We have mentioned the solutions that can easily fix the unmount system or data issue. However, if TWRP isn’t working for you, you can also try alternative custom recoveries mentioned in this guide. If you have any further questions, ask in the comments section below.