[Q] Is the nexus 4 unbrickable? - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey guys,
Just ordered a Nexus 4 online and waiting for it to be delivered. But had to ask a quick question, that is, how easy is it to brick the Nexus 4? And if so, can it be unbricked easily via software?
I am currently using a Motorola Defy + and it its almost unbrickable and can be recovered from any type of brick. So just curious

super noob bros said:
Hey guys,
Just ordered a Nexus 4 online and waiting for it to be delivered. But had to ask a quick question, that is, how easy is it to brick the Nexus 4? And if so, can it be unbricked easily via software?
I am currently using a Motorola Defy + and it its almost unbrickable and can be recovered from any type of brick. So just curious
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash the wrong kernel is a really easy way to brick your nexus 4,and the only i know

Yep worst you can do is flash a kernel or ROM meant for a different device, but even that can usually be recovered by using download mode.
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Federico_96 said:
Flash the wrong kernel is a really easy way to brick your nexus 4,and the only i know
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Chromium_ said:
Yep worst you can do is flash a kernel or ROM meant for a different device, but even that can usually be recovered by using download mode.
Sent using xda-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can easily recover if you have a nandroid backup though I think.

Fastboot erase bootloader will brick you pretty quickly
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

In short, you really have to try to brick it. Even then, it takes some work to break it to the point that you can't fix it with fastboot. You won't hard brick it on accident. I don't consider a soft brick a brick of any sort when you can fix it in 15mins with fastboot.

Pretty much the only way to brick is flashing the wrong bootloader or flashing something that isn't a bootloader to the bootloader partition.

In a way yes. Although it isnt like samsungs download mode, it is kind of unbrickable if you do brick it you just go into the bootloader use a toolkit download the stock rom and it will do the rest for you

Thanks people. Much appreciated

There is a topic somewhere in these forums with a guide that uses a program called lgtool or lgetool (can't remember which)
Which even lets you recover from a bricked bootloader. Though it is a lengthy and technical process.
So at this moment it is physically impossible to brick your phone. Unless it is bricked from actual damage to the hardware
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Alex240188 said:
There is a topic somewhere in these forums with a guide that uses a program called lgtool or lgetool (can't remember which)
Which even lets you recover from a bricked bootloader. Though it is a lengthy and technical process.
So at this moment it is physically impossible to brick your phone. Unless it is bricked from actual damage to the hardware
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
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Yes there's a great guide by Gigadroid somewhere in the general section. Basically as long as you can get into download mode the phone can be recovered.
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Yeah I don't understand why people view flashing a wrong kernel as bricked. If you can get into the bootloader in my opinion it's not bricked!
Bricked is when it's just that, the phone can only be used as a paperweight and doesn't turn on in any sort of fashion. So doing "fastboot erase bootloader" is what I call a brick, which you'd have to be really drunk or just a total moron to do. And flashing wrong bootloader, or being so lucky as to have a power outage in the spilt second it takes to flash a bootloader is one of those I view as brick.
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M3drvr said:
Yeah I don't understand why people view flashing a wrong kernel as bricked. If you can get into the bootloader in my opinion it's not bricked!
Bricked is when it's just that, the phone can only be used as a paperweight and doesn't turn on in any sort of fashion. So doing "fastboot erase bootloader" is what I call a brick, which you'd have to be really drunk or just a total moron to do. And flashing wrong bootloader, or being so lucky as to have a power outage in the spilt second it takes to flash a bootloader is one of those I view as brick.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Maybe because if you flash an incorrect kernel you can't boot into the boot loader? Just a thought.
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joshnichols189 said:
Maybe because if you flash an incorrect kernel you can't boot into the boot loader? Just a thought.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
When does that happen? I've never had that happen. I just purposely flashed a wrong kernel and i can still get to bootloader and recovery...

M3drvr said:
When does that happen? I've never had that happen. I just purposely flashed a wrong kernel and i can still get to bootloader and recovery...
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Click to collapse
I saw a thread where someone flashed nexus 7 kernel on the nexus 4 and he had to buy a new device,but maybe Gigadroid wrote the guide after that thread

Federico_96 said:
I saw a thread where someone flashed nexus 7 kernel on the nexus 4 and he had to buy a new device,but maybe Gigadroid wrote the guide after that thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I remember accidentally doing that on my galaxy Nexus. But twrp actually caught it and wouldn't allow me to install it. Kept errroring out.
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Harry GT-S5830 said:
Fastboot erase bootloader will brick you pretty quickly
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This isn't a true fastboot command
But yes, this is a very hard device to brick, most everything is recoverable. But I'm sure there are plenty who find a way to do this, usually the ones who dive in head first and have bad luck.
Just be sure you read and understand before you try and beg for help
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Get in fastboot mode..
Erase bootloader
Reboot
Profit??
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demkantor said:
This isn't a true fastboot command
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you actually tried the command.
On the nexus 7 this was a valid fastboot command and there was a few instances of people bricking by erasing the bootloader then rebooting before flashing another one
It probably would be a good idea for Google to have removed the ability to erase the bootloader as there really is no need to erase it
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

WOW after i sold my s4 and got nexus 4 im even loving nexus moreeeDDD i wish nexus 5 is awesome as this DD

Related

Downgrade to 4.1.2 possible for nonrooted ?

Hi everyone I was just wondering if its possible to downgrade my nexus from 4.2.1 to 4.1.2 if I'm not rooted. I'm currently not interested in rooting my device so is there a way to do it without rooting/unlocking?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Bump
Sent from my Full Android on PrimoC using xda premium
Follow this http://m.pocketnow.com/2013/01/29/how-to-flash-nexus-to-stock
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
desiresiscool said:
Follow this http://m.pocketnow.com/2013/01/29/how-to-flash-nexus-to-stock
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
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I can't flash things because I'm unrooted. So I don't think this method will work. Correct me if I'm wrong.
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Anyone know?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
I do not know for sure but I quite doubt it.
I am curious as to why you want to though. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to downgrade, of course.
Have you tried one the took kits available? Check around in the Nexus 7 original development section. Look for Wuggs.
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Droid117 said:
Have you tried one the took kits available? Check around in the Nexus 7 original development section. Look for Wuggs.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked at his toolkit but it basically says that I have to root in order to even use the toolkit so is there a way to downgrade without having to go through that rooting process? For now, I don't want to root my nexus
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Don't try to root it you'll only manage unlocking the boot loader then when you try and root it it will get stuck in fast boot mode I tried about every rooting program but it could be because my Comp is running windows xp lol
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
served24 said:
I looked at his toolkit but it basically says that I have to root in order to even use the toolkit so is there a way to downgrade without having to go through that rooting process? For now, I don't want to root my nexus
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
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It's so easy to just reflash stock and relock the bootloader that you really have nothing to worry about. If you want unrooted stock 4.1.2 just unlock the bootloader, then flash the stock image of 4.1.2, then relock the bootloader after. It's a really simple process.
dstryrwiz said:
It's so easy to just reflash stock and relock the bootloader that you really have nothing to worry about. If you want unrooted stock 4.1.2 just unlock the bootloader, then flash the stock image of 4.1.2, then relock the bootloader after. It's a really simple process.
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Doesn't this void the warranty though? I know it did when i rooted my phone.
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Is this even possible or should I stop furthering this question?
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served24 said:
Doesn't this void the warranty though? I know it did when i rooted my phone.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
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If i'm not mistaken, as long as you flash back to 4.2.1(which is the os it came with when u got it out of the box), and then re-lock the bootloader, unroot, then your warranty wont be voided mate. hope I helped.
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JohnMacky said:
If i'm not mistaken, as long as you flash back to 4.2.1(which is the os it came with when u got it out of the box), and then re-lock the bootloader, unroot, then your warranty wont be voided mate. hope I helped.
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I've done this plenty of times with my Nexus 7 and even the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. As long as you're on a stock image with a locked bootloader, they won't give you any trouble or claim you voided your warranty, as there's really no way to tell. I've gotten into the habit of unlocking and rooting my device as soon as I get it, and if I find a problem I just revert back to a stock image, relock the bootloader, then send it back in. I have yet to have a single issue.
dstryrwiz said:
Yeah, I've done this plenty of times with my Nexus 7 and even the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. As long as you're on a stock image with a locked bootloader, they won't give you any trouble or claim you voided your warranty, as there's really no way to tell. I've gotten into the habit of unlocking and rooting my device as soon as I get it, and if I find a problem I just revert back to a stock image, relock the bootloader, then send it back in. I have yet to have a single issue.
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How do you save your stock image?
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served24 said:
How do you save your stock image?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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You don't need to worry about saving your stock image. The person above you is talking about saving the stock image to return to after flashing a custom ROM.
There is no way to revert back to 4.1.2 without root access. Doing a factory reset, about the only thing you can do without root, will only return you back to stock 4.2.1
My advice just stay on 4.2.1 whatever your issue is with it.
Otherwise use a toolkit. You will need a PC and the 4.1.2 image. Wugfresh has a website. I would start there.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
ezas said:
You don't need to worry about saving your stock image. The person above you is talking about saving the stock image to return to after flashing a custom ROM.
There is no way to revert back to 4.1.2 without root access. Doing a factory reset, about the only thing you can do without root, will only return you back to stock 4.2.1
My advice just stay on 4.2.1 whatever your issue is with it.
Otherwise use a toolkit. You will need a PC and the 4.1.2 image. Wugfresh has a website. I would start there.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually was just referring to the stock images you can get directly from Google or from goo.im. It's easy enough to just use the 4.2.1 stock image from Google to just restore back to how it shipped, and then relock the bootloader.
served24 said:
Hi everyone I was just wondering if its possible to downgrade my nexus from 4.2.1 to 4.1.2 if I'm not rooted. I'm currently not interested in rooting my device so is there a way to do it without rooting/unlocking?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dstryrwiz said:
It's so easy to just reflash stock and relock the bootloader that you really have nothing to worry about. If you want unrooted stock 4.1.2 just unlock the bootloader, then flash the stock image of 4.1.2, then relock the bootloader after. It's a really simple process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree with this... I have, on several occasions, reflashed stock, switching between 4.1.2 and 4.2.1 - (for me, it was more of an exercise in learning about fastboot and adb... and making sure I had TRIED AND TESTED factory images on my laptop as contingencies should anything go wrong when I came to start flashing custom ROMs).
-----
You don't need root to flash a factory image... everything is done with fastboot; with the Nexus 7 in FASTBOOT/BOOTLOADER mode (from complete shutdown, press and hold Volume Down button... whilst holding, press the Power Button).
(Root is meaningless anyway, here in FASTBOOT/BOOTLOADER mode, since /dev/block/mmcblk0p3, the SYSTEM partition, hasn't even been mounted yet - so no SU binary available... whether or not it exists, it's sort of irrelevant).
- here, for example, is the flash-all script from 4.1.2 (nakasi-jzo54k)... (Nexus 7, WiFi model only).
Code:
fastboot erase boot
fastboot erase cache
fastboot erase recovery
fastboot erase system
fastboot erase userdata
fastboot flash bootloader bootloader-grouper-3.41.img
fastboot reboot bootloader
sleep 10
fastboot -w update image-nakasi-jzo54k.zip
After running this script (flash-all.bat if in Windows, or flash-all.sh if an Apple user) you can optionally choose to lock the bootloader with... (if you're concerned about warranty issues).
Code:
fastboot oem lock
-----
If it was the case you needed root to run...
Code:
fastboot flash [partition to be flashed] [IMG file to flash]
...you wouldn't be able to flash a CUSTOM RECOVERY like CWM or TWRP... and thus, you wouldn't be able to flash Chainfire's UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.00.zip (http://download.chainfire.eu/310/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.04.zip) in order to gain root in the first place!... (you see the paradox!).
Rgrds,
Ged.

Rooting Nexus 7 16GB

Hi!
I want to root my Nexus 7 with unlockroot but I know that then warranty won't work anymore. But if I unroot then my warranty will work again. So my question is.. When I root my Nexus and when somethong happens (like not turning on anymore or etc.) then I can't unroot it? It means that warranty won't work and I have to fix it by myself or take it to some business who does things like this.
Just use one of the nexus toolkits and you can unroot or relock bootloader, whatever you want.
What toolkit do you suggest using? Because I just ordered a new 16 gb Wi-Fi version
Sent from my SGH-T959V using xda app-developers app
As far as I know they are both as good as each other. It seems to be down to your UI preference. I use mskip's toolkit, but other's prefer Wug's.
So if my Nexus 7 is not turning on I can easily relock bootloader and unroot?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
AW: Rooting Nexus 7 16GB
jeremin said:
So if my Nexus 7 is not turning on I can easily relock bootloader and unroot?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly
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Wat from do you guys suggest starting out with
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jeremin said:
So if my Nexus 7 is not turning on I can easily relock bootloader and unroot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would anybody do anything to a device that can not be turned on?
Perhaps you meant "won't boot", but who knows really.
If you experience a hardware failure or do something dumb like flash junk to the bootloader (or erase it without flashing a valid one before exiting the currently-running bootloader), then nobody here can guarantee you anything at all.
There have been a couple of reports on here of devices which developed apparent hardware troubles which did not totally brick the device (that is, the unlocked bootloader state could still be observed), but apparently wrecked things to the point that no currently known techniques could rescue the device or relock the bootloader.
Having said that, there have been even more reports of newbs doing stupid stuff and bricking their devices. Interpret that any way you like; I interpret it to mean the owner bricking the device is more likely than it being caused by hardware failure.
Until there is something like "nvflash" for the N7 (might never happen), the N7 should not be considered to be unbrickable (say compared to Samsung devices that work with Kies/heimdal).
good luck

Nexus 4 brick caution

Hi, i bought a nexus 4 and i wanted to know what things should i avoid so i wont brick my phone before i do anything for example while rooting ,flashing a rom ? sorry for my english bthw
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Don't flash anything from another device.
Read the instructions carefully to install/flash a rom or kernel.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
scream4cheese said:
Don't flash anything from another device.
Read the instructions carefully to install/flash a rom or kernel.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 That`s about the only thing to brick a Nexus
Don't do any formatting, and don't delete partitions. If you need a clean slate, do a factory reset or flash the stock image using fastboot.
snapper.fishes said:
Don't do any formatting, and don't delete partitions. If you need a clean slate, do a factory reset or flash the stock image using fastboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing you can't format is the bootloader that will brick it
Sent from my Nexus 4
Yep avoid flashing stuff for other devices. Most things will be recoverable but some can brick it. E.g. recoveries
Never ever use the command fastboot erase bootloader as this will 100% be a brick
I haven't seen anyone do it on the nexus 4 however i have seen people do it on the nexus 7
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Question about returning my N4 to Google

Just began the RMA process with Google Play by ordering the replacement device. Now when I send back my faulty unit when the replacement arrives, in what state should I leave the software of the phone so that the RMA process finishes smoothly?
I'd imagine I'd have to flash stock rom+kernel, stock recovery, relock the boot loader, unroot, and possibly reset the flash counter (have no idea how to go about this last one). Anything I'm missing/feedback?
This is my first time going through Google's RMA process and I want it to happen as smoothly as possible. Thank you.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Nexus phones dont have flash counters. All you need to do is flash the stock images and relock the bootloader.
A guide can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312
I've never heard about a flash counter on a nexus
Swyped from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
Chromium_ said:
Nexus phones dont have flash counters. All you need to do is flash the stock images and relock the bootloader.
A guide can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You learn something new everyday. Thanks guys!
Lord Yurij said:
I've never heard about a flash counter on a nexus
Swyped from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Hard bricked?

OK, back when kit Kat first come out I flashed a updated boot loader and when I rebooted the phone will no longer turn on. All I get is a red light. It seems I had a corrupted file. I can not get into recovery, and it seems I can't get into download mode either.
So here is my question. I read somewhere I can JTAG this phone and that will fix it. I'm unfamiliar with JTAG process so that's why I'm asking here.
Also, is there any other options?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
If you tried to flash a bootloader you most likely hard bricked your phone. Do you have a link to what you flashed? If you have to jtag check out mobiletechvideos.com. they've gotten very good reviews.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
jd1639 said:
If you tried to flash a bootloader you most likely hard bricked your phone. Do you have a link to what you flashed? If you have to jtag check out mobiletechvideos.com. they've gotten very good reviews.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have the link because it was almost a year ago. I'm using a nexus 5 now but want to save this phone if possible. I'll check that out. Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Did you unlock the bootloader before flashing a new bootloader? I'm not sure if this makes a difference.
audit13 said:
Did you unlock the bootloader before flashing a new bootloader? I'm not sure if this makes a difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I was running PA ROM at the time. Its possible I flashed a boot loader for another phone. Lol it was early in the morning, and it was totally my fault. I'm just looking for a way to save it because its in mint condition, not even a scratch on it.
So if JTAG is the only option, I'll gladly pay for it as long as it will work.
But I was told with JTAG, or motherboard replacement is required to fix what was done.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

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