Database Users

New Nexus 7 User needing Unlocking/Root advice

Hey XDA
Iv had my Nexus 7 for a day now and am dying to root and mabe install CM10
i currently have a Samsung Galaxy S3 with CM10 on it...thot its extremly buggy sadly... anyways i have been looking up on how to root the nexus 7 but i need to know if i can instead of using toolkit can i instead just use odin to flash stock rom and cwm and so on instead of having to unlock the device?
i am used to using odin for flashing and cwm but here the nexus is close to the same with htc one x in the way it has that fastboot thing and from what iv heard the nexus 7 requires unlock before it can be rooted, also is the tookit the best way to unlock and root the device?
also does unlocking break the warrenty and if i ever decide to return to stock unroot how do i flash stock rom back onto the device? am not sure where i would find the stock roms for it and also can odin be used to flash it...:S
i hate sounding like a noob lol

ok iv used the toolkit 2.0 and its worked great so far...im stuck at not being able to boot into cwm recovery
it installed fine thru the toolkit but whenever i try to hold up and power i cant get it to boot into cwm recovery...
i tryed to reinstall again but still cant get it to boot into cwm am i doing something wrong?

Doing the following won't cause you to loose warranty:
- Unlocking the bootloader
- Rooting
- Flashing custom ROM's and Kernels (however, if you flash a custom kernel that causes your device to explode... I'm somewhat certain this won't be covered)
However, if you are doing anything like that, and have to send the device in for warranty, you "should" factory restore it. Google provides Factory Images for the Nexus 7, which can be restored to your device with semi-ease.
I use this guide to factory restore: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ne...ide-factory-image-restore-your-nexus-7-a.html Some filenames might need changed though since I think that guide is based off an older factory image (instructions are the same though).
There is a good chance a toolkit also has an easy method for factory restoring, but I don't recommend this at all.

Stop using toolkits.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent White Tapatalk 2

ÜBER™ said:
Stop using toolkits.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amen, +1. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1830108

encryptioncsta said:
ok iv used the toolkit 2.0 and its worked great so far...im stuck at not being able to boot into cwm recovery
it installed fine thru the toolkit but whenever i try to hold up and power i cant get it to boot into cwm recovery...
i tryed to reinstall again but still cant get it to boot into cwm am i doing something wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never used a toolkit before (until this issue had me stuck). I'm unable to get the Nexus 7 to book into recovery (CWM) after flashing it via fastboot. After giving up, I rooted it using the toolkit.. scariest thing I've ever done.. it did work.. but I'd like to get to the bottom of why a number of people like me seem to be having issues flashing and booting CWM on the Nexus 7.

Did you rename the original system/recovery to .bak first?

Travisdroidx2 said:
Did you rename the original system/recovery to .bak first?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I flashed it as I normally do.. using the .img file. In this case, CWM.. recovery-clockwork-6.0.1.0-grouper.img
Why would renaming it to .bak be needed?

xyzulu said:
No, I flashed it as I normally do.. using the .img file. In this case, CWM.. recovery-clockwork-6.0.1.0-grouper.img
Why would renaming it to .bak be needed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not actually.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent White Tapatalk 2

I had to rename the stock recovery under system to .bak before I could get twrp to work. Or else when I went into recovery it would get stuck on the android.
But I see you are using fast boot it should write over it.

Travisdroidx2 said:
I had to rename the stock recovery under system to .bak before I could get twrp to work. Or else when I went into recovery it would get stuck on the android.
But I see you are using fast boot it should write over it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't have to. Flashed twrp and forgot to put a ROM on it and went back into recovery and it was twrp still.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent White Tapatalk 2

I should of just flashed the image file and flashed it myself but I was in a hurry and used goo im and it bit me in the ass. Lesson learned.

Recovery won't flash

I had to do a complete wipe from the computer and flashed clockwork mod recovery. Since it was likely an old version I had the double 0 partition problem which I fixed by manually moving the files. I tried to update the recovery to twrp, but it won't flash using goomanager. It downloads and says it's flashed but it's not there.
I also seem to have a weird problem where I have to push the power button to get it to boot past the Google screen. If I don't push power it gets stuck there forever.
Any ideas?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

Follow the sticky at the top that says flashing a factory ROM using fastboot/return to stock. Start from scratch, get it working, and then flash whatever you want.
Sent from my Nexus 7(2012) that has zero issues.

SlowCobra96 said:
Follow the sticky at the top that says flashing a factory ROM using fastboot/return to stock. Start from scratch, get it working, and then flash whatever you want.
Sent from my Nexus 7(2012) that has zero issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I did, that's why I'm stuck on the old recovery.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

T-Keith said:
That's what I did, that's why I'm stuck on the old recovery.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might be an odd question, but have you tried just updating CWM first, and THEN flashing TWRP? Sometimes the flash won't go smoothly with an older version of one recovery to a newer version of a different recovery- not sure why, but that's just been my experience. I would update CWM first then try flashing TWRP.
Also, if goo is not working for you, you could try Rom Manager to update CWM and then flash TWRP. It can flash either. (If you really want to flash via the device).
Otherwise, (me personally) I'd just use adb fastboot to flash a new recovery.
Hope that helps

Thanks I will try that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

T-Keith said:
Thanks I will try that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. Let us know how it works out for you.

Tried flashing with fastboot, now it won't boot into recovery, just hangs at the Google logo.
Still needs a bump from the power button to get it to boot normally.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

T-Keith said:
Tried flashing with fastboot, now it won't boot into recovery, just hangs at the Google logo.
Still needs a bump from the power button to get it to boot normally.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh, that sucks! How are you *attempting to* access recovery... via reboot menu, via adb, or via 3-button press? It shouldn't matter, but you could try all three methods to see if any way will give you recovery access. Then, if/when you manage to get in, you could reflash again straight from recovery. I'm going to do some digging to see if I can find a better solution. I KNOW I've read about the same issue before, I know there's a solution... I just have to find it again.
Worse comes to worse, you might have to reflash stock recovery then reflash custom recovery. Might be a corrupt recovery img, but I will check and try some things out and let you know what I find.
Edited to add:
Yes. there was a bug in the older bootloader that bypassed/refused access to recovery... so since you restored stock, you probably need to update your bootloader to at least to version 4.18 (via fastboot). THEN you should be able to access recovery. I can't add links, but I can give you a text link once I find just the IMG file instead of the full firmware. Honestly, I never do backups so I don't have the file on hand. However, I may do one backup at least so I can extract my boot img and give it to you.

OK, so I found the info I was looking for.
From Elsewhere:
Steps:
Install latest nexus 7 bootloader.
This fixes the boot loader bug and now you can enter recovery from the bootloader screen.
Update the bootloader to at least 3.18. Make sure NOT TO DELETE THE BOOTLOADER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot emphasize this enough!!!!!!!!!!! I bricked my first one this way.
Use
fastboot flash bootloader C:\>>>>>>\bootloader-grouper-3.18.IMG***
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do NOT erase bootloader before you flash the new one. And after you have flashed the new one type;
fastboot reboot bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and check the bootloader version to make sure you succeeded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
***Or whatever you name the boot img file!***
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19608328/boot.img.zip --> This is from MY Nexus 7. It's Bootloader version 4.23, and works with JB 4.2.2- it does NOT have the recovery access bug.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19608328/recovery.img.zip --> This is a copy of MY CWM, which I just updated to 6.0.3.6 yesterday.
I'd flash the bootloader, then flash your recovery of choice. Not being able to access recovery is a bootloader issue, not a recovery issue. The fact that you restored/reverted an older full firmware put you on an older bootloader that would not allow users to access recovery.
Try the new(er) bootloader, it should work. My device is a 16gb grouper Nexus 7 running 4.2.2. Before that, it ran 4.1.2 without any issues, so it should work to resolve the problem you're having.

Flash issues

I'm on twrp 2.6.3.0 and anytime I try and flash a new 4.4 ROM the install fails.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

wrong advice, my mistake... thanks for the reminding simms22.

But I wanna stay rooted
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

You don't have to unroot. Just download and flash TWRP 2.6.3.2. On that build, they fixed the issues of 4.4 ROMS incorrectly flashing. Using it myself with no problems. Its in Original Android Development if I'm not mistaken

Flashing 4.4 Factory Image issues
Currently on my Nexus 4.
Android 4.3 Unlocked and Rooted
Kernel Version: 3.4.0-perf-gf43c3d9
Build: JWR66Y
Baseband: M9614A-CEFWMAZM-2.0.1700.84
Using ClockWorkMod Recovery v6.0.4.3, when trying to flash the 4.4 factory image .zip file on the SD Card I keep getting an "Installation Aborted" error after "Installing update..." step and the red Triangle on the android figure.
When attempting to sideload using stock recovery, getting a "Signature Verification Failed"
Any Suggestions? Thanks

darkfire2040 said:
I'm on twrp 2.6.3.0 and anytime I try and flash a new 4.4 ROM the install fails.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you haven't already tried it, under Mount uncheck system, that solved the problem for me.

Yeah I wanna stay in twrp so I will try flashing the latest. The error I'm getting is. Error while trying to update binarys
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

will_chrome said:
you've got to unroot and back to stock rwcovery 1st if I'm not mistake. the guide to flash stock rom can be found in http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wtf??? never ever give advice on android ever again!
op, all you have to do is update your recovery to twrp latest(v.2.6.3.3). flash your rom, flash your 4.4 gapps, and flash the latest supersu then reboot.

simms22 said:
all you have to do is update your recovery to twrp latest(v.2.6.3.3). flash your rom, flash your 4.4 gapps, and flash the latest supersu then reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will chime in on this one. I too have had constant failures with TWRP trying to flash ROMs lately. I'm running 2.6.3.3 and everything results in failure. I've tried the unchecking of system mount, multiple downloads with verified MD5s, sideloads, etc. Nothing is working.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

ph37rd said:
I will chime in on this one. I too have had constant failures with TWRP trying to flash ROMs lately. I'm running 2.6.3.3 and everything results in failure. I've tried the unchecking of system mount, multiple downloads with verified MD5s, sideloads, etc. Nothing is working.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
next time you flash, after it fails, boot into the bootloader from the recovery. then, from the bootloader, go into the recovery again and flash.

simms22 said:
next time you flash, after it fails, boot into the bootloader from the recovery. then, from the bootloader, go into the recovery again and flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Recognizing your knowledge and experience so asking you to explain why that works. Does something in the internals get reset?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

ph37rd said:
Recognizing your knowledge and experience so asking you to explain why that works. Does something in the internals get reset?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
ill be honest, i dont know why. but i do know that it has worked for many. the alternative, which works 100% of the time, would be to delete your recovery, then flash it again. btw, did it work for you?

simms22 said:
ill be honest, i dont know why. but i do know that it has worked for many. the alternative, which works 100% of the time, would be to delete your recovery, then flash it again. btw, did it work for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I won't be able to experiment for a couple of weeks. I do know that I've wiped my phone four times or more in the last week with the 4.3 and 4.4 factory images and either manually or using one of the tool kits have added TWRP custom recovery and rooted the phone. Each time trying to flash a ROM it would result in a failure.
Next time I get the chance, I'll give your suggestion a shot and let you know. Are there logs I can capture that might prove useful?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

ph37rd said:
I won't be able to experiment for a couple of weeks. I do know that I've wiped my phone four times or more in the last week with the 4.3 and 4.4 factory images and either manually or using one of the tool kits have added TWRP custom recovery and rooted the phone. Each time trying to flash a ROM it would result in a failure.
Next time I get the chance, I'll give your suggestion a shot and let you know. Are there logs I can capture that might prove useful?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
na. really the only 100% working fix is to delete the recovery, then reflash.

simms22 said:
na. really the only 100% working fix is to delete the recovery, then reflash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So essentially I've done that with each factory image installed, correct? I'll have to read up on ADB and Fastboot to get the commands to remove the existing recovery. Will be a good way to kill some time (such the life I lead, being envious is not good for your soul)...
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

ph37rd said:
So essentially I've done that with each factory image installed, correct? I'll have to read up on ADB and Fastboot to get the commands to remove the existing recovery. Will be a good way to kill some time (such the life I lead, being envious is not good for your soul)...
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, you just flashed the next version of the recovery over the last. occasionally, something doesnt want to update in the partition, so clearing the previous recovery before flashing the new one will take car of it.

simms22 said:
no, you just flashed the next version of the recovery over the last. occasionally, something doesnt want to update in the partition, so clearing the previous recovery before flashing the new one will take car of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK that confuses me. If using fastboot to place a new boot loader, radio, recovery and ROM are onto the phone and I have to 'fastboot flash recovery recovery.img' to replace the stock recovery that doesn't wipe out the stock recovery? Fabulous sentence structure.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[Q] Trouble installing custom recovery on D800

I rooted using ioroot12 and tried installing recovery using both play store CWM installer for D800 as well as a manual install using the method shown in a thread in the D800 development forum. Both methods appear to install successfully but when I reboot to recovery I get a black screen (can tell black light is lit though) and nothing else. Holding the power eventually reboots phone back into the stock os. When in the broken recovery status and connected to computer via USB I get a slew of drive letters all prompting to format.
I'm guessing those are all the directories on the phone which are formatted android fs?
Any ideas what is happening? ioroot12 contains some changes to be compatible with the latest OTA, maybe the stock recovery file structure changed a little after the OTA?

arie001 said:
I rooted using ioroot12 and tried installing recovery using both play store CWM installer for D800 as well as a manual install using the method shown in a thread in the D800 development forum. Both methods appear to install successfully but when I reboot to recovery I get a black screen (can tell black light is lit though) and nothing else. Holding the power eventually reboots phone back into the stock os. When in the broken recovery status and connected to computer via USB I get a slew of drive letters all prompting to format.
I'm guessing those are all the directories on the phone which are formatted android fs?
Any ideas what is happening? ioroot12 contains some changes to be compatible with the latest OTA, maybe the stock recovery file structure changed a little after the OTA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i repeatedly tried over and over after the ota.... it wont work you have to go back to stock reset. root then install twrp or cwm. twrp worked for me and cwm messed up my device causing a complete wipe of everything including logos and everything just a black screen that wouldnt power on. 30 minutes later it booted back up??? be careful.

Thanks
podagee said:
i repeatedly tried over and over after the ota.... it wont work you have to go back to stock reset. root then install twrp or cwm. twrp worked for me and cwm messed up my device causing a complete wipe of everything including logos and everything just a black screen that wouldnt power on. 30 minutes later it booted back up??? be careful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, probably saved my phone from certain destruction. I followed the steps to go back to stock and successfully rooted and was able to install custom recovery finally.
I seem to recall the OTA taking a long time for being so small, I wonder if they played with partition sizing or something on the "o" firmware.

arie001 said:
Thanks, probably saved my phone from certain destruction. I followed the steps to go back to stock and successfully rooted and was able to install custom recovery finally.
I seem to recall the OTA taking a long time for being so small, I wonder if they played with partition sizing or something on the "o" firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i only seen that the att apps were updated after the update as well as a security update tightening up their security for their bootloader.as far as partitioning uncertain on that.
glad it worked for you.

I spent a few hrs last night into the am trying to root and flash a working recovery. Just realized my phone auto updated to the OTA and, think I need to go back to the pre-ota. For whatever reason, I can't get twrp to update, no matter how I try to flash it.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

bzmotoninja83 said:
I spent a few hrs last night into the am trying to root and flash a working recovery. Just realized my phone auto updated to the OTA and, think I need to go back to the pre-ota. For whatever reason, I can't get twrp to update, no matter how I try to flash it.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got mine to root using ioroot 12. I got twrp by usint freegee app. The only thing is my recovery is 2.6.3.0. Trying to figure 9ut how to get a newer version of recovery now.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Check with the guys on the webchat If you get stuck. I gotta flash pre-OTA personally. Something that I flashed stuck and won't let twrp update.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

bzmotoninja83 said:
Check with the guys on the webchat If you get stuck. I gotta flash pre-OTA personally. Something that I flashed stuck and won't let twrp update.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're on 10o now, try using FreeGee from the Play Store, as mentioned, to get twrp installed.

heres what youre failing to realize..... with 2.6.3.0 I cant flash anything other than, nothing. Everything fails..... I cannot upgrade to the later versions of twrp, any way shape form or fashion. thanks tho

btm fdr said:
If you're on 10o now, try using FreeGee from the Play Store, as mentioned, to get twrp installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't get the 10o OTA to install but I used FreeGee to install TWRP and it was incredibly easy/simple. I've seen a few people now that have said they were also able to flash TWRP after upgrading to 10o using FreeGee as well.
fountain79 said:
I got mine to root using ioroot 12. I got twrp by usint freegee app. The only thing is my recovery is 2.6.3.0. Trying to figure 9ut how to get a newer version of recovery now.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have TWRP installed already you can just boot into recovery, flash a new TWRP or CWM recovery zip and then go to the "Advanced" menu and select Reboot>Recovery to boot into recovery again and you'll be in the new recovery you just flashed.

I tried that like 30 times over the last 2 days. I finally got flashtool to go back pre ota and now I'm running PA and have 2.6.3.3 for twrp. My reason for things not working is, I think that when I flashed something, it stuck making the code all jacked. Please next time, don't ASSume that because its supposed to work that it always will. There will always be human error.
Sent from my LG G2 using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

Stuck in recovery.

I completely borked my phone. I installed the OTA update with TWRP installed and now stuck in recovery mode.
After the OTA update the phone entered recovery where I accidentally wiped EVERYTHING!
Phone WILL NOT enter download mode.
I AM able to use adb to push roms to sdcard. I AM able to install said rom. Upon reboot it flashes "LG" logo and then right back to recovery.
I AM able to use adb to sideload rom to phone. Sideload will complete successfully. Upon reboot it flashes "LG" logo and then right back to recovery.
I pushed CWM zip and flashed and it worked. But I still have exact same problem.
EDIT: This was the fix!!!! I guess I didn't enter the code correctly.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2451696

I see there are TONS of threads with being stuck in recovery. I probably shouldn't have created another one. But I don't understand how I have a fully functioning recovery with ADB support and am able to install roms.
I will Paypal donate $20 bucks to whoever guides me to fix this problem.

Follow the "return stock" threads. Once done toy can reroot your phone
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk

tdevaughn said:
Follow the "return stock" threads. Once done toy can reroot your phone
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have looked into that. They all seem to require the ability to enter download mode.

EDIT: This was the fix!!!! I guess I didn't enter the code correctly.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2451696

Glad you have it working
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk