I'm in a bit of a hard place - I'd previously unlocked, loaded TWRP and rooted my Gen1 Nexus 7. I can no longer boot into recovery and get the " no command" message. This also gets in the way of the KitKat upgrade process. With all that said, the tablet works fine under 4.3 stock.
Here's the rub - one morning stumbling out of bed I stepped into a loop of USB cable that was charging the Nexus, yanked the cable and tablet violently enough to damage the USB port. Data communications or charging no longer work via USB. Fortunately I can still charge via dock and pogo pins.
Besides buying a new tablet or replacing the ports (about $60 on eBay) can anyone suggest another method to recover or load a bootloader?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Pretty sure you mean recovery, not bootloader.
The OS still works right? Just flash a recovery using an app like flashify and you're good to go.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Not sure what flashing a bootloader has to do with this.
If your bootloader is locked, you can't "flash an unlocked one"*, but even if you could, that wouldn't help as you still would not have use of fastboot via the USB to do a "fastboot flash of a recovery". And fastboot only speaks to the tablet when the bootloader is running, not when a kernel is loaded (recovery or regular boot).
To get a custom recovery re-installed, you can do that by using "dd" to overwrite the recovery partition from ANY root-privileged shell (either a custom recovery or a rooted ROM). So there's the rub: you need something running with root privilege.
If that is not the case (rooted ROM) you need to either find a "root exploit" for your current ROM, or get your USB plug repaired. You could run ADB over your WiFi network (instead of via the USB cable) or just use a terminal emulator app to run exploit codes.
I haven't been keeping up with things, but the "motochopper" exploit was exactly that - a method of rooting a stock ROM that avoids fooling with fastboot or the lock state of the bootloader. But that was a while ago, and I don't know whether it still works against newer stock ROMs. (Besides, you neglected to even mention what is currently on your tablet)
Good luck.
*actually you can, but only if you have a rooted ROM or custom recovery running AND you previously captured a raw dump of a certain partition while the bootloader was in an unlocked state (bootloader is encrypted on a per-tablet basis). I think osm0sis disclosed this method a long long time ago.
I apologize for my probable misuse of terms - in short (unless I can find a root exploit) a new Nexus 7 may be on my XMas list. I greatly appreciate your input.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Related
I rooted using Mskip's rootkit. I updated with the OTA update thinking I could use the kit to root again. I'm on the latest version of the toolkit after donating and updating it. I go to option 4(root options) then I choose option 1(root). I do this while in fastboot mode. The Nexus 10 reboots, goes to the home screen, and the toolkit says it is "Waiting for Device" Nothing happens. I tried rebooting into fastboot mode again, but nothing. I ran root checker, and it says I do not have root.
Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong.
Dynesh said:
I rooted using Mskip's rootkit. I updated with the OTA update thinking I could use the kit to root again. I'm on the latest version of the toolkit after donating and updating it. I go to option 4(root options) then I choose option 1(root). I do this while in fastboot mode. The Nexus 10 reboots, goes to the home screen, and the toolkit says it is "Waiting for Device" Nothing happens. I tried rebooting into fastboot mode again, but nothing. I ran root checker, and it says I do not have root.
Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, do you have "USB Debugging" checked in settings? Sounds like ADB isn't working. (Especially since you were already in fastboot mode, which doesn't require debugging.
See THIS thread.
If you have a custom recovery installed, download the superSU app and Su binaries from Chainfire's thread I just linked and flash them in recovery.
If you don't have a custom recovery, use the toolkit to either temp flash or fully flash the right recovery onto your tablet.
Also, if I remember correctly, options 3 & 4 in the toolkit's root menu will essentially do this for you.
NOTE: For future OTA updates, download "OTA Rootkeeper" or "SuperSU Pro" from the market. They both have options to protect root during an OTA update. (SuperSU Pro has never failed me when I used it to protect root when I had my Asus TF700.
xIC-MACIx said:
First off, do you have "USB Debugging" checked in settings? Sounds like ADB isn't working. (Especially since you were already in fastboot mode, which doesn't require debugging.
See THIS thread.
If you have a custom recovery installed, download the superSU app and Su binaries from Chainfire's thread I just linked and flash them in recovery.
If you don't have a custom recovery, use the toolkit to either temp flash or fully flash the right recovery onto your tablet.
Also, if I remember correctly, options 3 & 4 in the toolkit's root menu will essentially do this for you.
NOTE: For future OTA updates, download "OTA Rootkeeper" or "SuperSU Pro" from the market. They both have options to protect root during an OTA update. (SuperSU Pro has never failed me when I used it to protect root when I had my Asus TF700.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the answer. I'm not a total newb to rooting things, but defintely not a pro, so some of this goes beyond what I've done before. I'll have to approach slowly. I don't really need root for anything right now, I only rooted to connect BT controllers to the Nexus, and those apps are broken right now anyway.
I do have usb debugging checked. I'm not sure about the other things you asked. I've never flashed anything to my droid devices, so I'll try and go through that thread and see what makes sense.
Thanks!
Well, I tried to run that program from the link, and it said some files were missing, so I stopped it. I tried to flash clockwork mod recovery and when it booted back into Android to rename the files, it got stuck on waiting on ADB. Frustrating.
Dynesh said:
Thanks for the answer. I'm not a total newb to rooting things, but defintely not a pro, so some of this goes beyond what I've done before. I'll have to approach slowly. I don't really need root for anything right now, I only rooted to connect BT controllers to the Nexus, and those apps are broken right now anyway.
I do have usb debugging checked. I'm not sure about the other things you asked. I've never flashed anything to my droid devices, so I'll try and go through that thread and see what makes sense.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it seems more intimidating than it really is. Luckily, all of the things I listed in my above post are all achievable through the Nexus 10 Toolkit that you have downloaded.
I agree though, take it slow and read through the instructions, that is the best way to avoid breaking something. Rooting is a pretty safe procedure these days, my first Android phone was quite the headache.
When you do decide to root again, you can use the toolkit to either:
-- Install root through ADB (no recovery needed) like you already tried. Beforehand, you should check to make sure you correctly installed the correct drivers.You also need to check the toolkit's "List of attached devices" section to see if you see your device (represented by a string of letters & numbers) whenever your device boots back to the homescreen.
--Or temporarily install the necessary recovery to flash a root package, once it is flashed the device will revert to the stock recovery. (When you see "CWM" the toolkit is referring to a custom recovery BTW.)
xIC-MACIx said:
Yeah, it seems more intimidating than it really is. Luckily, all of the things I listed in my above post are all achievable through the Nexus 10 Toolkit that you have downloaded.
I agree though, take it slow and read through the instructions, that is the best way to avoid breaking something. Rooting is a pretty safe procedure these days, my first Android phone was quite the headache.
When you do decide to root again, you can use the toolkit to either:
-- Install root through ADB (no recovery needed) like you already tried. Beforehand, you should check to make sure you correctly installed the correct drivers.You also need to check the toolkit's "List of attached devices" section to see if you see your device (represented by a string of letters & numbers) whenever your device boots back to the homescreen.
--Or temporarily install the necessary recovery to flash a root package, once it is flashed the device will revert to the stock recovery. (When you see "CWM" the toolkit is referring to a custom recovery BTW.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Success!
I think the problem coming in for me was not understanding ADB and fastboot. I have the drivers installed, but it wasn't seeing it. I switched to PTP mode and instantly it was being seen in ADB mode by the toolkit. I then ran option 4-->Option 1(Root Device) from fastboot mode. This time when it booted back to the homescreen the toolkit was able to continue with the root and I am now rooted again.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to this and help me out. You mention of the drives is what kind of kicked me in the right direction.
Dynesh said:
Success!
I think the problem coming in for me was not understanding ADB and fastboot. I have the drivers installed, but it wasn't seeing it. I switched to PTP mode and instantly it was being seen in ADB mode by the toolkit. I then ran option 4-->Option 1(Root Device) from fastboot mode. This time when it booted back to the homescreen the toolkit was able to continue with the root and I am now rooted again.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to this and help me out. You mention of the drives is what kind of kicked me in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad it's working, Android can be temperamental at times & the issue is typically caused by the small things!
Dynesh said:
Success!
I think the problem coming in for me was not understanding ADB and fastboot. I have the drivers installed, but it wasn't seeing it. I switched to PTP mode and instantly it was being seen in ADB mode by the toolkit. I then ran option 4-->Option 1(Root Device) from fastboot mode. This time when it booted back to the homescreen the toolkit was able to continue with the root and I am now rooted again.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to this and help me out. You mention of the drives is what kind of kicked me in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which root method did you use? The only one I've looked at requires unlock to root. Ive rooted every phone ive owned and they are super easy, they never do a factory reset/unlock to root. BTW I'm on 4.2.1 and i gave up when the toolkit i used wouldnt connect to fastboot.
kane1513 said:
Which root method did you use? The only one I've looked at requires unlock to root. Ive rooted every phone ive owned and they are super easy, they never do a factory reset/unlock to root. BTW I'm on 4.2.1 and i gave up when the toolkit i used wouldnt connect to fastboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rooted using this method.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2001868
I did have to unlock the bootloader so I did lose everything, but it wasn't that hard and I did it early enough that I didn't lose too much of what I had on there.
I recently purchased a used Nexus 4, Factory unlocked and sim free 16gb. Android v4.2.2
I unlocked the bootloader, rooted it and installed TWRP however i left it at that, i did not change ROM's or kernels.
After noticing that the phone did not function correctly i decided to return it to its factory state and return it to the store.
This is where my problems began....
As i had used a toolkit to unlock bootloader, root... etc.. i used the same one to undo the things i had done.
First i relocked the bootloader.
Then i tried to unroot but came across an error that i had to have bootloader unlocked to unroot.
so i unlocked the bootloader again.- it wiped the system
Then i tried to unroot,
but i had to have usb debugging enabled which meant i had to boot into the freshly wiped system.
So i went ahead and attempted to start the phone normally.
After about 5-10 mins on the Google screen it would finally move onto the X slash screen.
after 20 or so minuted the on that screen the phone would get extremely hot and still wouldn't boot.
I looked up online for solutions and one said to wipe dalvik cache in recovery
Did that- No luck
Another said to wipe cache
Tried to do that:
Cannot mount cache error message in TWRP
I then tried to restore a nandroid backup from TWRP, Still the same problem.
I even resset factory settings, nothing.
So i figure that the cache partition became messed up and therefore the phone couldnt boot into OS.
Luckily the store had given me a warranty which apparently covered whatever was wrong with the phone.
However, this time i am planning on purchasing a new nexus 4 this time strait from Google and am wondering:
What could have caused this problem? - Could it have been the fact that for a brief moment the phone was rooted while having a locked bootloader, messing something up (the cache partition maybe)?
Is/Has anyone ever experienced a similar problem?
How can people ( like me) avoid this problem/ issue?
Also as i mentioned the phone itself had several minor faults which was the reason i decided to return it to its original state, could this have been another hidden fault that particular phone?
One of the very reason why toolkit is not recommended for people who are not familiar with the process. When the toolkit decides to mess up, it leaves behind a bricked phone with no obvious function to undo the mistake.
Q. What could have caused this problem?
A. I don't know what the toolkit does to unroot your phone, technically "unroot" is to remove the superuser/supersu apk and su binary from your phone. This process can be done with a locked or unlocked bootloader.
Why? Because a locked bootloader only prevent anything to be written to your emmc block in the bootloader mode. However when you have custom recovery installed, you can do these modification in recovery mode even with a locked bootloader.
All process that you have described above will not brick your phone, some commands that you use with the toolkit unknowingly bricked it.
For Nexus devices, you can always go to this website to download the factory image for Nexus 4 and flash it with fastboot. Or flash with the toolkit, if you absolutely have to use it.
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images
Q. Is/Has anyone ever experienced a similar problem?
A. There are people bricking their phone with toolkit everyday, so your answer is yes.
Q. How can people ( like me) avoid this problem/ issue?
A. Learn the fastboot and adb command, it's not a lot to learn, might only take 5 minutes, or 1 hour in worst case. I don't blame toolkits, because I believe the toolkit is made for good purpose, to simplify the process, to speed things up. But certainly not made for noobs.
Thank you for your very quick and detailed response. I have used fast boot commands on my previous Android, so I know the basics, just need to adapt my knowledge to the nexus. Will have to brush up on fast boot and read up on adb.
If this was to have happened on a phone that I had brought directly from google would it have been replaced by google?
Also if I was to send back a phone to google for what ever reason, would I need to unroot and uninstall custom recovery as well as locked the boot loader or would it be enough to only lock the boot loader?
Use the tool here: https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#occamjwr66v
Put your device into the bootloader and flash.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
andyabc said:
Use the tool here: https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#occamjwr66v
Put your device into the bootloader and flash.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank You
ksilver89 said:
One of the very reason why toolkit is not recommended for people who are not familiar with the process. When the toolkit decides to mess up, it leaves behind a bricked phone with no obvious function to undo the mistake.
Q. What could have caused this problem?
A. I don't know what the toolkit does to unroot your phone, technically "unroot" is to remove the superuser/supersu apk and su binary from your phone. This process can be done with a locked or unlocked bootloader.
Why? Because a locked bootloader only prevent anything to be written to your emmc block in the bootloader mode. However when you have custom recovery installed, you can do these modification in recovery mode even with a locked bootloader.
All process that you have described above will not brick your phone, some commands that you use with the toolkit unknowingly bricked it.
For Nexus devices, you can always go to this website to download the factory image for Nexus 4 and flash it with fastboot. Or flash with the toolkit, if you absolutely have to use it.
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images
Q. Is/Has anyone ever experienced a similar problem?
A. There are people bricking their phone with toolkit everyday, so your answer is yes.
Q. How can people ( like me) avoid this problem/ issue?
A. Learn the fastboot and adb command, it's not a lot to learn, might only take 5 minutes, or 1 hour in worst case. I don't blame toolkits, because I believe the toolkit is made for good purpose, to simplify the process, to speed things up. But certainly not made for noobs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is soft-bricked, not bricked.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
andyabc said:
It is soft-bricked, not bricked.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, it helped so much that the whole world is gonna come here and click your thanks button.
My Nexus 7 (2012), with broken usb port, lost root while updating but the bootloader is still unlocked. Also, I have no recovery on it and have been unable to flash a new one so far.
Is there any way to salvage root via terminal or am I SOL? I've searched the forum but haven't been able to find anything that specifically applies to my situation. Help?
P.S. I'm charging it via the dock, thanks for asking
ndhusn said:
My Nexus 7 (2012), with broken usb port, lost root while updating but the bootloader is still unlocked. Also, I have no recovery on it and have been unable to flash a new one so far.
Is there any way to salvage root via terminal or am I SOL? I've searched the forum but haven't been able to find anything that specifically applies to my situation. Help?
P.S. I'm charging it via the dock, thanks for asking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're SOL - Every which way I think about this... It always comes down to having a working USB connection.
Hi, ndhusn....
I've been thinking about your situation all day... and I can't think of anything that would work.
The "traditional" way of rooting the Nexus 7 is...
** fastboot flash a custom Recovery (CWM or TWRP)...
** Using that Custom Recovery, flash Chainfire's SuperSU root package.
But with a knackered USB port, you obviously can't fastboot flash anything.
Looking into alternative options... there is something called CF-autoroot...
http://autoroot.chainfire.eu
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2025272
I've never used this means of rooting myself... but it has been mentioned several times on this forum. It's chief advantage, it seems, is it doesn't require the fastboot flashing of a Custom Recovery first.... so I thought this might work for you. But upon closer examination, it appears you still have to hook up your Nexus 7 to a PC via USB in order to run it.
--------------------------------------
Without CWM or TWRP installed, I can't think of any way of rooting your Nexus 7.
The irony here is... that there IS A WAY of flashing a Custom Recovery without recourse to fastboot (and the need for a USB connection) using the Flashify app. But you need root to do it. You can even flash a Custom Recovery via a terminal shell, with...
Code:
$ su
# dd if=/sdcard/recovery-image-file.img of=/dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-name/SOS
...but as you can see from the initial su command, root already needs to be available.
You're stuck in a 'chicken and egg' situation! You can't root without a Custom Recovery... and you can't install a Custom Recovery without root.
--------------------------------------
Even a 'root exploit' requires a USB connection... like the old 'motochopper exploit' which would root the Nexus 7 even with a LOCKED bootloader. Anyway, that 'exploit' now no longer works, since Google 'blocked' such exploits as of Jellybean 4.3 onwards.
--------------------------------------
ndhusn said:
...I'm charging it via the dock, thanks for asking...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the USB port is that damaged, such that you have to use the dock to charge, then presumably this precludes the possibility of trying another, different USB cable... with the intent of fastboot flashing TWRP or CWM.
Sometimes, it's just the USB cable at fault... and not the USB port itself. Anyway, just a thought.
--------------------------------------
I'm sorry to say, that without a working USB port on your Nexus 7, I don't think you'll be able to root it... or at least, I can't think of anyway of doing so.
Rgrds,
Ged.
*** Edit & addendum - WARNING ***
Whilst tinkering around with various methods in order to acquire root, will likely not hardbrick your Nexus 7... but they may cause softbrick/bootloop situations.
Normally, these are relatively trivial to resolve... but in your situation, they could be permanent.
Without a Nandroid backup created with a Custom Recovery, you won't be able to restore back to a previously known 'good' version of Android.
And without a working USB port, you won't be able to fastboot flash a Google factory image.
So... tread carefully.
Better a working Nexus 7 without root, then a Nexus 7 perpetually locked in a bootloop. It's unlikely, but be aware that you're recovery options are limited.
Needs be as needs must...
I have a broken port also! Low quality parts.
Cheapest replacement I have found is here....
http://www.asusparts.eu/Asus-08301-00522000
I know this doesn't answer your question but always good to have options.
Hello all,
Here is my situation:
- I have my brother's Nexus 4.
- The screen no longer responds to touch, though it still displays correctly when it is turned on.
- It has PIN security
- It is running stock KitKat 4.4.4.
- It is not rooted.
- USB Debugging (ADB) is not enabled.
- Stock recovery is installed.
- The bootloader is locked.
I would like to be able to back up the contents of the phone, but the state it is in renders that difficult. Here are the different options I've considered and discarded:
- Connect the phone via USB to copy the contents of the SD Card
# Impossible since the phone will not mount USB storage (might be a security feature since it has PIN enabled?)
- USB OTG mouse to bypass using the touchscreen
# OTG support is not available on stock kernels for the N4
- Bluetooth mouse
# No way to enable Bluetooth
- Use Android Control to control the phone via my PC
# No ADB; no way to enable ADB; unlocking bootloader to install a recovery with ADB enabled would wipe the phone.
The only option that might work that I have yet to attempt is to replace the screen. However, based on research I did while trying to troubleshoot my own Nexus 4, this could be a costly waste of time. The Nexus 4 has a history of having faulty touchscreens. Case in point, both my phone and my brother's phone suffered from this same flaw. This might be because the touchscreen controller is bad on the N4's motherboard. I junked my N4 specifically for this reason.
I'm beginning to think that there is no way for me to recover the data on this phone. Does anyone know of a way I could get the data off of it? Any way to enable ADB via Fastboot or Recovery? Any way to flash an ADB-enabled kernel via ADB sideload? Any way to unlock the bootloader without wiping all the data? Any way to run a backup of the whole phone?
Please help! Thank you in advance!
You might try towelroot to root. Then bootunlocker from the play store to unlock but you'd have to be able to use the touch screen. Long and short, you're kind of screwed
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
jd1639 said:
You might try towelroot to root. Then bootunlocker from the play store to unlock but you'd have to be able to use the touch screen. Long and short, you're kind of screwed
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, that's pretty much what I thought. I was hoping someone here could think of something I hadn't thought of yet. Basically, I think the only two avenues I have to send anything to the phone are via the Bootloader (Fastboot) or via ADB sideload in Recovery. I was hoping I could find something to save me there, but it is looking unlikely.
Hey all.
So I've installed LineageOS just fine - the unlocking guides around here are mostly clear enough. Certainly not as easy as I've been used to for Nexus and OnePlus devices though! I've been using the 'official' TWRP 3.0.4.1 and not any of the other (now often links removed) unofficial versions.
I've also got my hands dirty with EDL mode and have totally reflashed a couple of times while playing around.
So on to my question. Basically I have an email client for work (Good for Enterprise) that detects unlocked bootloaders as 'root' (even though I'm not rooted), so I would like to relock my bootloader.
However, as soon as I use 'fastboot oem lock' it instantly bricks my phone. It goes straight into EDL mode, from which it cannot return. No bootloader, no recovery mode, no booting of system. Completely dead. All button combos attempted etc.. The only way back that I've found is to flash a whole new system image in EDL, and start over.
So, have I missed something (a signed recovery?) that makes this happen? Are there some verifications that the bootloader does while locked that fails because there's a custom system and recovery in place?
Is there anything I can do about this? Am I doomed to use stock for as long as I need to use this darned app?
Thanks very much!
Yes you need to be completely stock to lock BL.
Also if you want to stay unlocked, you can use MAGISK to hide root for your mailing app.
Thanks for the replies. I actually don't have, and never have had, root. So the only thing it can possibly be detecting is either the custom ROM itself (or rather, not a factory one from some list they maintain) or the unlocked bootloader. So I doubt MAGISK will work, because there's no root there to hide in the first place
(In case it wasn't obvious, we're talking about Good for Enterprise here).
The blackberry mobile device management system (earlier called GFE) doesnt care if bootloader is unlocked, it just checks whether you have a custom recovery (twrp) and that is enough to flag your system as rooted.