Database Users

LG US996 keeps going into Firmware update.

tl;dr
Hey guys, The title says it all basically. So here's the actual issue. My US996 was running great. Then, a week or so ago it just randomly started getting super sluggish. Today, I turned it off and when i turned it back on, it went right into the "firmware update" screen. I pulled the battery, played it with then got it into the recovery screen. Only thing is, i was able to move up and down using the Vol down button and power button but, i couldnt actually go into anything. So i once again pulled the battery, and now it wont do anything but go back into the "firmware update" screen. after playing with it some i finally got into the Fast Boot screen. which allowed me to do nothing. I pulled the battery again and it wont do anything but go to that "firmware update" screen.
I have tried using Uppercut to flash it. But when the LGUP program does it's reboot it dumps me right back off on the same screen. Since Uppercut and the correct KDZ are not working. Is it a hardware or software issue?
Also please forgive me, I do not understand all of the Android terms. Like, I am not sure what ADB means. I am a bit tech savvy.

Try using LG Bridge. It will reset your phone to complete stock, but it should fix up your phone.

Obamaloominaty said:
Try using LG Bridge. It will reset your phone to complete stock, but it should fix up your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried that, Uppercut, pretty much everything. I think it's the dreaded bootloop issue. When I connect it to Bridge it tells me "no updates available" . Or, the update failed.

JethroFloyd said:
I've tried that, Uppercut, pretty much everything. I think it's the dreaded bootloop issue. When I connect it to Bridge it tells me "no updates available" . Or, the update failed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you click "update error recovery"

Obamaloominaty said:
Did you click "update error recovery"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did. It went through the update process on the phone. But, once again, when the phone restarted the it went right back to the "firmware update " screen. That tells me it's a hardware issue, right?

This doesn't make sense. If you had a bad NAND then the flash would fail because it wouldn't pass the hash check. If you had a bad CPU, it wouldn't be able to just load firmware update.
I am guessing that you have a corrupt misc, persist or persistent partition.
Use the patched LG UP to dump misc, persist and persistent. Then...
With the phone off, hold vol down and plug in the USB cable. That should that you to fastboot. If it does:
fastboot format misc
fastboot format persist
fastboot format persistent
Let me know what happens. If that fixes your phone, I can help you determine which partition is corrupt and help you fix it.

runningnak3d said:
This doesn't make sense. If you had a bad NAND then the flash would fail because it wouldn't pass the hash check. If you had a bad CPU, it wouldn't be able to just load firmware update.
I am guessing that you have a corrupt misc, persist or persistent partition.
Use the patched LG UP to dump misc, persist and persistent. Then...
With the phone off, hold vol down and plug in the USB cable. That should that you to fastboot. If it does:
fastboot format misc
fastboot format persist
fastboot format persistent
Let me know what happens. If that fixes your phone, I can help you determine which partition is corrupt and help you fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do appreciate your help. I attached a photo of what the ADB command prompt was telling me. but if for any reason you can't see it. It's telling me formatting isn't supported. Perhaps I'm using the wrong cmd

Weird.
Try erase instead of format.

runningnak3d said:
Weird.
Try erase instead of format.
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Click to collapse
Yeah. Everything about this situation is baffling. It just randomly started to happen.
Also, That command didnt work.

Did you unlock the bootloader with the bin file or using DirtySanta?
If it was with the bin file, you need to unlock it again. If you used DirtySanta, there is nothing that can be done. When you flashed the KDZ it replaced aboot, and now you can't fix the corrupt partition unless you can unlock it again.
I always tell people that if you have TWRP, don't ever flash the KDZ to try and fix your phone. There is nothing that it will do that you can't do if you have TWRP, and in your case you have an issue with a partition that isn't flashed by the KDZ ... and now no way to fix it.
Sorry, just reread your first post. I read recovery the first time and just assumed TWRP, but you meant the "vol down / press power" screen.
Is it possible an OTA got taken? Either way, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no fixing this except sending it to LG.
---------- Post added at 07:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:38 AM ----------
Actually, send me a PM. I can send you a tool that can wipe those from download mode. You may be able to save your phone yet.

I didn't try to root the device. It did all this on its own. The device is still under warranty. I got in contact with LG about it. They sent me an RMA. All i tried to do was use Uppercut to try and fix it. Everything was stock on it when it did this. I purchased it brand new unlocked from B&H Photo. But, nonetheless thank you for your time and effort to help me.
I'm going to send out back to LG. But, i wouldn't mind getting that tool from you. I like LG devices. So i do plan on getting more.

I had the same issue. The phone was locked onto the firmware update and I could not override it. Pulling the battery and trying to re-flash the phone would not work. LG could not resolve it unless I sent the phone in for repair. ($42.00 + Shipping both ways)
This is what finally worked. Use the USB cord from your charger and connect the phone to a computer then power up the phone. This will override the firmware update and let the phone boot up normally.
Good Luck.

I gave up on this phone a while ago because of this issue. The only way i could start it up was if it was plugged in.. recently i started playing around with it again due to aosp second screen and started looking into the issue again. I forget where (it wasnt on xda) but i read that putting a little bit of water on the c type plug that goes into the phone fixes the issue. I dont know how or why someone discovered this and i first thought that it was someone joking or being malicious but i tried it and after 8 fricken months my phone can boot untehered!

Phone is in bootloop, no access to recovery, locked bootloader

Hey guys,
So the USB cable I was using to flash my fiance's ph-1 to an Oreo beta came unplugged halfway through the flash.
The phone is now in a bootloop. I can't get to recovery mode via VU+pwr or through the fastboot menu. I can use fastboot and my PC recognizes the phone. However, I forgot to tick allow bootloader unlock in Dev setting so I am unable to flash anything to the phone.
Edit: Wondering if there is still a way to get the phone recognized in QFIL with HS-USB mode... I have tried every button combination I can think of with no luck :/
Am I screwed?
Any help is greatly appreciated..
Cj250mills

cj250mills said:
Hey guys,
So the USB cable I was using to flash my fiance's ph-1 to an Oreo beta came unplugged halfway through the flash.
The phone is now in a bootloop. I can't get to recovery mode via VU+pwr or through the fastboot menu. I can use fastboot and my PC recognizes the phone. However, I forgot to tick allow bootloader unlock in Dev setting so I am unable to flash anything to the phone.
Am I screwed?
Any help is greatly appreciated..
Cj250mills
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ask essential for help, they should be able to sort this out. I think you'll have to send it back to them. In any case, please let us know how you manage to solve it.
Good luck
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

No luck from essential, they told me all they can do is offer an out of warranty replacement for 200 bucks. I really expected better from a company that actively promotes participating in their beta's so frequently online. :/

Doesn't make sense you must be leaving something out??
You couldn't have been flashing OB with a locked bootloader it would have just failed.
use fastboot getvar to check your bootloader status. if it is unlocked then unlock critical and flash the back to stock zip on this thread.
That will correct your issue they even have the OB3 out https://forum.xda-developers.com/essential-phone/development/stock-7-1-1-nmj20d-t3701681
You could even flash it through TWRP recovery as long as you bootloader is unlocked.

[SOLVED] A2017G Hard brick, Unauthroized ADB and DFU Only.

Hey guys,
Guess today it was my turn ****ing up.
I apparently have completely bricked my Axon 7 after trying to go from LOS 15.1 to stock oreo beta. The only thing I seem to be able to boot to is DFU mode and for some reason, if I press the Power button + Vol Down I will get stuck on the ZTE Logo and my PC will detect my phone through the ADB interface but every time I try doing something it says my device is unauthorized. Is there any way I can authorize the device whilst being completely bricked?
The only other thing I get is the unlocked bootloader warning screen. If I don't press anything the phone will be stuck there, if I select recovery the phone will simply shut down and anything else will result in a reboot. I have also tried a deep flash cable that that only results on the phone being stuck at the unlocked bootloader screen.
I cannot access the bootloader,
I cannot access EDL mode
I can access ADB, but device shows as unauthorized.
I can access DFU mode.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have looked at the Hard brick guide that involves taking the phone apart but that's not something I really want to do.
Thanks in advance.
Edit: My phone gets detected by MiFlash but every time I try flashing I get a cannot receive hello packet and object reference not set to an instance of an object.
ZTE axon 7 EDL tool detects it in ADB mode but says ERROR! NO ANSWER FROM PHONE!. Possibly since its not authorized with ADB.

Ouh....DFU? I think this thing is totally bricked.

I can access my phone in ADB. If only I could make it reboot to edl or something like that through ADB even though my device shows as unauthorized. That is the only problem why this thing is completely messed up.. ADB works but I can't do anything with it because my phone shows unauthorized. Does anyone know if there's a workround or a bypass for that?

Victor13f said:
I can access my phone in ADB. If only I could make it reboot to edl or something like that through ADB even though my device shows as unauthorized. That is the only problem why this thing is completely messed up.. ADB works but I can't do anything with it because my phone shows unauthorized. Does anyone know if there's a workround or a bypass for that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Victor !
Like we discussed before there is nothing much left as to use the DFU unbrick-disassemble guide or buy something like this to be sure you tried everything.
Good Luck mate !

raystef66 said:
Hi Victor !
Like we discussed before there is nothing much left as to use the DFU unbrick-disassemble guide or buy something like this to be sure you tried everything.
Good Luck mate !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your help . It's a risk you take when flashing phones.

Can you get custom recovery in it some recovery allow you to get in to EDM from there you can flash stock rom with Mi flash tool.......try to push both volume buttons at the same time don't touch the power button this might get you in to EDM.

stinka318 said:
Can you get custom recovery in it some recovery allow you to get in to EDM from there you can flash stock rom with Mi flash tool.......try to push both volume buttons at the same time don't touch the power button this might get you in to EDM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi. I cant get anywhere near recovery. When I press both buttons without the power button nothing happens. Thanks though!

Victor13f said:
Hi. I cant get anywhere near recovery. When I press both buttons without the power button nothing happens. Thanks though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen will be blank untill you plug in USB cable to flash on mi flash tool then you refresh button on the computer screen....

stinka318 said:
The screen will be blank untill you plug in USB cable to flash on mi flash tool then you refresh button on the computer screen....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The moment I plug in any cable the screen turns on automatically. I've tried everything at the phone won't go into EDL. Thanks though!

Victor13f said:
The moment I plug in any cable the screen turns on automatically. I've tried everything at the phone won't go into EDL. Thanks though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing, you'll have to use my guide for that (the one that raystef linked). Otherwise try entering FTM mode (Power and Vol-) but it's surely not gonna work. If it does, you'll see a screen with a square that says "FTM", and you'll be able to do " adb reboot edl" and flash stuff from there.
Unbricking by disassembing the phone is the most reliable method; an EDL cable just might save you the hassle but it's not guaranteed to work; some phones won't accept it for some reason. In this case just follow the guide unless you want to try your luck with an EDL cable

Choose an username... said:
Nothing, you'll have to use my guide for that (the one that raystef linked). Otherwise try entering FTM mode (Power and Vol-) but it's surely not gonna work. If it does, you'll see a screen with a square that says "FTM", and you'll be able to do " adb reboot edl" and flash stuff from there.
Unbricking by disassembing the phone is the most reliable method; an EDL cable just might save you the hassle but it's not guaranteed to work; some phones won't accept it for some reason. In this case just follow the guide unless you want to try your luck with an EDL cable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello. Thank you for your advices, it is as I feared.
I have however already bought another Axon 7 which I'm using at the moment, and I have plans for mine since it was only bought new about 8 months ago and I believe I could get a replacement for a fee even if its bricked to fault of my own. So I will try that since I'm not in a rush.
This thread can be closed.
Cheers!

Victor13f said:
Hello. Thank you for your advices, it is as I feared.
I have however already bought another Axon 7 which I'm using at the moment, and I have plans for mine since it was only bought new about 8 months ago and I believe I could get a replacement for a fee even if its bricked to fault of my own. So I will try that since I'm not in a rush.
This thread can be closed.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In that case you can just pretend that the phone got in that state by itself, it's not too morally correct but some people here pulled it off...

twice now i have gotten an axon 7 into this state. while mine have been a2017u models, i dont know that they are different than yours in that regard.
What worked for me the first time was letting the phone completely die. Being unable to boot into anything, it was somewhat a task to actually make it die, so i kept powering it on (which merely made the red led indicator come on). i did this over and over again over the course of a day at work whenever i noticed it had powered off.
eventually, the phone had no response at all. then, i plugged it up to my laptop, and left it, convinced i had killed it. a dialogue popped up after a minute or two on the phone screen saying to charge the phone by plugging it up. i had no access to fastboot or EDL mode prior. once i got that 'plug in to charge' screen, i switched it to the wall charger, and left it to charge a bit (50-60%) from that state, then, i unplugged it again, and somehow, i managed to get edl mode to work by unplugging it and pressing all three buttons and holding them (typical edl boot).
once there, i reflashed via MiFlash an earlier build. i rolled back using MiFlash as far back as i could. in the process, i lost my imei and serial, which i have yet to successfully recover, but i did get out of DFU pergatory. the imei thing seems to be caused by going back to MM which i did on both of my IMEI-less a2017u boards, but im only guessing. my dd axon 7 is the only one of the three boards with imei and serial, so maybe MM is a bad idea. lol.
The first time i recovered from DFU, i did it inadvertently by letting the phone die and then flashing in EDL mode as well. (i left it for a few weeks as i had given up on it.) after it died completely, and i plugged ut up to the computer and had the same experience, I flashed the beta oreo build for a2017 using miflash. the screen had stopped responding. and i ended up doing a RMA. I now know the screen response thing was bc of a faulty EDL file of B15. (happened again to another of my axon, so i retraced my steps and realized it was when i flashed b15 that it died) . the fix if your screen ever stops responding, but isnt physically damaged? re-flash via EDL a different file. it may take a few tries, but eventually a build will work. for me, it was Marshmallow. I still do not know for certain, but that possibly is what killed my IMEI. but hey, it boots and the screen works.
I genuinely hope posting my idiocy in toying with axon 7s has helped someone out there.

Essential soft brick, any way to unlock flash from fastboot to sideload OTA?

Hello I am posting in Q&A because I'm a new XDA user, I was not allowed to post in the dev channel.
I have an Essential phone that has been working great for the past few years, no issues, and it was running standard build receiving OTA updates, until the very last update, which soft bricked the phone.
The phone was never enabled in developer mode while in Android, and now, I can't boot the phone into android at all. The only thing I can do is get into fastboot.
Fastboot state shows DEVICE STATE - locked
Any commands I try to unlock flashing, or change slots, anything at all, I get the error that the device is locked so all commands to unlock fail.
Is there any way to unlock device state from fastboot? I saw a youtube video showing a way to use a chopped USB cable to enter emergency / EDL mode for Qualcomm-based Android devices, but have not seen anyone post that this was successful with the Essential
Does anyone know of any method to be able to unlock flashing from fastboot? Or any other method to un-brick an essential? I've attempted everything, on both Mac and PC, nothing works.
On mac or PC, I can query the device in fastboot and get a response, I just can't do anything to unlock anything!!
Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Same problem
Same thing happened to me. Same day as you. I can get fastboot but not adb but since the device is locked I can't flash. I've only had the phone about 6 months so I contacted customer support and they offered to replace the phone.
It might be a known issue because they didn't even try to address the fact that I could get fastboot connected but not adb. They just offered to replace.

Thanks for the info! I am -at least in this case- unfortunately an early adopter. I bought two essentials at the beginning of the pre-release.
Essential support checked my serial number and said the phone was out of warranty.
Has anyone been able to force the Essential into EDL mode to recover that way? It looks like you have to latch one of the USB pins to ground, or 5V, but I haven't found any detailed instructions on how to make this work on the essential...
Thanks again
Justin

I'm sure things have changed and I'm wrong, but if you can get into the fastboot menu can't you just cycle through the options until you get to recovery and then flash an official release from Essential?
I may be thinking of LG or something but this should be possible as long as it's newer than the current software installed because it will see it as an official update and allow the flash.

Thanks but unfortunately, when I try and do that, the phone just does the same thing, it hangs forever on the initial boot screen white Android text with the circle/square logo...
That's why I've been looking into the more direct hardware version of forcing the phone into EDL mode, which is supposed to be possible with all Qualcomm based phones.
I've just not found the time yet to find a USB-C cable I'd be happy to cut in half and short the pins on! Which is why I was hoping someone might have tried this with an essential before to know if it was successful before I start trashing good cables
Thanks again for your reply!
JB

justinbaird said:
Hello I am posting in Q&A because I'm a new XDA user, I was not allowed to post in the dev channel.
I have an Essential phone that has been working great for the past few years, no issues, and it was running standard build receiving OTA updates, until the very last update, which soft bricked the phone.
The phone was never enabled in developer mode while in Android, and now, I can't boot the phone into android at all. The only thing I can do is get into fastboot.
Fastboot state shows DEVICE STATE - locked
Any commands I try to unlock flashing, or change slots, anything at all, I get the error that the device is locked so all commands to unlock fail.
Is there any way to unlock device state from fastboot? I saw a youtube video showing a way to use a chopped USB cable to enter emergency / EDL mode for Qualcomm-based Android devices, but have not seen anyone post that this was successful with the Essential
Does anyone know of any method to be able to unlock flashing from fastboot? Or any other method to un-brick an essential? I've attempted everything, on both Mac and PC, nothing works.
On mac or PC, I can query the device in fastboot and get a response, I just can't do anything to unlock anything!!
Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the exact same problem,
My phone is stuck on Essential log when I turned it on,
I can access Bootloader normally but the device is locked so I cannot flash it,
Recovery is corrupted, when I try to star it, it shows only the the Essential log and freeze so I can not format or wipe or sideload.
OEM Locked and unchecked
USB Debugging is unchecked
and I can't flash anything,
Did you managed to unlock it through Fastboot command or any other way ?
I wish I can just login to the recovery or unlock it so I can flash it clean,
Kindly help me if you found a way out
Thank you

Any help with fully bricked device

Hello!
THink I have bricked my phone, but just checking before I go through what I suppose is a long process with oneplus.
Looking for any help. I had a working device - unlocked bootloader and installed TWRP and magisk using MauronofrioTool. ok - however, I found out I couldn't use a fingerprint security option on that would have been anoying. So... Long story short. I used MauronofrioTool to relock bootloader. Oops - so that didn't work. THen found out I couldn't do anything except stare at g.co/ADH message on my screen. Couldn
't get to fastboot or TWP. ANyway, so I managed to up and down volume and enter into TWRP. Was still connecting to the tool, so I downloaded factory Zips and tried to install via tool after unlocking - Seemed to be working ... but it stopped mid way through a process and hasbn't come back! NOthing at all. I wonder if I could have triggered an OEM thing? ANyway - literally nothing no buttons work no screen action. I see a QUSB_BULK_CID:etc number when connecting the phone, but that is it. No fast boot or any other actions available.
PLease, pretty devastating, Anyone know if I can do anything?

I'm no pro but I use this tool which helped me:

henk-jan said:
I'm no pro but I use this tool which helped me:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. I feel I am little past this stage now though.. Also trying the brick reprieve software . Just can't get my computer to recognise the phone now. No ability to get to emergency download path - think it is my crappy cihinese pc (old Huawei tablet basically) or Windows via apple that have me stranded.
**********SOLVED
THe crappy Chinese language Windows tablet worked as the unbrick OP said WIndows would. Must be a kink in the Windows via Mac that could get me into the situation, but not out.
Very relieved... Even though I still am not 100% sure what I actually ended up clicking to get it to register and connect with the unblock tool (which of course was in Chinese) hahaha.
Cheers
CHeers though

Glad you got it sorted out! Cheers

Need Help, please
Just received my OnePlus 8 pro, decided to Root and unlock the bootloader---this went fine.
I then went and upgraded to Android 11 DP3.
I'm now only able to get into Fastboot. at points it will try to boot but only get to the logo screen and then goes black.
When the phone boots up, it goes to Qualcomm CrashDump Mode.
I've been attempting to solve this for half the day with no luck. I've tried Msmtool, but it doesn't recognize the device, even after loading drivers again.
Is there a way to load a ROM from fastboot mode?
Hoping someone can assist, this is super frustrating and I would appreciate any help, please.
Rick

rickhurl said:
Just received my OnePlus 8 pro, decided to Root and unlock the bootloader---this went fine.
I then went and upgraded to Android 11 DP3.
I'm now only able to get into Fastboot. at points it will try to boot but only get to the logo screen and then goes black.
When the phone boots up, it goes to Qualcomm CrashDump Mode.
I've been attempting to solve this for half the day with no luck. I've tried Msmtool, but it doesn't recognize the device, even after loading drivers again.
Is there a way to load a ROM from fastboot mode?
Hoping someone can assist, this is super frustrating and I would appreciate any help, please.
Rick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-8-pro/how-to/rom-stock-fastboot-roms-oneplus-8-pro-t4083997

cultofluna said:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-8-pro/how-to/rom-stock-fastboot-roms-oneplus-8-pro-t4083997
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much. I ended up getting Msmtool to work. Although my device wasn't on (black screen) and it didn't fully show up in the tool, I decided to start the process anyway and it began to load.
I've been on here for over 10 yeas (XDA) I've just lost my account info and made a new one.
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated.