Halp! - ZTE Axon 7 Questions & Answers

I concede defeat...
I'm a brand spanking new owner after my beloved LG G3 shat the bed last week. That phone endured a flashahloics abuse like a champ. It was easy beating up that phone. A sad day to see it finally go lights out.
Unlike the G3, this A2017U (updated to B19) has been giving me grief from day one. I spent the week before arrival reading and collecting tools for the eventual, and immediate, warranty voiding procedure. I felt more than confident in my new abilities to do so. Right from the get go, I was met with an obstacle I couldn't overcome: getting MiFlash to recognize my phone. I have tried everything after scouring the net. Nada. Zilch. No sign of life.
I tried various drivers to no avail. In EDL mode, Windows (8.1 64bit) sees the phone on com4 as a Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoaoder 9008. No matter what version of MiFlash I use, I always get the same error when clicking refresh: Length cannot be less than zero...blah blah blah.
I might be missing the obvious in my attempt to communicate with this phone. While the stock OS is far from horrible, and I could certainly get used to it, unlocking this bad boy is far more attractive. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have for me in an effort to troubleshoot.

Cablespider said:
I concede defeat...
I'm a brand spanking new owner after my beloved LG G3 shat the bed last week. That phone endured a flashahloics abuse like a champ. It was easy beating up that phone. A sad day to see it finally go lights out.
Unlike the G3, this A2017U (updated to B19) has been giving me grief from day one. I spent the week before arrival reading and collecting tools for the eventual, and immediate, warranty voiding procedure. I felt more than confident in my new abilities to do so. Right from the get go, I was met with an obstacle I couldn't overcome: getting MiFlash to recognize my phone. I have tried everything after scouring the net. Nada. Zilch. No sign of life.
I tried various drivers to no avail. In EDL mode, Windows (8.1 64bit) sees the phone on com4 as a Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoaoder 9008. No matter what version of MiFlash I use, I always get the same error when clicking refresh: Length cannot be less than zero...blah blah blah.
I might be missing the obvious in my attempt to communicate with this phone. While the stock OS is far from horrible, and I could certainly get used to it, unlocking this bad boy is far more attractive. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have for me in an effort to troubleshoot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uuhh... Custom roms aren't all that good really. They just don't run as good as stock (although rather by a little, but it IS noticeable) and they have some bugs. MiFavor 5.0 is the way to go IMHO. But if you want to try and see for yourself anyways, do this:
Righr click on the QDLoader 9008 stuff, go to Properties, and check the datarate. Should be on 115200 or 128000. It seems that some people have this problem. If not, try with another PC.
But have you tried with axon7toolkit?

I got it going. For some reason my PC and one laptop caused grief with MiFlash not recognizing the phone. I have another laptop with a fresh Win10 install on it and it worked just fine. The Axon7Toolkit took care of the rest. Awesome tool! I'm now unlocked, recovered and rooted.
I did forget to format data after the procedure and was greeted with the 'enter your password' thingamabob. Luckily for me, I did plenty of reading before I got the phone to realize what I needed to do. I'm up and running as of a few minutes ago. I'm pretty stoked to be running AEX on my A7. I loved it on my G3.
Thanks for taking the time to reply, brother. I appreciate it. And thanks to the community for providing a wealth of knowledge for new owners like me. Because of you all, I was able to free my phone of its bondage.

Related

Nexus 7 Going Back to Gamestop Soon, Root?

Hello All,
So I like many others I have the wicked screen flickering issue and have already talked to the GS manager at my local store. They are awaiting my unit to ship, could be up to a week because the warehouse doesn't have enough in back-stock.
In the meantime I can still use my tablet, but the question is..should I risk rooting it before the swap? I've been rooted and flashing different ROMs and Kernels for awhile on my Gnex but just briefly looking over the Nexus 7 forums it seems like some people are having a tough time with drivers and bricking. I realize the Gnex has been around way longer and the devs know it like the back of their hand, but should I risk rooting over these next few days and possibly running into a snag before swapping it out at Gamestop?
If it helps to know what computer I'd be doing the rooting/flashing from I could either do it on a Win7 32bit machine or a Macbook Pro running Lion.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but it seemed like a split between development and returns.
-Steve
stevvveo said:
Hello All,
So I like many others I have the wicked screen flickering issue and have already talked to the GS manager at my local store. They are awaiting my unit to ship, could be up to a week because the warehouse doesn't have enough in back-stock.
In the meantime I can still use my tablet, but the question is..should I risk rooting it before the swap? I've been rooted and flashing different ROMs and Kernels for awhile on my Gnex but just briefly looking over the Nexus 7 forums it seems like some people are having a tough time with drivers and bricking. I realize the Gnex has been around way longer and the devs know it like the back of their hand, but should I risk rooting over these next few days and possibly running into a snag before swapping it out at Gamestop?
If it helps to know what computer I'd be doing the rooting/flashing from I could either do it on a Win7 32bit machine or a Macbook Pro running Lion.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but it seemed like a split between development and returns.
-Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there something specifically you want to do with root? Before you root it, you have to unlock the bootloader [and probably flash cwm/twrp]. The oem bootloader unlock erases all your data [you can back it up beforehand though] too.
So if you're only gonna have it for a few days, I'd say probably not. But if you're an android nerd, and like to flash things, then I'd say go ahead if you don't mind the work of re-locking the bootloader and flashing the stock rom/recovery again later when you go to exchange it.
Drivers aren't really an issue anymore since Asus released official drivers. Only at first were there issues because we DIDN'T have signed drivers, so Windows complained about it and Windows 8 wouldn't even install them without some huge work around.
But yes. I would. You might as well test the waters on that one since it's going back. The Nexus Toolkit can restore the factory image and relock your device before you take it back.
Who knows, a new rom and kernel may fix your screen issues. Remember the N7 that came with ICS? Maybe yours has beta drivers on it or something...
Thanks to both! Sorry I went on an impromptu vacation. But I did test the water with my N7using the toolkit. Returned it. My new one unfortunately has a little backlight bleed, but I don't think Gamestop will keep replacing them.
Thanks again.

Sooo I have been sweating, crying and celebrating

Wanted to post how my last 24 hours went. It was a little crazy and included a soft-bricked htc one (unlocked), one Mac, one Windows and one Ubuntu (the ubuntu finally did it). The purpose of this post is manly to engage in a conversation with you guys, hopefully get one or two good advice and provide the contributors of guides with a little insight in to the mind of a man with very little actual knowledge on these android system tweaks but keen intrest to mess up my own phone ( : hopefully you will enjoy this.. If not scroll down to the bottom to watch one of the most treasured videos of all time.
So I live in Iceland. A nation of 300.000 people.
The morning was beautiful and I had a day off so about 6am GMT I went online to see if HTC had released it version of 5.0 lollipop for my device, the htc one (m7). I have been checking regularly for it as I am somewhat exited to get it and stick it in the face of my mates who all have Galaxy S4 or 5, apart from the occasional iphone.
While searching various terms like android lollipop htc one m7 I always got the same articles on how htc is promising to release the lolli sometime soon. some said nonsense about 2 quarter of the year, februar/mars ish or the 90days from offical google release. Did not seem to get new news on the release date.
Until I brilliantly made google run the search results from newsest to oldest.
Well whola, there is this custom rom called the Maximum HD 50.0 or something that promises me the goods I have been waiting for. Imagine me sitting there, with nothing but free time today, thinking I'm gonna hook this up in a couple of hours : ) : ) : ) well I did somehow manage to upgrade my galaxy s2 to jeally bean all on my own a couple of years ago.
Sooooo I scroll quickly over the requirements, firmware ? ah I'll do it later. S-off, whats this s-off? well you have to admit it does not sound all that important. Unlock? YES I can do that. And this TWRP? I have no clue. But this has 5.0.2, sense 6, EYE and all the goodiegoodies. So lets proceed.
htcdev.com got my phone unlocked check, TWRP turns out to be easy, check, something superuser jibberis, check, S-off compleatly ignored, check. and firmware is only recomennded so I'm thinking I'll do it later and what do you know... Maximus HD 50 is installing through aroma or what it was called. Do this do that a little wipe and a little format. installation 100% glory is coming, THIS IS SPARTA or maximus or leonidas or whatever. Anyways I reboot phone and there is absolutly no rom. whut? It just loads into TWRP again and again and again.
Now i'm getting kinda nervous. this phone cost me 75.000 $isk$ ( I know looks like alot compared to the what 7-900 Dollash in the US)and I have heard of the infamous brick thanks to all the disclaimers: "NO RESPONSIBILITY" "BRICK MAY HAPPEN" "WARRANTY VOIDED". So I start by calling the company that sold me this phone I very very much wanted. now remember I live in Iceland. Reykjavík capital counts about 70.000 people I think. well mabye 130.000 idk.
ME "good morning, bought the htc one from you and tried to install a custom mod. it's stuck in recovery now with no rom or system boot possible. any ideas on how to fix this or the name of a shop that can repair this'"
Shop owner "Well I got nothing, try the only other store that sells it. they have a repairshop"
ME "okey will try" *thinking I have little hope at the repairshop*
Calling repairshop....
ME "get the best android guy there on the phone"
Repairshop "I'm it, whats your problem?"
proceed to explain my problem again
Repairshop "I have no idea what you are talking about"
ME "do you even own an android device?"
Repairshop "Yes but I don't play with it, this is not a toy."
ME " so what do you do there"
Repairshop " get faulty phones with warranty and send them to Poland for repair"
By that time I'm thinking I'm royally out of luck and this is turning out to be waaaaaaaay much loooooooonger than expected no one is intrested in this so I'm ending this quickly now.
5, 6 or 7 hours of googling, installing Android SDK, reading about fastboot, adb, sideline, looking for stock rom (is this impossible to find or am I idiot, I was getting the feeling I was) doing all this on three different OS's and terminals. And I end up finally getting a .zip to open in TWRP and run succsessfully SO now I have a laggy Android 4.4.3 google play edition and no lollipop. All for nothing I liked my kitkat sense 6.0 better. But dam I was happy when that phone booted up. I looked at it like it was my first born. sure a laggy build but now atleast I have the chance of working all this out. BTW thanks to the genius bigxie that provided me with the .zip that worked and to all other geniuses that post gudies for us apes that know nothing (imagine the look on jon snow's face if he was holding a htc one beauty in his hands)
I am leaving very much out of this story. Took me an extra hour on the phone/computer to write this so if someone deletes this thread because im a stupid noob. please replay if you have questions, hints, useful reading material (like a 30page book on this stuff) or, if you want to be most helpful show me the doors to the glory of a good s-off custom rom for my baby.

Root only/ keep stock bootloader

I've been reading the various rooting threads for a couple of days and overall the process seems pretty complicated with many different Nokia 6 versions, and different tools to use, etc.
Is there a way to get root with just the stock bootloader? I only want to do a few sudo operations once in a while, not flash any ROMs. Is this possible somehow? I'm using TA-1003 with 8.0.0 + April security update.
Thanks
leekohlbradley said:
I've been reading the various rooting threads for a couple of days and overall the process seems pretty complicated with many different Nokia 6 versions, and different tools to use, etc.
Is there a way to get root with just the stock bootloader? I only want to do a few sudo operations once in a while, not flash any ROMs. Is this possible somehow? I'm using TA-1003 with 8.0.0 + April security update.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is to return the phone. Nokia has made a really, really bad bet by locking the boot loader. I think that by getting burnt by windows, they decided to jump back into the frying pan again. They don't understand what "OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE" is. If they had a clue, they would not lock the boot loader. I returned mine because there will not be any active development or roms. I wanted the phone so I could root it, like you, and then unlock the sound features from the sound chip. So, don't bother rooting the phone, just return it or keep it stock.
In a year or two, Nokia will flop or get the idea that they want active development so people will buy their phones. It is a bad way to enter the market.
In principle I agree but I've used the phone for almost a year lol and sadly the power user community is really very small and so there's not much motivation for Nokia to make open phones. This seems especially true to me, since they're offering the phone as an Amazon prime adware phone, for example, so there is in fact a motivation to not open the phone, since it might let users remove the adware from their subsidized hardware... My 2mBTC

Hanging it Up - Bricked PH1 and what to get next?

Well, it finally happened. My first no joke, hard brick. I've had every nexus phone, a few HTCs, some motorolas, no hard bricks. But today was my day. :laugh:
I was originally having issues with the device not booting to system on reboot, sometimes it'd boot to bootloader instead.
I thought I'd just do a full reset, BTS, and see if that helped. Nope. Couldn't find partition, max size allowed reached, fail to write, all that.
Looked around, ADB/fastboot out of date? Ripped out windows drivers, uninstalled, drivers from device, used brand new platform-tools. Nada.
Tried different cables, USB ports, and googled modern tech wizardy. Nothing.
Finally got it to write TWRP to both partitions (somehow), thought I'd reboot to recovery and be in the clear. WRONG.
Device started to reboot, windows showed device as "OUSB Bulk" and then my PH1 went black. Unresponsive. Kaput. Donezo.
Brick.
It was real, it was fun, but can't say it was real fun.
I LOVE this phone. Honestly, it's perfect for me. Size, weight. The lot. But it's dead now...
Well, I leased it through Sprint, and as it happens my lease is now up so I can get something new. A bunch of Samsungs and Apples, what to get?
Tbh, I'd get another for exactly the reasons you give. Especially if you can one for a good price.
I'm currently using an op6t as I need a dual SIM phone while working abroad. As good as it is, I can't wait to get back my ph1. I've not seen anything that is a real upgrade.
We have a special topic for questions about choosing a new phone and you should only ask them in it.
Here it is.
Thread closed.

Back on the wagon

Greeting XDA land!
I'll try to be short as I can. Owned this US996 V20 unlocked "international" from B&H when this phone was in its hay day. Loved it when you can pull the battery and replaced if need be. Then the battery life gone bad and the screen got it got burned in, just threw it in a drawer Now with this "contact tracing" from Apple and Google in the news, I'm feeling the Snowden bug. Believe this phone has a purpose. Managed to get the bootloader unlocked via LG's site and that is how far I've gone.
I been searching and researching the posts here on the forums for few days and somewhat intimidtrated, the posts are almost 3 years ago and crossed with updated files and methods.
If anyone can lead me, a seasoned novice :cyclops:, where, what and how, (noob friendly if possible ) to get the current way to TWRP, if I should get SuperSU or Magisk. Is Lineage OS the way to go for privacy sake.
The phone currently running Oreo 8.0, US99620f
Thank you

Resources