Database Users

I'm stuck in a boot loop after a failed update

Hi all, I'm having problems with my Nexus 4.
I'm on CyanKang & (tried to, it said it had an error & aborted the installation) installed a nightly build which wasn't quite right - must've gotten garbled when downloading or something. Point is, my phone is stuck in a boot loop.
As it's only a 8GB one, I, somewhat stupidly, didn't keep any stable versions of the ROM I was using or backups on the device.
Now I've downloaded a stable version of the ROM but the problem is I have no way of getting the .zip onto the device. It doesn't mount on my computer & according to adb, it's unauthorised & doesn't bring up the authorisation dialogue to let me grant it authorisation. Killing & restarting adb server & unplugging & plugging in the phone again didn't make a difference.
I'm a bit lost as to what I can do to get my phone working again.
Thanks in advance.

Fixed my problem - cleared my personal data on the device which deleted the adb key. Then flashed a working boot.img with fastboot which let me authorise adb & push an update file to my phone which I could flash in recovery

[Q] Stuck at Bootloop after Lollipop Flash Attempt

I've been researching this problem all night/morning and I'm at my wits end Hoping you guys can help me think through it..
First things first: I'm using a macbook, with the most updated version of the SDK platform tools. My nexus 7 was already rooted and flashed with a 4.4.2 ROM.
I tried to flash the Lollipop factory image onto my 2012 Nexus 7 Wifi yesterday by running './flash-all.sh'. First few times, it errored out (alternating between 'broken pipe' errors and fastboot just flat out not seeing my device). Finally, after rebooting my laptop and continuously running 'fastboot devices' until a device Id actually turned up, I managed to run ./flash-all.sh
The script progressed, errored out on flashing the boot loader, successfully erased pretty much everything including recovery, flashed the system image, and then failed while trying to validate the bootloader version (since it had errored out).
Now I'm stuck in a situation where 'fastboot devices' does not return anything (I've tried 3 different USBs and every single port on 2 different macbook + a linux tower) and I can't get into recovery because it errors out with a 'boot failed' message over the 'Google' icon screen.
I've ruled out the possibility of a driver issue since I'm on a macbook, although I'm going to try installing hte SDK onto my Windows 7 tower later tonight, just to see what happens. Can anyone think of anything else I can try to recover my Nexus 7? I dont even care about flashing Lollipop will do haha.. even stock is fine.

Stuck in Boot, fastboot locked, no adb sideload

Hello,
I have a Nexus 6P stuck during boot on the white google logo. Apparently it happened during an update to N.
I have attempted a few solutions I have found either on xda or on other pages but the gist of what I’ve attempted so far is thus:
I have tried to reflash android stock after obtaining it from google : https://developers.google.com/android/images (MTC19T) but the oem option was unchecked so “fastboot flashing unlock” returns with an error.
I have tried to apply an OTA update, again I obtained the file from google (MTC19T) , via the recovery > apply update from adb . But it fails. The error from the phone is:
Code:
E: failed to verify whole file signature
E: signature verification failed
And on the pc side I believe that the failure comes from the fact that my pc has never been connected to the phone via ADB, so it’s unrecognized.
- I have also tried to bypass the adb pc signature issue by connecting a usb flashdrive to my phone via a usb-c adapter but the mount /sdcard command doesn’t work.
I’ve tried a few more esoteric solutions, like booting into Emergency Download (EDL) but my phone just boots into the google logo and stays there.
A few informations on my device (according to the fastboot/recovery screen)
Code:
BL: angler-03.51
Baseband: angler-03.61
Product/Variant: ANGLER-ROW-WN1
6.0.1/MTC19T/2741993
Current Build Number: MTC19T
So, to summarize: Fastboot is locked and won’t work, ADB is unrecognized and using a usb drive pretending to be an sdcard doesn’t work and I’m working with a stock recovery.
I'm looking for a way to bypass the fastbook lock or the adb verification. Or (even better) for anyone here to tell me that I've been going the wrong way all this time and that the solutions involves three easy steps...
Thank you!

Hipstronaute said:
Hello, I have a Nexus 6P stuck during boot on the white google logo. Apparently it happened during an update to N.....I'm looking for a way to bypass the fastbook lock or the adb verification. Or (even better) for anyone here to tell me that I've been going the wrong way all this time and that the solutions involves three easy steps...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try again but you have to use an OTA that is newer than MTC19T. You still may be able to sideload when recovery is in ADB Sideload mode. There is no way to unlock your bootloader. Make sure you are using a recent, known working copy of ADB/Fastboot. The problem many people can't overcome is that they never set up ADB before or used it on a few occasions, so now the phone is dead they can't get it set up correctly. When the phone is connected in recovery>>ADB sideload update, what returns when you run "adb devices"? Do you have another phone you can use to confirm your ADB/fastboot setup is installed correctly?

Download the Nexus toolkit and then boot into recovery and select on the toolkit "softbrick" , good luck. Private message if you need any help
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Hi,
Thank you for your answers.
@v12xke For the OTA after trying MTC19T I downloaded and tried half a dozen images from Google. Previous versions, next version of marshmallow, a few of the nougat versions. The results were exactly the same.
As for adb I just updated my Android studio, and it's not the first time I've used these tools. The process of sideloading the zip always stops at 47% but I can see that adb and the recovery are communicating.
Fastboot devices also detects my device, but I don't have my computer on me right now.
@DavidSantos I already tried the toolkit but it just launched my phone on the Google logo and got stuck there.

Hipstronaute said:
Hi,
Thank you for your answers.
@v12xke For the OTA after trying MTC19T I downloaded and tried half a dozen images from Google. Previous versions, next version of marshmallow, a few of the nougat versions. The results were exactly the same.
As for adb I just updated my Android studio, and it's not the first time I've used these tools. The process of sideloading the zip always stops at 47% but I can see that adb and the recovery are communicating.
Fastboot devices also detects my device, but I don't have my computer on me right now.
@DavidSantos I already tried the toolkit but it just launched my phone on the Google logo and got stuck there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have turn off your phone , press volume up and power key , then a menu will pop up , then plug in your phone with your PC
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

DavidSantos said:
Download the Nexus toolkit and then boot into recovery and select on the toolkit "softbrick" , good luck. Private message if you need any help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best way to brick your phone if you don't know what kind of softbrick this tool has been made for... :good:

You have turn off your phone , press volume up and power key
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I did that. The soft just makes my nexus reboot to the Google logo.

@v12xke: Looks like there are also more and more of those bootloader + recovery access bootloop. With sideload OTA fails...
@Hipstronaute: I have already seen one or two users with the same kind of problem and if I remember, nothing fixed the problem.
Good luck...

Might be a special edition Nexus 6P , oh well. Mine had the same problem and it worked just fine
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

5.1 said:
@v12xke: Looks like there are also more and more of those bootloader + recovery access bootloop. With sideload OTA fails...
@Hipstronaute: I have already seen one or two users with the same kind of problem and if I remember, nothing fixed the problem.
Good luck...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's too bad. Sounds like the storage memory going bad and the write process is interrupted when it hits that area. Thing is, I've heard the same OTA write failure occurring several times at 47%. Wonder what that means? Anyway sounds like @Hipstronaute is looking at a replacement phone, under warranty or otherwise.

@v12xke
Anyway sounds like @Hipstronaute is looking at a replacement phone, under warranty or otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gosh do I hope that won't be the last post on this topic.

I know it's the wrong forum, but....please take a look

I really need the help of one or more of this forums intelligent minds. As I'm sure you'll see, I've posted this in the QA forum, but have had no hits so far....thus the reason for posting here.
So, about 6mos ago, my Nexus 10 stopped working and I couldn't get it back working...eventually moved onto a new tablet, which now I hate....
Anyway, I figured I'd head back to my N10 because I loved it. However, one of the reasons I left it was because it was stuck in bootloop and I was pretty sure it was bricked.
The bad news, I have followed MANY, if not ALL, of the suggestions on getting it back, I just cannot get it to boot. The good news, fastboot connects with the tablet. So, some specifics:
The tablet WILL boot into fastboot and I can send commands and the tablet is unlocked (also, I believe someone said they had issues because they had an older version of ADB and Fastboot. I'm pretty sure I downloaded the 'most current' version 1.4.3). So, with that, I was able to do the fastboot erase functions, such as cache, userdata, system, etc... and then also load the bootloader (mantafm01) and also send the stock .zip file (image-mantaray-....) and the tablet appears to load everything fine. Thumbs up, right? However, when it reboots it stops at the 'erasing' android bot and will not pass that. I left the tablet in that state for a few minutes all the way up to 3 days...no success.
I also tried the above using Wugfresh only to have the same thing occur. So, basically, I am stuck at 'erasing' and I don't know what to do. I feel confident that the tablet has the ability to be brought back to life, I just cannot figure out how/why all of the attempts lead to the same issue.
What I can also tell you is that while fastboot 'sees' the tablet, the tablet does not appear as a device in "My Computer" like it normally did when connecting via USB. I am using the original USB cable and have tried on multiple computers, all to no avail. I've downloaded/installed the drivers, as instructed on many links. Also, while I can get to the 'Recovery Mode' by pressing Power, Volume Up, Volume Down, if I choose "Recovery Mode" on the tablet, it reboots and goes to the 'erasing' screen. I have tried flashing TWRP on the tablet using fastboot as well. And, sometimes, not all the time, the TWRP blue/black screen appears but it will not progress past that screen (i.e., it doesn't go into recovery).
So, if you can, please help. I believe I have followed all of the instructions, but I have to be missing something or not following something correctly. I'm stoked that it looks like it's only soft-bricked, I just can't get it un-bricked.
Thanks in advance! I'm at my wits' end

Try fastbooting a recovery like TWRP thati s updated then flash a rom.

disclaimer: I might be no help at all!
You have fastboot -- go learn all the fastboot commands... you need to know the tools and figure a solution!
erase... hmm? why? What about factory reset? I see you are not using LOS 13 but stock image... need root? Basically, I would factory reset/wipe sdcard, then install recovery (TWRP) [okay, so first you would need to use fastboot to install custom recovery)...THEN, push (fastboot an image.zip (LOS or stock) to sdcards, install, and reboot!
Good to have WUG... another tool in the chest (I have never seen it or used it)
Ok, so one clue is that if your computer cannot see it, that says to me RED FLAG... ADB drivers? but you say fastboot works, hmm... I think this is the problem... Koush's universal ADB drivers? official Google drivers? Could these help!
Erasing screen? Hmm...
I would say, for the hell of it, try flashing different ROMs, Recoveries, and Drivers.... you are basically trying to...
Factory Reset/wipe SDcard [system, cache, ... everything], Flash custom recovery (optional), then, some how (fastboot or mycomputer) get an image on to /sdcard, then, install, then, reboot!
Good luck!
luckyheel said:
I really need the help of one or more of this forums intelligent minds. As I'm sure you'll see, I've posted this in the QA forum, but have had no hits so far....thus the reason for posting here.
So, about 6mos ago, my Nexus 10 stopped working and I couldn't get it back working...eventually moved onto a new tablet, which now I hate....
Anyway, I figured I'd head back to my N10 because I loved it. However, one of the reasons I left it was because it was stuck in bootloop and I was pretty sure it was bricked.
The bad news, I have followed MANY, if not ALL, of the suggestions on getting it back, I just cannot get it to boot. The good news, fastboot connects with the tablet. So, some specifics:
The tablet WILL boot into fastboot and I can send commands and the tablet is unlocked (also, I believe someone said they had issues because they had an older version of ADB and Fastboot. I'm pretty sure I downloaded the 'most current' version 1.4.3). So, with that, I was able to do the fastboot erase functions, such as cache, userdata, system, etc... and then also load the bootloader (mantafm01) and also send the stock .zip file (image-mantaray-....) and the tablet appears to load everything fine. Thumbs up, right? However, when it reboots it stops at the 'erasing' android bot and will not pass that. I left the tablet in that state for a few minutes all the way up to 3 days...no success.
I also tried the above using Wugfresh only to have the same thing occur. So, basically, I am stuck at 'erasing' and I don't know what to do. I feel confident that the tablet has the ability to be brought back to life, I just cannot figure out how/why all of the attempts lead to the same issue.
What I can also tell you is that while fastboot 'sees' the tablet, the tablet does not appear as a device in "My Computer" like it normally did when connecting via USB. I am using the original USB cable and have tried on multiple computers, all to no avail. I've downloaded/installed the drivers, as instructed on many links. Also, while I can get to the 'Recovery Mode' by pressing Power, Volume Up, Volume Down, if I choose "Recovery Mode" on the tablet, it reboots and goes to the 'erasing' screen. I have tried flashing TWRP on the tablet using fastboot as well. And, sometimes, not all the time, the TWRP blue/black screen appears but it will not progress past that screen (i.e., it doesn't go into recovery).
So, if you can, please help. I believe I have followed all of the instructions, but I have to be missing something or not following something correctly. I'm stoked that it looks like it's only soft-bricked, I just can't get it un-bricked.
Thanks in advance! I'm at my wits' end
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Why not try this
I have not had this problem with my Nexus 10 but I did once with my Nexus 7 and it may help you.
Instead of trying to flash TWRP and run it (which is not working for you) why not boot into a temporary copy of TWRP and then work from that? To flash TWRP normally (persuming you had renamed the img file to TWRP which makes it easier) you would enter 'fastboot flash recovery twrp.img'. Instead of doing that type 'fastboot boot twrp.img'. This boots into TRWP and from there you will be able run all the options and from there flash TWRP and other images as normal.
If you are having problems with drivers have you used 'USBDeview' ? Run this as Administrator and delete all references to any phone or tablet USB driver and particularly look for devices with Vendor ID '18d1' or '04e8'. Just select them, right click on them and select 'Uninstall Selected Devices'. When they are all cleared reboot your computer and plug your tablet in and it should install the correct driver.
Another option I used successfully with a Nexus 7 in a boot loop was to connect it while running Linux. I don't have a Linux on a computer so I installed one in 'Oracle VM VirtualBox' I don't know Linux but after Googling for help I installed Peppermint Linux and then ADB for Linux. I downloaded the 'TWP' image into a folder in Linux and any other images I wanted. Connect your tablet to the USB port and then on the top menu in VirtualBox select 'Devices' then 'USB' and tick the option which shows your tablet. I then went into what we call a command prompt in Windows but which they call 'Terminal'. Then type 'ADB devices' and if you see it on the list use ADB instead of fastboot. As I mentioned my Nexus 7 was in a boot loop so I typed 'ADB wait-for-device' and as soon as it looped to a point where ADB could see it then the looping stopped and I could flash the images and recover the tablet.
All the best. I hope you are successful.

As long as you can get into bootloader mode, your good.
NOW
If you can't get into boot loader mode? as far as I know...
You're ****ed.
Unless you want to set up usb boot (might not work on Exynos, idk, this is magic to me) and solder the connectors and flash it like they do in factories. That's next level **** too, and considering an N10 is 100$ on amazon you're better off just grabbing a new one.

OTG Mouse to get final Essential update - touch screen still won't work

After reading for hours, I was successful to find an OTG micro-USB adapter with male USB-A end which allowed a Logitech dongle to be inserted and the mouse allowed me to start afresh from a factory reset. The touch screen didn't work.
There was an OTA update and I got all excited thinking, "This will be the update that fixes the touch (or lack thereof) issue."
Sadly, after the message said this was the final update, the touch screen still didn't work.
I was successfully able to enable USB Debugging because of the OTG Mouse.
When I connect to the PC and run an ADB command (e.g. adb devices), a message pops up asking to verify I trust the RSA Fingerprint for that computer and to remember that device.
Now my huge predicament: there is no way for me to touch the checkbox and choose OK.
Once I unplug in the cable to connect the OTG Mouse, the dialog box disappears.
I read about TeamViewer on the PC and TeamViewer Host from the Play Store. I installed both and was able to see the Essential Phone on the computer but whenever I touched the screen of the computer (or used the trackpad), nothing happened on the phone.
I tried pressing spacebar thinking that might enable the checkbox but no remote response on the phone.
I'm so close...all I need is one checkbox and one ok and it'll remember the USB Debugging settings.
From there I can then figure how to either downgrade from Android 10 or hopefully some kind soul can let me know what file to install so I can get this stupid touch screen to work.
I explained in a lot of detail as I wanted you folks to know I've tried many options to troubleshoot this problem before asking for help.
If there's a non-USB Debugging checkbox checked way in Fastboot Mode (e.g. ADB Sideload in Recovery), I'm willing to try that.
Thanks.
Update 2020-07-07: I had an idea to connect a SteelSeries Stratus XL wireless gaming controller to the phone via bluetooth and was successfully able to use the controls of the controller to enable the checkbox and remember the RSA Fingerprint for USB Debugging. Whooo-hoo! Now for the rest of the matter...getting this darn touch screen working with an device image that solves the problem....

I had the same problem after flashing the newest (and final) Image on top of a rooted, very old marshmallow build.
I found a fix on reddit however, and hopefully it works for you too.
I tried the second method described there:
1. Connect to fastboot to unlock bootloader and critical
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock
(didn't do anything for me since I was already unlocked)
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock_critical
Let the phone wipe itself and reboot, then go into fastboot again
2. Then flash the image of September 2018 (PH1-Images-PPR1.180905.036) via the "flashall.bat". After a reboot my touchscreen worked again.
3. Upgrade to the newest image or whichever one you like.
I don't understand the whole problem exactly, so maybe you could try flashing the newest image directly after the unlock_critical step, but I just followed the instructions I found.
Good luck!

Thanks for the suggestion and the link for the file.
When I try and run the command
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock
in fastboot mode, I keep getting the message "Waiting for device".
Same thing, when I try and run the flashall.bat file.
I booted in to FastBoot mode, but when I type adb devices in an admin command prompt, it doesn't show any devices listed, even though adb devices does show the phone listed when the phone has booted up normally.
I have:
uninstalled the Essential Phone driver and reinstalled it (multiple times).
installed the 15 Seconds ADB installer and uninstalled it (multiple times).
rebooted the Windows 10 computer multiple times.

IconBoy said:
Thanks for the suggestion and the link for the file.
When I try and run the command
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock
in fastboot mode, I keep getting the message "Waiting for device".
Same thing, when I try and run the flashall.bat file.
I booted in to FastBoot mode, but when I type adb devices in an admin command prompt, it doesn't show any devices listed, even though adb devices does show the phone listed when the phone has booted up normally.
I have:
uninstalled the Essential Phone driver and reinstalled it (multiple times).
installed the 15 Seconds ADB installer and uninstalled it (multiple times).
rebooted the Windows 10 computer multiple times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure to use a proper cable and not the one that comes with the phone for charging.
I use the one from my Nexus 6p. The cable from Essential is only for charging, not data transfer.

I'm using a USB-A TO USB-C cable which shows device in normal boot mode.
I have tried three different cables which all work when using adb devices in normal boot mode.
Still no phone when List of devices attached is shown.

Just for clarity: adb and fastboot are completely different modes. To test if you successfully booted into fastboot and have a working connection, you have to type "fastboot devices". "adb devices" doesn't work here.
But the unlock command should have worked anyway. How did you boot into fastmode? Can you see this fastboot screen?
If not, the easiest way to get to fastboot is to connect the turned off phone to the PC while keeping the volume down button pressed, until you see the screen linked above.
But if you do see the fastboot screen, and still don't get anything from "fastboot devices", I'd try Google's official adb/fastboot tools.

xxera said:
...you have to type "fastboot devices".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! I can see the device listed now! I had no idea that you had to type that command! Wow....years later of working with phones and I am still learning. :good: I guess I didn't progress because I mistakenly thought the device was not being found.
I ran both commands fastboot flashing unlock and fastboot flashing unlock_critical successfully.
Once the phone wiped itself and booted up (without progressing from the startup screen prompts), I shut it down then went back in to fastboot mode and successfully ran the flashall.bat command.
I shut it down and restarted it. Touchscreen is still not working. :crying:
When I finally get this working...would I just run the commands fastboot flashing lock and fastboot flashing lock_critical to relock the phone...? I need Google Pay and other banking apps to work so want the phone to be secure.

There is always more to learn
Shame that it didn't work, though :/ Did you flash the image from September 2018 that I linked, or the newest build? If you directly flashed the newest one, maybe try the 2018 build, since that worked for me. Alternatively, from the same reddit post I linked before, someone got it working by flashing the August 2018 build, and sideloading the September 2018 OTA Update after. But I never did this sideloading thing, so can't help much there. All builds and OTAs are available on this neat website by the way.
Regarding relocking, it is generally advised to only relock if you have a good reason to do it. You can only relock a completely unmodified stock image, otherwise your phone won't boot, so no root, magisk or anything.
My banking apps still work on my unlocked and rooted phone, but I'm using a Pixel 3, and not sure about Google Pay.
But yes, if you want to relock, make absolutely sure you're stock, and use the commands you mentioned. Just be aware that this also wipes the phone again.

xxera said:
Shame that it didn't work, though :/ Did you flash the image from September 2018 that I linked
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I used the link you gave me for the Sep 2018 build.
I will try the Aug 2018 build and see if I get any joy with that.
Thank you so much for your patience and help!

Just to be clear, you should sideload the September OTA after that, the August build itself won't do much as far as I understood.
Glad to help, I just had the same hunt for clues behind me, I know how frustrating it can be

I tried the Aug 2018 build then sideload flashing the Sep 2018 build. No joy...touchscreen still not working.
The whole fastboot flashing worked except for this one error:
fastboot format userdata
CreateProcess failed: The system cannot find the file specified. (2)
fastboot: error: Cannot generate image for userdata
This message came up once the flash was complete and the phone rebooted itself):
Android Recovery
essential/mata/mata
9/PPR1.180610.091/249
user/release-keys
Use volume up/down and power.
Can't load Android system. Your data may be corrupt. If you continue to get this message, you may need to perform a factory data reset and erase all user data stored on this device.
--------------------------------------------------
Try again
Factory data reset
--------------------------------------------------
There was no choice to Apply update from ADB so I can sideload the Sep 2018 update so I went ahead and chose Factory data reset.
Once it factory reset, I was able to go in to recovery and sideload the Sep 2018 update.
Have I missed anything in this procedure...?
I also tried fastboot flashing the Apr 2019 build but that hasn't helped either.
(Attached is a screenshot of the two files I downloaded. The links are the purple ones I chose). Did I get the correct ones?

The files look right to me.
After some research I found that updating the adb tools worked for some people with that error. The creator of the 15 Seconds ADB installer even edited the post and said the tool is outdated by now. There's a newer version in this post, and maybe you are already using that, but I'd strongly recommend the official ADB from google, since I never had a problem with that one.
Also, I read that you should use a USB-3 cable. The official one from essential itself is USB-2 which can cause some problems in flashing sometimes (which is pretty stupid tbh).
Yes, after you updated ADB/fastboot, I'd just try the Aug image + Sept OTA again. Or directly the Sept image.
Not sure about the factory reset message, I'd say yes again just in case.
Edit: Ah, since it says "can't load android system", I guess the flashing failed.
I managed to fix phones with flashing a second time exactly the same way many times, sometimes fastboot is just moody. But may updating ADB can help here.

I updated fastboot and adb from the Google site.
Reflashed Aug and Sep 2018 files.
No joy. Touchscreen still doesn't respond.
An idea...I tried to install TWRP to see if the touchscreen is actually working but get the error fastboot: error: Couldn't parse partition size '0x' when running the command to install the TWRP Mata recovery image file.
Any way to check if the screen/digitizer is not a hardware fault?

Weird error... Can you post the whole log? If the partition size was read as 0, something went wrong with identifying the partition (if I interpret the error message correctly). Did you correctly flash to boot_a/boot_b depending on which one is active?
But TWRP might not help diagnosing the issue, I think touch stopped working in TWRP for essential phone a while ago, because it is also very outdated...
But to me it sounds like the usual problem after updating that many people had. The screen stopped working after an update, right?
Also, did you make sure to use the new platform-tools fastboot? Google's version doesn't automatically install itself system-wide, so if you just type "fastboot" in the command line, that might still be the old "15 Seconds ABD installer" fastboot. You can type "adb --version"to find out, it tells you in which folder the adb.exe file is.