Develop Bugs

Is unlocking the bootloader my only option?

Hi,
I own a Nexus One with CyanogenMod 7 RC1. I've rooted my phone without unlocking my bootloader (with super1click) using ClockworkMod as the Recovery console. The "wonk" was starting to drive me crazy.
Yesterday, for some "strage" reason (probably a bubble to the head!!) I decided to Flash the stock Rom to my phone (I wanted to try the official release of Gingerbread). My mistake was doing it through Rom Manager.
It sorta "semi" briked my nexus.
When I do a normal boot, I see the android X loading, then, the screen goes blank. I know something's going on on the device because my trackball is flashing white. I even get heptic feedback from the four bottom buttons. But the screen is always black!
When I boot into the bootloader menu (power+down) and try going into the Recovery console, my screen is also all black! There again, something must be going on because my computer detect the attached device, but unfortunately, I can't ADB (device not found!!)
Finally, when I boot into the bootloader menu (power+down) and I enable Fastboot USB, I cant "flash" anything onto the device (I get an error at the signature verification). This is probably due to the fact that my bootloader is still locked (I guess).
Here are my questions:
1- Is it a lost cause? Is my nexus forever in this semi bricked state?
2- Is my only option to solve the issue is unlocking the bootloader?
3- Will that work?
I would like (if possible) not to unlock the bootloader but if that's my only option, I'll do it without any issues.
If I unlock the bootloader, what then? Do I "fastboot flash recovery" a working recovery image and then, from the recovery console reflash any good rom?
Thanks for reading this long post and for helping me out!

Have you decided which ROM you want to use yet? When you have found one, extract the contents of the .zip and flash the contents using fastboot. Obviously you'll need to unlock the Bootloader first but what's the point of having that ability if you're not going to use it?
Lot's of info in the WIKI.

Hi Thanks for the reply!
I'll probably go back with CyanogenMod 6.1.1 (Stable release).
So you're telling me that I have no other choice and I'll need to unlock the bootloader?
What If I decide to flash the Stock ROM? I'll still need to unlock it right?
Thanks

From your original post it doesn't sound like there's any other option. Consider it a blessing in disguise though. Fastboot is a terrific feature to have as it makes flashing safe and easy.
THIS would be a good ROM to start with if you want to try out the stock Gingerbread experience.

[Q] Help! - Rooted Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) bricked after OTA accidently

followed a tutorial (Cnncted's youtube clip - How to root the ASUS ZenFone 2 ) to root
Accidentally (very stupid) pressed the update option when an OTA update showed up yesterday (Jul 8 2015), and after that the phone won't start properly - stopped at in search of incredible...
No luck with trying to boot into recovery mode (power + volume up). It just vibrates once and the screen is black. Trying to flash recovery image with ADB and flashtool etc, but the MTP usb connection failed. If I connect it to the PC using the USB cable and then press the power button to turn it on (stuck in that ..."incredible" screen), device manager shows the Z200AD name with a yellow exclamation mark beside, and Asus ZenUI software will automatically start. But it's not really recognized by the PC.
So...if you have any suggestions for me to try, please let me know and that would be greatly appreciated!
Harry
p.s. This is a US version, so the it's the WW sku?

Same problem here. I have a rooted 551ML and on July 6th I received an OTA update. I installed it and I'm stuck in boot loop. I have hundreds of family pictures in the internal memory.
The good news is that I have access to boot loader and recovery.
I could not find any custom recovery for Zenfone 2. They are not out yet, right? Is there any way to copy the internal memory of the phone (that doesnt load the OS) to the SD card? Or to paste a file img.boot taken from a downloaded official rom and copy it over the corrupted one on the phone's memory?

If you can access the bootloader, you can do this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/zenfone2/general/guide-to-apply-ota-bootloop-rooted-zf2-t3127835
Btw, there is a custom recovery out there (TWRP, check the Development section), but you will need an unlocked bootloader to use it in your state (I think).
US version is the WW SKU btw. Hope this helps.

joel.maxuel said:
If you can access the bootloader, you can do this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/zenfone2/general/guide-to-apply-ota-bootloop-rooted-zf2-t3127835
Btw, there is a custom recovery out there (TWRP, check the Development section), but you will need an unlocked bootloader to use it in your state (I think).
US version is the WW SKU btw. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Joel, thanks a lot! I will give it a try.
fingers and toes crossed...

I faced this problem too. All I did was to flash the boot.img of my version using fastboot,
Then I flashed the firmware, without factory reset I started the phone.
I was continiously getting an error "com.android.process has stopped". Ignoring that, I just backed up my whole data. Did a factory reset. Updated
Boom!! Everything was normal... I hope this helps

Just a quick update - followed the method in the link that Joel referred to, and everything worked beautifully. I did get two error messages like “the contact stopped working..." “The process android.process.acore has stopped working.” I fixed this problem by clearing the data/cache from the "contact" app, and that did the trick without a factory reset etc.
I unrooted the device using SuperSU. The fastboot screen, however, still shows a random serial number 0123456789ABCDEF. Is there a way to revert it back to the real one? I do see the real one from settings - about - status.
xxmmx said:
Joel, thanks a lot! I will give it a try.
fingers and toes crossed...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

xxmmx said:
Just a quick update - followed the method in the link that Joel referred to, and everything worked beautifully. I did get two error messages like “the contact stopped working..." “The process android.process.acore has stopped working.” I fixed this problem by clearing the data/cache from the "contact" app, and that did the trick without a factory reset etc.
I unrooted the device using SuperSU. The fastboot screen, however, still shows a random serial number 0123456789ABCDEF. Is there a way to revert it back to the real one? I do see the real one from settings - about - status.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't everyone serial number the same? mine is.

This is something that I am not sure of. Yours has been rooted as well?
I would like to know what the fastboot screen looks like before rooting.
GGL-Daz said:
Isn't everyone serial number the same? mine is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

xxmmx said:
This is something that I am not sure of. Yours has been rooted as well?
I would like to know what the fastboot screen looks like before rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure rooting didn't affect my fastboot screen at all.

actually i rooted my zenfone 2 and there was an OTA and i tried to install it without un-rooting my phone. the phone would not turn on and it gets stuck in the boot animation.
the phone wasn't detected by the ADB in my pc so i thought of installing some custom recovery, thought that could help.
i tried installing TWRP but i did not unlock the bootloader and now i am not able to enter in recovery mode either, everytime i try to get in the recovery modethe phone restarts and goes to fastboot mode.
please help.

dip_anker said:
actually i rooted my zenfone 2 and there was an OTA and i tried to install it without un-rooting my phone. the phone would not turn on and it gets stuck in the boot animation.
the phone wasn't detected by the ADB in my pc so i thought of installing some custom recovery, thought that could help.
i tried installing TWRP but i did not unlock the bootloader and now i am not able to enter in recovery mode either, everytime i try to get in the recovery modethe phone restarts and goes to fastboot mode.
please help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was having a similar issue where adb wouldn't recognize my phone but fastboot was detecting it. What I ended up doing was grabbing the latest stock firmware zip from asus, transferring it to my external sd card via adapter and renamed it to MOFD_SDUPDATE.zip. Then go into fastboot (restart with volume up key) and proceed to recovery. It should automatically update your system from there. The only bummer is having to re-configure everything.

5ifty1 said:
I was having a similar issue where adb wouldn't recognize my phone but fastboot was detecting it. What I ended up doing was grabbing the latest stock firmware zip from asus, transferring it to my external sd card via adapter and renamed it to MOFD_SDUPDATE.zip. Then go into fastboot (restart with volume up key) and proceed to recovery. It should automatically update your system from there. The only bummer is having to re-configure everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i tried it with prerooted as well as the stock rom, it did not work for me. isn't there any way to flash CM12.1 using the fastboot ?

Softbrick'd. No idea what to do.

I've got quite a problem.
A few weeks ago, I unlocked the bootloader on my phone and flashed SuperSu to root it.
Today I decided to lock it back for personal reasons, wiping everything.
After it wiped, the phone kinda softbricked. When it turns on the OnePlus logo flashes for a second and turns off.
Won't let me unlock bootloader again, got stock recovery. Tried to use sideload, but ADB can't read the file. My guess it's too large.
What can I do?

I had same problem. Follow the steps. Unlock it again and reboot to the system.
There enable developer option, enable debugging, enable unlock bootloader option.
Rebooted to fastboot mode
Install stock recovery
Adb sideload 3.2 full firmware.
After that reboot your phone to fastboot mode.
Unlock bootloader.
This should do it.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

It's like you didn't even read what I wrote...
I said it doesn't boot to system, OnePlus logo appears for a split second and phone turns off.
Bootloader is locked and I cannot flash anything.
ADB Sideload won't read files. Gives the 'cannot read' error.

You know that you can load to bootloader by pressing volume up and power button right?
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

Monskiller said:
I've got quite a problem.
A few weeks ago, I unlocked the bootloader on my phone and flashed SuperSu to root it.
Today I decided to lock it back for personal reasons, wiping everything.
After it wiped, the phone kinda softbricked. When it turns on the OnePlus logo flashes for a second and turns off.
Won't let me unlock bootloader again, got stock recovery. Tried to use sideload, but ADB can't read the file. My guess it's too large.
What can I do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be fine so long as you didn't deactivate the"OEM UNLOCK " option from the developer setting....
do the following
1. press and hold the volume up an power buttons simultaneously to enter the boot loader menu.
2.select start option from the bootloader menu sorry that menu is the boot loader.
3. now connect to pc and use the "fastboot devices" command to see if your pc recognizes you op3 as an android device.
4.type "fastboot oem unlock"
5. flash the custom recovery thru fastboot
5. enter custom recovery and flash your desired rom.
hope this works for you!

ajaysoranam said:
You should be fine so long as you didn't deactivate the"OEM UNLOCK " option from the developer setting....
do the following
1. press and hold the volume up an power buttons simultaneously to enter the boot loader menu.
2.select start option from the bootloader menu sorry that menu is the boot loader.
3. now connect to pc and use the "fastboot devices" command to see if your pc recognizes you op3 as an android device.
4.type "fastboot oem unlock"
5. flash the custom recovery thru fastboot
5. enter custom recovery and flash your desired rom.
hope this works for you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if by mistake I have deactivate the "OEM UNLOCK " what can I do?

I relocked the bootloader. Which wiped to factory reset.
That wipe deactivated the ability to unlock bootloader until reactivated from the system, which I cannot get to because the phone turns off/bootlops before loading it.

This happened quite a few times on this forum, there is really no reason to relock the bootloader on the op3, it is covered through warranty, but u will have to contact oneplus and they should walk u through and send u files to unbrick it if u r lucky

ovidiu1982 said:
And if by mistake I have deactivate the "OEM UNLOCK " what can I do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
then you better get in touch with the op customer service. they will, from what i know, fix it thru a remote connection sitting.

I have no solution for you, but I wonder if you went back to stock recovery first before you relocked the bootloader? I think if you have TWRP and try to relock the bootloader, this happens. NOT that its helpful to you, but if this is the case and you can verify it, might help others avoid making the same mistake.
As far as your problem is concerned, I would look for unbricking guides. I know I saw at least one guide that lets you recreate the entire partition table manually and make it just like new for the OP2 (and has the company's blessings to do so). So it should apply here as well. Sorry, do not remember where I saw this, but must have been either on xda or the oneplus forums.

karthikrr said:
I have no solution for you, but I wonder if you went back to stock recovery first before you relocked the bootloader? I think if you have TWRP and try to relock the bootloader, this happens. NOT that its helpful to you, but if this is the case and you can verify it, might help others avoid making the same mistake.
As far as your problem is concerned, I would look for unbricking guides. I know I saw at least one guide that lets you recreate the entire partition table manually and make it just like new for the OP2 (and has the company's blessings to do so). So it should apply here as well. Sorry, do not remember where I saw this, but must have been either on xda or the oneplus forums.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have stock recovery. I did boot TWRP first and let it change system by mistake, but reflashed stock later. That's what might have caused the bootloop once I relocked.
So I guess if you decide to relock in the future, don't flash TWRP, cause it bootloops, even if stock is reflashed.

Bro don't worry now.
I am gonna guide you out of this.
First install an adb package like this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=48915118#post48915118
Now get a toolkit like this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3/development/toolkit-oneplus-3-toolkit-unlock-t3398799
Try to connect to fastboot and check for your device in the toolkit.
If failed then kill process adb in your task manager.
Now once connected.
Check OEM status and bootloader status.
Unlock if required.
Now.
Push twrp to your phone .
Then boot into it through the toolkit.
Now load a full ROM.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3/development/rom-op3lite-debloated-tweaked-fast-t3404996
Just copy paste it using your file manager on PC.
Them flash first make it boot and then root.
Hope this helped.

Monskiller said:
I have stock recovery. I did boot TWRP first and let it change system by mistake, but reflashed stock later. That's what might have caused the bootloop once I relocked.
So I guess if you decide to relock in the future, don't flash TWRP, cause it bootloops, even if stock is reflashed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, I think this happens only if you let TWRP modify the system partition. But, I have not and am not willing to test it out

karthikrr said:
Nah, I think this happens only if you let TWRP modify the system partition. But, I have not and am not willing to test it out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't test it. I've already done it by mistake.
It replaced recovery with TWRP by allowing the modification of system and even after reflashing stock it'll bootloop on relocking recovery.
So I found something useful then.

Hey, i think i found a solution for you. I don't know if i can post here xda thread links, so search "EDL Mode xda" on Google and the first link it is. Hope i helped

ZE551ML Stuck in bootloader. No access to recovery what so ever.

So after 2 hours of searching, trying and failing, I just decided to post here and see what help I can get.
Situation is exactly like the title. Had Lineage 14.1 installed, and decided to update the phone. Rebooted the phone and went to TWRP recovery. For whatever reason, I decided to reboot the phone, which ended up in it coming back to TWRP. This repeated until I got the stock recovery, which put me into bootloader instead. Bootloader is now locked, I can no longer get into recovery, and I'm stuck in bootloader for as long as this continues.
So far I have tried:
--------BEFORE TWRP RECOVERY FAILURE AND BOOTLOADER LOCK---------
Factory Resetting
Formatted and flashed ROM
A couple of ADB commands
--------AFTER TWRP RECOVERY FAILURE AND BOOTLOADER LOCK---------
Replaced recovery image file with stock
Idiotically replaced bootloader image file with stock (Locked, can tell since Android N is no longer bugging me with preboot notification which was present before when bootloader was unlocked)
Idiotically replaced the system image file with stock
A slew of fastboot commands (You can comment and I can see if I have attempted them)
Attempted to continue the fastboot process
Attempted to use an automatic rootkit. Did not like my device, so it did nothing at all.
Manually unplugging the battery
Haven't tried:
Placing rom in sd card, like I've seen people say elsewhere. (No SD card available)
Anything else you tell me that I haven't done
I'm not really interested in keeping any files that I've had before, if that is not already made clear.
Anyone that can help me, I really want this to end. :crying: :crying:

BillJake said:
So after 2 hours of searching, trying and failing, I just decided to post here and see what help I can get.
Situation is exactly like the title. Had Lineage 14.1 installed, and decided to update the phone. Rebooted the phone and went to TWRP recovery. For whatever reason, I decided to reboot the phone, which ended up in it coming back to TWRP. This repeated until I got the stock recovery, which put me into bootloader instead. Bootloader is now locked, I can no longer get into recovery, and I'm stuck in bootloader for as long as this continues.
So far I have tried:
--------BEFORE TWRP RECOVERY FAILURE AND BOOTLOADER LOCK---------
Factory Resetting
Formatted and flashed ROM
A couple of ADB commands
--------AFTER TWRP RECOVERY FAILURE AND BOOTLOADER LOCK---------
Replaced recovery image file with stock
Idiotically replaced bootloader image file with stock (Locked, can tell since Android N is no longer bugging me with preboot notification which was present before when bootloader was unlocked)
Idiotically replaced the system image file with stock
A slew of fastboot commands (You can comment and I can see if I have attempted them)
Attempted to continue the fastboot process
Attempted to use an automatic rootkit. Did not like my device, so it did nothing at all.
Manually unplugging the battery
Haven't tried:
Placing rom in sd card, like I've seen people say elsewhere. (No SD card available)
Anything else you tell me that I haven't done
I'm not really interested in keeping any files that I've had before, if that is not already made clear.
Anyone that can help me, I really want this to end. :crying: :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is your IFWI version number in bootloader ?

IFWI Version: 0094.0183

BillJake said:
IFWI Version: 0094.0183
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash raw 4.21.40.184 M with AFT in bootloader
https://forum.xda-developers.com/zenfone2/general/z008-z00a-z00d-z00x-raw-fw-collection-t3448966

Thank you so much. Fixed my phone.

BillJake said:
Thank you so much. Fixed my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Marvelous , drop a thank you to realyoti in the link , hit his thanks button too.:good::highfive:

Can't boot, stuck with "ID: bad key"

Hey guys, so I bought the phone and the first thing was unlocking BL. Then I flashed TWRP (or booted it via fastboot).
Then an accident happened and I flashed the TWRP image over the boot partition with fastboot, since then the phone does not
boot anymore.
I tried flashing the stock images from XDA here via fastboot, but that tells me that some preflash conditions failed...
When I try to start recovery or boot Android, I get the unlocked BL warning screen and "ID: bad key", then nothing.
I managed flashing boot.img and system via dd in TWRP but it does not boot either, something is messed up.
Bootloader tells be I have the montana XT1794 32GB P3 version (from Germany). I guess all firmware I tried may be
for a slightly different version...
I get these messages when flashing boot.img and others via fastboot:
Code:
(bootloader) Image signed with key bad key
or
Code:
(bootloader) Image boot failed validation
(bootloader) Preflash validation failed

I by now means am any kind of expert with this. I too, am learning this on the fly, and only been at this a few days. But I will try to give some advice. (most will be useless advice because Im not 100% on my own experiances even now)
First, again, im not 100%, you may of messed up your OS totally. I have experiance reinstalling my OS from scratch. I have a moto g5s plus sanders phone. 7.1.1 nougat. I went through hell trying to flash my OEM rom. Finding it was a pain, installing it was even more of a pain. Now what monstly, not entirely worked was: --youtube.com/watch?v=-FszZOx2pWU for reflashing.
Also, --xda-developers.com/moto-g5s-plus/development/flash-official-firmware-moto-g5s-plus-t3681018 has some advice to reflash. Now I dont know at all if this is useful for you or not, im sorry The key for reflashing for me was the ADB fastboot files FINDING the right rom. The commands with the xda link...the ones that started with "m" dont work for me. I had to use the youtube commands. Now for me, this was VERY important, TO RELOCK YOUR PHONE. The command to "fastboot oem lock" was a must! If I didnt enable that I too got the message of bad key and never could load into TWRP. I had to reinstall my OEM rom AND relock the phone. Then go through the process again to root. Before rooting your phone, I hightly suggest you get an OS working either custom or original. And relock the phone in the process. That is key, relock the phone, dont keep it unlocked. At least for ME that was true.
Now shouldnt be to hard to find your OEM rom. (im not good enough for custom ROM'ing yet) Then again if its a germany specific phone might be hard. Again im sorry, I dont know.
Now as for the bad key. I too had much experiance with this, that I cant exactly explain how I overcame it. Basically I think youre not installing TWRP correctly that is the bad key message youre getting, i "think" the message should say "N/A" instead, Im not 100%! Once you install ur choice of root'ing (I prefer supersu over magisk. Both work) boot into recovery and install TWRP. If you have the root program of your choice installed install it now. Dont reboot, just load TWRP and install immediately. Now if you cant find your rooting program because you wiped it, didnt transfer it, whatever. You have to do that first. You must, must install root program first. I have a backup sd micro card, I had to format that PORTABLE NOT INTERNAL. With it being internal I had to many problems of apps not working correctly. It being portable made it easier to do anything. So "if" you need to reflash do so. Put root program on your phone however method you choose. I use MTP and install the .zips in both local and external memory.
Go into recovery, load TWRP..."fastboot flash recovery xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.img". Then boot into twrp with "fastboot boot xxxxxxxxxxxxx.img". Or just volume keys into recovery mode. Swipe to allow modifications (i hear that can be a bad thing if you do NOT have ur root program saved on the phone, I dont know) And find the zip and install. Youre done.
I hope this was a little help. If even a little of it is relevant, Im glad. Otherwise sorry that I couldnt help more!

I wanted to mention too "bad key" does not mean your OS is corrupt. Not all. If you did corrupt your OS, that wasnt twrp or rooted program.

Thanks for your reply. I got it working. I flashed the stock fw with mfastboot. I did not know about that before. After flashing everything to stock it worked again.