Hi everyone, for Christmas my screen was crushed by a car .
The screen is completely destroyed (both touch screen & display screen).
However the phone is booting, so I can put it in recovery mod (I rooted the phone and I have clockworkmod).
After many trials, I succeeded in having adb connecting to my phone in blind mode.
I did this:
Code:
adb mount /data
adb pull /data /a_backup_folder
adb mount /system
adb pull /system /another_backup_folder
... and copied back my SD to my computer. I plan to buy another Desire and to revert the instruction by issuing a push for the data & system. This is:
Code:
adb mount /data
adb push /a_backup_folder /data
adb mount /system
adb push /another_backup_folder /system
Will it work ? Or is the system in sync with the flashed firmware ?
Can I selectively push some of the folders (namely applications, and the whole data). I hope to get back my settings, contacts etc...
I'm afraid I cannot do a whole lot more, since I do everything in blind mode.
Any advice on this ?
Thank you !
Just make a nandroid, should be able to restore as long as you don't have a different screen version (AMOLED to SLCD) but not 100% sure.
TheGhost1233 said:
Just make a nandroid, should be able to restore as long as you don't have a different screen version (AMOLED to SLCD) but not 100% sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your suggestion.
Can I do it even if I do not have a screen ? I've tried to launch it but I fear it needs busybox (it says that it cannot find nc) and I think I do not have it (and don't know how to put it without the screen).
What are the supplementary steps that nandroid does ?
This is for CWM 2.5.0.7.
Sorry mist the part that you have to do everything blind, when in recovery press 5 times down on the volume rocker and then 2 times on the OJ let it sit for 10 min, should be done sooner but i don't know how to check if it's finished. After 10 min press once again on the OJ, your phone should reboot and in the Clockwork folder on the SD card should be a backup folder with a folder with the current date and time of the back up.
Unfortunately it did not work.
It did the steps as provided, and indeed the phone rebooted, but there is no clockworkmod folder on the sd card.
Is there any way to do a similar operation with adb ? This would be easier since when I'm in adb shell, I can type from the PC .
Try installing amon ra recovery. You should be able to do it. This is what the amon ra thread says:
Scripts available via adb :
* Nandroid v2.2.1 : enter "nandroid-mobile.sh" to start.
Explenation: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=3046976&postcount=1
I think that this is what you are looking for
Use the command below to find out what partitions each mtd is for (I don't remember)
cat /process/mtd
Then backup with
cat /dev/mtd/mtdx > /sdcard/mtd.img
(Replacing x with whatever number)
Get all the partitions you need, boot, cache, data and system. Then flash to your new phone from fastboot.
fastboot flash boot mtdx.img
You might want to get hold of a tool called unyaffs and take a look inside the images you make to check its all ok before you bin your old phone or send it back.
mercianary said:
Use the command below to find out what partitions each mtd is for (I don't remember)
cat /process/mtd
Then backup with
cat /dev/mtd/mtdx > /sdcard/mtd.img
(Replacing x with whatever number)
Get all the partitions you need, boot, cache, data and system. Then flash to your new phone from fastboot.
fastboot flash boot mtdx.img
You might want to get hold of a tool called unyaffs and take a look inside the images you make to check its all ok before you bin your old phone or send it back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok the first step worked, but unyaffs does not want to open my imgs.
The size are as follow:
Code:
3*145*728 boot.img
3*145*728 boot_ro.img
41*943*040 cache.img
41*943*040 cache_ro.img
655*360 misc.img
655*360 misc_ro.img
4*718*592 recovery.img
4*718*592 recovery_ro.img
262*144*000 system.img
262*144*000 system_ro.img
154*796*032 userdata.img
154*796*032 userdata_ro.img
which seems good (I also made images from the mtdXro). However I should be able to extract userdata and system from my understanding. I tried with unyaffs both on linux and on windows, on both I get a segmentation fault.
Do I have a way to verify that theses images are good ? I do not want to trash the new phone I will buy with a faulty image...
Flash the same rom from recovery on your new phone, then flash the data image from fastboot, if it works the first boot should take a while as it builds the cache. If it doesn't work just clear data and it wont have done any damage to your new phone.
You will have to zip the data image before you fastboot flash it because it's too big for fastboot to receive.
If you have s-off on your old phone I would flash amon-ra recovery from fastboot then use the nandroid script over adb.
As long as you don't try to flash the recovery you backed up I don't think there's any chance of damaging your new phone doing this.
Ok the final solution was to use the new phone (rooted and with clockworkmod) as a reference.
I did the same backup sequence on the two phones, and have been able to restore the backup on the new phone.
Thank you everyone for your help !
Glad you got it sorted...don't drop your phone under a car again.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
If you encrypt your phone using ICS encryption on CM9 for example then you can't just put in a password to turn off the encryption feature like you can on a Samsung rom. Today my phone was completely unusable because I couldn't boot into recovery or Android, reverting to stock with Odin would make my phone hang at the Samsung logo when booting Android. We're going to flash a new recovery using Odin and format your /data partition so that you can mount your internal and external SD cards once again so your phone is usable.
Software required:
Odin
ADB
Files:
Odin
http://samsung-updates.com/Odin307.zip
Flashable CWM Recovery
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ukx3l58wpcb3h4b/connor.tar.md5
Open Odin and make sure Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time are checked, click PDA and open connor.tar.md5 then flash the phone.
Once the recovery is done flashing and your phone is rebooting remove the battery from your phone. Replace the battery and hold volume up, home (center button) and power. Once the Samsung logo appears release the power button and your phone will boot into recovery. From here we are going to format our data partition.
Start an adb shell.
Linux:
/android-sdk-linux/platform-tools/adb start-server
adb shell
Windows:
Open a CMD window in your ADB folder (shift click and click open new command window).
adb shell
From here we are going to format our data partition.
cat /etc/recovery.fstab
If /data is mmcblk0p15 then everything is going as planned.
mke2fs -t ext4 /dev/block/mmcblk0p15
What that command will do is format your /data partition.
mount /data
mount
You should see /dev/block/mmcblk0p15 mounted on /data
Flash a new rom and your broken phone is now usable.
Credits to koush for CWM and utkanos for helping me with the process.
Thanks for the info. However it seems to me that the encryption causes more problems than it helps. I've seen too many posts about how implementing encryption ends up screwing someone. But I've never seen a post that said...wow I am sure glad that I encrypted my phone! Let's face it...unless u are working for the government or the like...there's no need for it. And if u are working for the government, they will have some I.T. guy handling it for you. Its best to leave it alone and password protect your phone / files / data and then u wouldn't have to deal with the above steps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
My friend runs his Galaxy Nexus rooted with no custom rom and has his phone encrypted because he's strange like that (when googling about illegal stuff he always uses an incognito browsing session), he's just paranoid I suppose. I encrypted mine just because I could without thinking that something like this could occur. There was absolutely no information on the internet about how to undo the encryption and this is the only possible way I know.
I just got a note 2 (i317m - canadian carrier model) that got messed up some how. When attempted to boot the phone it said unable to mount efs partition. My research tells me that partition that contains module info such as IMEI, bluetooth, wifi are stored in that partition. Now I realize why the repair guy wanted $350 to fix it.
Is there a way I can tackle this problem on my own and try and fix it? Apparently there is a tool here in XDA that can wipe the partition but I am not sure if that would rebuild it and allow me to mount it so I can create a new data file with the IMEI number in it.
Where should I start to attempt to fix the problem.
Please note, I can still access recovery (currently TWRP installed) and download mode and use ODIN if necessary to flash back a stock rom BUT can't mount to the computer for any file transfers nor can I boot the android device (stays at samsung logo). I have no issue using ADB is neccessary if I am lead in the right direction. This phone is already trashed in the eyes of the owner so its basically a little project for me to tackle when i have time to kill.
Bloodyskullz said:
I just got a note 2 (i317m - canadian carrier model) that got messed up some how. When attempted to boot the phone it said unable to mount efs partition. My research tells me that partition that contains module info such as IMEI, bluetooth, wifi are stored in that partition. Now I realize why the repair guy wanted $350 to fix it.
Is there a way I can tackle this problem on my own and try and fix it? Apparently there is a tool here in XDA that can wipe the partition but I am not sure if that would rebuild it and allow me to mount it so I can create a new data file with the IMEI number in it.
Where should I start to attempt to fix the problem.
Please note, I can still access recovery (currently TWRP installed) and download mode and use ODIN if necessary to flash back a stock rom BUT can't mount to the computer for any file transfers nor can I boot the android device (stays at samsung logo). I have no issue using ADB is neccessary if I am lead in the right direction. This phone is already trashed in the eyes of the owner so its basically a little project for me to tackle when i have time to kill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried flashing your official rom? Flash your official firmware by downloading it from sampro.pl or sammobile.com, flash it with PC Odin under PDA tab.
After you done, don't let reboot your phone, goto recovery by pressing vol up+ menu key then power key(continuously hold it until your phone restarts might be 4~8 secs.) Then check 'Wipe Cache Partition', and then reboot phone.
Yup and nothing worked.
Anyone?
So the only solution is a $300 fix?
Dear XDA, I could really use your help.
I have a stock LG Nexus 5x (bullhead/7.1.1) which recently started to fail to boot properly as it never loads past the coloured animations on startup and often stops. This sounds like it may be the boot-loop problem.
I have not rooted the phone, unlocked the boot-loader or flashed any recoveries. I have not enabled USB debugging and can't now because it won't boot.
I am looking at my options to recover the data from this phone.
I can get to the fastboot screen (where the fastboot command line tools see the device, but adb does not). I can proceed to the recovery screen and have tried clearing the cache with no luck.
I am considering trying:
Booting a fastboot recovery image
(eg fastboot boot recovery TWRP.img)
Applying a rescue OTA image
Will these methods void the phones warranty?
Will these methods even work (given the bootloader is locked)?
Can the images be recovery images like TWRP or does it have to be some stock/non-custom image?
Does the rescue OTA require adb/usb-debugging to be operational?
Will the data on the phone still be intact using these methods?
As I am cautiously working may way through this to firstly recover my data, secondly recover my phone., any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry to hear that! I'm assuming your files weren't backed up to Google drive.
I don't know a way to recover your data! If you flash a OTA image, it might help fix your phone boot up problem and it will preserve your phone data.
This sucks because the phone is encrypted by default (did you use to enter a password in the middle of phone booting up and the it would continue booting after your password was accepted? If yes, encryption is on). So flashing TWRP won't mean you can see your data.
And it also has USB debugging disabled by default, which means you probably can't mount the internal memory through ADB.
So I would flash a full OTA image before anything else and keep my fingers crossed. Don't flash a full factory image because it will wipe the data and continue!!!
https://developers.google.com/android/ota
Sent from my Nexus 5X using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Commodore 64 said:
Sorry to hear that! I'm assuming your files weren't backed up to Google drive.
I don't know a way to recover your data! If you flash a OTA image, it might help fix your phone boot up problem and it will preserve your phone data.
This sucks because the phone is encrypted by default (did you use to enter a password in the middle of phone booting up and the it would continue booting after your password was accepted? If yes, encryption is on). So flashing TWRP won't mean you can see your data.
And it also has USB debugging disabled by default, which means you probably can't mount the internal memory through ADB.
So I would flash a full OTA image before anything else and keep my fingers crossed. Don't flash a full factory image because it will wipe the data and continue!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately I had not set-up any syncing/backup process on the phone. In the future I will.
Although I don't recall what encryption settings were originally configured, I didn't have to enter a password in the middle of boot, and was only prompted to swipe in. So I think it wasn't encrypted.
So I attempted to sideload an OTA image via:
adb sideload bullhead-ota-n4f26i-06953aec.zip
then rebooted, however the phone still does not successfully boot any further. I must have really broken this one!
Are there any data recovery methods if a factory reset is applied? if I take it in to a repair agent under-warranty, do they typically wipe your data anyway?
Also, do I need to remove this OTA image if I am to return it for repair under warranty?
In a futile/desperate attempt to try to further recover my data, I have attempted to load my Nexus 5X into the stock recovery mode, then experimented with adb when using the 'apply update from adb' option. This exposed a subset of adb commands which appeared to work (eg adb devices, adb sideload etc). I was hoping to be able to run adb shell or adb pull remote local and recover some data... however I only encountered errors.
./adb shell
error: closed
./adb pull /storage/emulated/ /backup
adb: error: connect failed: closed
I assume this is expected (due to the stock recovery adb limitations, but thought it was worth a shot). I am considering exploring the fastboot options (eg fastboot boot recovery recovery.img) I suspect these are also likely to fail/wipe data. Has anyone got any suggestions/ideas or am I just wasting my time?
This just happened to me yesterday, and I got the single file I needed off the phone today. I fought with the thing for hours yesterday. First you have to clear the cache and sideload a new bullhead zip file (as documented elsewhere). That isn't all, though. After several tries, I noticed that I got farther along in the boot if I let the phone sit for a while. So, on the theory that there's a loose solder connection somewhere and/or heat buildup, I put the phone in the freezer for a few hours (not my idea; found it on reddit). This worked, but only if I also tapped the back of the phone with my knuckle before booting. As I said, success today and I'm all smiles. I hope this helps someone else.
The phone, by the way, is bricked as far as I can tell. And my backups are going to be a lot more comprehensive from here on.
Hi.
Apologies if this is a very naive question, I am not particularly familiar with mods, roms and so forth.
I have rooted another phone in the past, but that is all.
The situation:
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus
- Not rooted/unlocked. Stock android automatically updated to the latest Android version supported
- Android developer option NOT set in settings
- Stuck in a boot loop: boots to android and then after a few seconds reboots, so no time to do anything
- Not sure how it happened, I had it for years, it was in my pocket and suddenly started doing that.
- Android fastboot and recovery loads up no problem
- I have tried anything I could find online to fix it: deleted cache, rebooted in safe mode, removed battery for 10 hours
- Nothing seems to fix it, it keeps rebooting
- I want to try a factory reset, but my family photos are in the phone
- Google synch seems to have stopped functioning for this device a year ago, all my 2016-17 photos and videos are locked in the phone.
Admitting there is nothing to do about the loop problem:
Is there any way I can copy photos and videos via usb while in recovery mode?
After I will reset the phone via recovery menu, hoping it will fix it. IF that does not fix it, I will flash another rom in. But I really do not want to wipe my data before backing them up.
I am assuming the answer is no, you cannot access the internal memory in fastboot/recovery unless your phone is rooted.
But I would like an expert opinion before I resolve to wipe one year of photos and videos which I will regret losing.
@mcaldo DON'T DO FACTORY RESET, EVERYTHING WILL BE LOST
which recovery are you using..?
if it's TWRP, then it's easy..
- boot into TWRP recovery
- go to "Mount" tab
- find "enable/disable MTP" button at lower options.. (enable it )
then connect your phone to that PC, where you always connected in past, ( to eliminate driver installation stage, all drivers will be preinstalled )
Regards
____Mdd said:
@mcaldo DON'T DO FACTORY RESET, EVERYTHING WILL BE LOST
which recovery are you using..?
if it's TWRP, then it's easy..
- boot into TWRP recovery
- go to "Mount" tab
- find "enable/disable MTP" button at lower options.. (enable it )
then connect your phone to that PC, where you always connected in past, ( to eliminate driver installation stage, all drivers will be preinstalled )
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply!
By recovery, I meant 'android system recovery'
It gives me the following options:
reboot system now
apply update from ADB
apply update from USB drive
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
Is any of the above useful?
Unfortunately, I do not have any alternative recovery software available
Edit: Googling I found this: "Apply update from ADB: The Android Debug Bridge allows you to plug your device into your PC and issue commands from there. "
If I can issue commands through ADB, perhaps there is a command to copy data from my phone to my computer?
mcaldo said:
Thanks for your reply!
By recovery, I meant 'android system recovery'
It gives me the following options:
reboot system now
apply update from ADB
apply update from USB drive
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
Is any of the above useful?
Unfortunately, I do not have any alternative recovery software available
Edit: Googling I found this: "Apply update from ADB: The Android Debug Bridge allows you to plug your device into your PC and issue commands from there. "
If I can issue commands through ADB, perhaps there is a command to copy data from my phone to my computer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can copy through adb commands..
Get and extract Minimal ADB and Fastboot from here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2317790
From PC, run CMD to extracted folder directory.
Connect phone to PC, go to update from ADB(in recovery),
Type "adb device" , it will show serial number and connected..
Then "adb pull /sdcard " (if you know particular directory of data then write it like /sdcard/photos,, otherwise writing /sdcard will copy all folders from your phone. )
it will start copying to same adb folder ..
____Mdd said:
Yes, you can copy through adb commands..
Get and extract Minimal ADB and Fastboot from here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2317790
From PC, run CMD to extracted folder directory.
Connect phone to PC, go to update from ADB(in recovery),
Type "adb device" , it will show serial number and connected..
Then "adb pull /sdcard " (if you know particular directory of data then write it like /sdcard/photos,, otherwise writing /sdcard will copy all folders from your phone. )
it will start copying to same adb folder ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice.
I followed the instructions closely, and nearly got there.
adb devices returns
#serialnumber sideload
so all good
but adb pull /sdcard returns
adb: error connect failed: closed
I tried several other commands with no success
kill-server and start-server work fine but do not solve the problem
adb usb returns
error closed
So, I am starting thinking that the problem is in the bootloader being locked.
However, if I unlock it, it will be wipe all my data, I understand?
Googling about it, I found this:
The behavior is status-by-design. Your stock recovery is not designed to grant shell access. Your only choice here is to somehow manage to flash a custom recovery. – Firelord Dec 30 '15 at 14:19
3
To achieve something similar to what @FireLord suggested: TWRP can be booted on many devices without being installed. For that, find a matching image, then boot to the bootloader and run fastboot boot twrp.img. Btw: you can check with fastboot devices resp. adb devices whether a device is visible to the corresponding tool. – Izzy♦ Jul 8 '16 at 19:40
So I understand one could boot TWRP without installing it, but I am not sure if that means I could do that with the bootloader locked?
I found WugFresh nexus root toolkit which seems to do that, among many other things, but again it warns that the phone must be unlocked (using the android build "Android *.* Any", I did not know what else to choose, not sure if that makes any difference as for locked/unlocked requirements)
EDIT: my fastboot screen reads "FASTBOOT STATUS - Failbootloader locked" as the last line, when trying to run TWRP without installing.
Yes, unlocking bootloader will wipe everything..
What actually you did ? Why it went into bootloop ???
I have also read that about boot into TWRP without installing.. and it worked for many one without unlocking bootloader... Don't know why not on GNex.
____Mdd said:
Yes, unlocking bootloader will wipe everything..
What actually you did ? Why it went into bootloop ???
I have also read that about boot into TWRP without installing.. and it worked for many one without unlocking bootloader... Don't know why not on GNex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What actually you did ? Why it went into bootloop ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A very good question, to which I have no answer, unfortunately.
The phone was used by my wife for 2 years and then by me for other 2. I recently changed the battery.
Never rooted or unlocked. No unusual apps installed. I am a very basic user, as you might have guessed, and being my only phone at the moment, I really would not risk experimenting with it.
It went very slow over the last 4 months, so I was planning to reset it.
I put in my coat pocket for a few hours, when I took it out it had a train ticked stuck to the screen and was quite warm and on the lock screen. It froze, so I took the battery out and restarted it. From then on it is stuck in a loop, not sure why really.
I have also read that about boot into TWRP without installing.. and it worked for many one without unlocking bootloader... Don't know why not on GNex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's good to know. I'll research more than.
It seems there might be a problem with the fastboot drivers on my computer, even selecting them from device manager did not work. Win7 refuses to install. The ADB drivers in theory work fine though.
If you have done nothing modification to system, then wiping data should work, but i have doubt if it also wipes personal data too, on TWRP it wipes data excepting /data/media/ which contains all personal data.. but don't know about wiping on stock recovery...
I hope you will find solution as soon as possible..
Regards.
PS. I can install stock recovery and try wiping /data.. and check what things get wiped.. but i need little time for that experiment...
____Mdd said:
If you have done nothing modification to system, then wiping data should work, but i have doubt if it also wipes personal data too, on TWRP it wipes data excepting /data/media/ which contains all personal data.. but don't know about wiping on stock recovery...
I hope you will find solution as soon as possible..
Regards.
PS. I can install stock recovery and try wiping /data.. and check what things get wiped.. but i need little time for that experiment...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much.
Looking at google's documentation on the nexus:
You can remove data from your Pixel phone or Nexus device by resetting it to factory settings. Resetting to factory settings is also known as formatting the device or doing a "hard reset".
If you're factory resetting your device to fix an issue, make sure that you've tried all other troubleshooting options first. Find out how to troubleshoot your issue.
Important: Performing a factory reset will erase all data from the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would seem that indeed all data will be removed.
This point, I will research a bit more into drivers, in case that is what it's preventing adb pull from working.
I really need a working phone, so if that fails I will hard reset, then unlock, root, flash in an alternative bootloader and perhaps a rom, and put ubuntu touch in dual boot. That will hopefully prevent me from loosing data in the future.
Sorry, this is out of topic to my question, but, , could you suggest any stable, solid rom for the nexus?
I read good things of CM12, and I ran into one which seemed to do to quite well with split windows, but I do not remember the name right now.
EDIT: I remember the name of the rom now, it's https://omnirom.org/about/
A last question if you can..
I tried to solve my boot loop problem by sideloading an update from google (maguro yakju yakju-jwr66y-factory-4cadea65.zip)
It loaded it fine but then failed because the installation it says it is not signed.
Basically, being a stock bootloader recovery from Samsung, it will only sideload OTAs from samsung, not the stock ones from google..
I cannot find the samsung ones anywhere, not for the nexus anyway, just the newer devices..
By any chance do you know where I could download proper Samsung OTA zip updates for the nexus?
Well, I talked with an android developer who confirmed that, unless you have a friend working in criminal forensic technology or similar, there is no way to get around a lock on this phone to pull data out.
So, sadly, I have wiped my phone by unlocking it, flashed TWRP and then omnirom with gapps.
My photos are gone, including a bunch of stuff my kid had made and asked me to photograph for safeeping. Very safe indeed
He kept asking me why they make the lock like that, instead of allowing some kind of password, perhaps he has a point.
So, it is quite unlikely that somebody who knows as little as I did will ever read this *before* finding themselves in the same situation.
But if you do, back up your data, unlock and flash TWRP, clockworks or some alternative, and thank yourself if and when disaster strikes..
@mcaldo wiping data/factory reset in STOCK RECOvERY will wipe everything... There is very few chances to get backup...
And yeah i found something interesting..
You can flash system.img.. only system files will be corrected not anything else..
Get appropriate zip from here : https://developers.google.com/android/images
Now take system.img to ADB/Fastboot folder ( i assume you know how it works )
Just go "Fastboot flash system system.img"
It will rewrite system partition..
Another one:
See downloads on this thread..
One says NON-WIPE, if you want me to try that zip, i will again require time for that. See here : https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-nexus/general/guide-restore-to-stock-unbrick-galaxy-t2065470
---------- Post added at 11:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------
I don't saw your reply, it was on next page.. its sad... Sorry i am late..