Develop Bugs

Follow the path.. What'd I do?!

Hey guys -
Need some detective help. I did something to my 10, and I think I did something with the encryption, but I'm not sure how or what.
Follow me here, since I'm not sure what caused it, I'll start at the beginning, and see if anything raises a red flag..
Got phone from HTC, US unlocked version. Got it in.. heck, this past June, I think.
Unlocked bootloader. Got Sunshine, ran it, but never paid and never turned S-OFF.
Never set PIN or Fingerprint.
Installed Viper10 when it was out.
Went to do fingerprint. Got screen saying that for backup, needed to set PIN. Set PIN, then taught it some fingerprints.
Never had data issues, and as far as I know, never encrypted phone. TWRP, when run, did not need me to enter any password or key to access the phone. On bootup, would get PIN prompt, but AFTER Android loaded.
Never got any RUUs, never upgraded Viper10.
Installed CM13 today. Whohoo!
Install went fine, no issues. Restored apps from TiBu, deleted unused bloatware, including the built-in Android keyboard.
Set up other options, and finally got to enter in fingerprints.
It gives me the same screen I got on Viper. This time, though (and I have no idea why), I back out back to Security settings, and enter in PIN there.
Then train fingerprints!
Now, when I reboot system, or boot to TWRP, I get a prompt asking for password (TWRP) or PIN (Android). HOWEVER.. I can enter my pin in TWRP just fine. But not Android. Apparently, since it hasn't booted, Swype doesn't work, and I get no keyboard. Can't enter PIN in at all.
That is my mistake, however, as I removed the built-in Android keyboard. (Something I've done countless times before on other Android versions without issue..)
So I restore Nandroid backup of Viper10. I still get the PIN entry, and STILL have no keyboard.
I see reference in TWRP about PINs not working, so I delete that locksettings.db file (from memory, filename is likely wrong here..)
Phone boots up. Yay. No PIN prompt. Yay.
But now I do NOT have data - as in, it's acting like my phone is unencrypted now.
So, what I'd like to know is -
If NOW my phone is unencrypted, and I'm getting the 'No Data' issue, what was my phone doing BEFORE, when I didn't have to enter PIN, but was getting data?
How can I get BACK to not having to enter PIN and still get data? (In my case, will the instructions for unencrypted work? Or is my phone now 'special'?)
How did I set the PIN the first time on Viper10, and not have it encrypt my phone? I'd like to ultimately get back to THAT scenario - where the lockscreen asks for PIN, but nothing else does (TWRP, Bootup, etc).
Thanks guys!
-Mike

I may be pointing the obvious, but have you do a full wipe before restoring your nandroid? If so, did you try to clean flash your rom to see what happens?
Maybe by removing stock keyboard something got messed up and keeps the keyboard in your nandroid from properly installing.

Yup, I tried restoring the Nandroid several times, some with wiping, some without. Also, I always clean-flash my new ROMs (i.e. ones not restored from nandroid backup, installed new, like going from Viper10 -> CM13)
Going to try again today while at work, see what happens.

During setup in CM13, there should be option to require PIN at startup (It is usually checked by default). Uncheck it and your phone will remain encrypted without requiring a PIN to start.

jackebuehner said:
During setup in CM13, there should be option to require PIN at startup (It is usually checked by default). Uncheck it and your phone will remain encrypted without requiring a PIN to start.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically correct (encrypted) but effectively incorrect: encryption is moot if a password is not required to decrypt it. It would be like locking your door and leaving the key in it: it's locked but it's not secure.
You need a system keyboard to be able to enter PIN on bootup; hence, the pre-installed keyboard (Google on vanilla, TouchPal on htc) isn't really 'bloatware' as it's necessary. Google makes a good keyboard; TouchPal, though, yeah, necessary bloatware in this case.

Rolo42 said:
Technically correct (encrypted) but effectively incorrect: encryption is moot if a password is not required to decrypt it. It would be like locking your door and leaving the key in it: it's locked but it's not secure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, so in previous ROMs (both OEM and Viper10, it technically WAS encrypted, I just never set the password? .. Huh.
Rolo42 said:
You need a system keyboard to be able to enter PIN on bootup; hence, the pre-installed keyboard (Google on vanilla, TouchPal on htc) isn't really 'bloatware' as it's necessary. Google makes a good keyboard; TouchPal, though, yeah, necessary bloatware in this case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, thanks for this; good to know. A shame, but good to know that's just how it is.

coyttl said:
Ah, so in previous ROMs (both OEM and Viper10, it technically WAS encrypted, I just never set the password? .. Huh.
Interesting, thanks for this; good to know. A shame, but good to know that's just how it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct. The password is to get at the encryption key; it isn't the encryption key itself.
Bitlocker/SED works the same way. Otherwise, a password change would mean re-encrypting everything.
If you put in the wrong password, it'll look like you have no data.

Can I use the finger print sensor to unlock without actually having it "locked"?

Can I use the finger print sensor to unlock without actually having it "locked"?
Sort of a weird question I suppose..
Basically at this point I have no need for a pin/pattern/password/fingerprint lock..
..but I'd love to be able to use the fingerprint sensor to wake/unlock the phone (like it does if I do have a fingerprint & pin setup.)
Is there some mod out there that allows this? I know people will think this is stupid because why not just use your fingerprint?
Well, if my phone is on my desk and I get a notification, I'd still like to just be able to tap it and open it without needing a pin.
Again, I don't care about that security right now.
Thanks!

burnface said:
Sort of a weird question I suppose..
Basically at this point I have no need for a pin/pattern/password/fingerprint lock..
..but I'd love to be able to use the fingerprint sensor to wake/unlock the phone (like it does if I do have a fingerprint & pin setup.)
Is there some mod out there that allows this? I know people will think this is stupid because why not just use your fingerprint?
Well, if my phone is on my desk and I get a notification, I'd still like to just be able to tap it and open it without needing a pin.
Again, I don't care about that security right now.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Long way. But you can do it.
Setup pin or whatever security you want. Setup finger print unlock.
Make a nandroid back up in TWRP.
Reboot system.
Reboot TWRP again. Restore your backup.
Without rebooting, within TWRP go to Advanced - File Manager.
Navigate to data - system - find a file called locksetting.db.
Delete the file.
Reboot the phone to system.
Voila. Enjoy.

indian84 said:
Yes. Long way. But you can do it.
Setup pin or whatever security you want. Setup finger print unlock.
Make a nandroid back up in TWRP.
Reboot system.
Reboot TWRP again. Restore your backup.
Without rebooting, within TWRP go to Advanced - File Manager.
Navigate to data - system - find a file called locksetting.db.
Delete the file.
Reboot the phone to system.
Voila. Enjoy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm interesting, I will definitely give this a try! Thanks

PIN incorrect & no fingerprint

booted TWRP
then flashed magisk and removed AVB and force encryption (running decrypted now)
i set up a pin and that works fine at unlocking my screen however - when i go in settings to change the pin it says incorrect pin
also the option to add a fingerprint is gone...
whats going on?.

Same issue here but also on lockscreen.
Did you find a way to fix it?

Lartsch said:
Same issue here but also on lockscreen.
Did you find a way to fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mount system and delete locksettings.db from /system/data via twrp.
This will reset locksreen pin. Restoring Twrp backups and other modifications are known for causing this issue.

AnierinB said:
Mount system and delete locksettings.db from /system/data via twrp.
This will reset locksreen pin. Restoring Twrp backups and other modifications are known for causing this issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not the issue as it was the first thing I tried of course. But thanks. It must be some issue with decryption/dm-verity/forceencrypt/magisk...
Once I set a new PIN, it is wrong. But actually, it detects that it is correct when entered since I can enter it as often as I want without being locked out. When I enter a truly incorrect PIN it locks me out.
Logcat says that the GatekeeperHalDevice returns the response code -30 or -24.

Did you resolve the problem? I have something similar. No lockscreen PIN and no fingerprints. I tried to set a PIN but it didn't seem to take.
Now I am in some in-between land. Still no lockscreen PIN still but when I try to set one, it asks for a PIN. I enter the usual number but it says invalid.
It doesn't help that I am on a non-rooted beta for Q so I don't know how to delete the locksettings.db either.

gmmorrell said:
Did you resolve the problem? I have something similar. No lockscreen PIN and no fingerprints. I tried to set a PIN but it didn't seem to take.
Now I am in some in-between land. Still no lockscreen PIN still but when I try to set one, it asks for a PIN. I enter the usual number but it says invalid.
It doesn't help that I am on a non-rooted beta for Q so I don't know how to delete the locksettings.db either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem and i rooted...pls someone can help us

Stuck at "Pixel is starting..." after boot

Alright, this is a weird one! Only of few instances of the mystical "pixel is starting..." screen show up online and I'm mostly out of ideas at this point.
First, some background:
I was still on the December 5th update (QQ1A.191205.008). Stock, unlocked, rooted with Magisk. I hadn't yet flashed the patched Magisk boot image, it was running only by fastboot boot pachted.img. The only root-related App I had installed was Battery Charge Limiter.
What happened:
I created a custom theme & changed my wallpaper. I then used Activity Launcher to launch the "hidden" System UI Tuner. While in there I disabled the clock in the system tray. I also went into the "Plugins" menu and toggled the "enable" toggle on, then off (I thought more plugin options, whatever they may be, were hidden since they were not enabled...). I fiddled with a few more settings hiding/showing icons and hit the home button.
When I returned back to the homescreen, my wallpaper had changed back to the default Pink/purple Pixel 3 wallpaper. "Huh? System UI Tuner must have reset this." I changed the wallpaper again but it didn't even change. After a few more attempts (tried changing just lockscreen wallpaper, just homescreen, both; nothing would actually change), I rebooted the phone.
Upon booting back up, I was greeted with a "Pixel is starting..." screen that won't go away. This occurs before the lock screen, prior to letting me enter my PIN.
Attempted recovery steps already taken
Rebooted many times. (Which which would have booted the factory boot.img; see above background)
Tried booting into "safe mode." (Same "Pixel is starting..." screen comes up with the words "Safe mode" in the bottom left)
sideloaded the most recent OTA for my device (QQ1A.200105.002)
Booted corresponding Magisk patched boot.img
Has this happened to anyone before? Can anyone think of a way recover anything at this point? Luckily I had adb enabled before this happened and it still functions; logcat doesn't show anything that seems helpful, though. Since I cannot unlock the device, I can't use adb to recover any data. I really wish adb had a means of unlocking via PIN!
My next step is likely going to be to flash a factory image (probably QQ1A.191205.008 as that was what I was using prior to this happening) with "-w" removed and praying I can at least unlock the phone.
Data recovered!
Edit: Wow! I wasn't able to fix the "Pixel is starting..." issue, but I was able to use adb to recovery all my data. I will follow up with what I did shortly! Dodged a bullet... unbelievable!

I couldn't fix the "Pixel is starting..." issue. Factory Flashing (after removing -w) QQ1A.191205.008 resulted resulted in being stuck at the "G" screen. I flashed the QQ1A.200105.002 factory image (again with -w removed) and was left in the same "Pixel is starting..." state.
Here is where things get interesting:
Over adb I launched the Settings app:
Code:
adb shell am start -a android.settings.SETTINGS
Next, I went into "Security," which prompted for my PIN, and then removed the screen lock. After doing this, I was able to get into /sdcard in the ADB shell, something that was not possible before.
Back in the settings app, I enabled USB File Transfer and copied all my files & photos off. I was also able to launch apps from within the apps list in Settings. This let me export settings/data from other apps that allowed it. :good:
So it seems that entering your PIN in the Settings app also unlocks the phone!

Thanks for describing this and how you ended up resolving it. I am seeing the same "Pixel is starting". Flashing the (March 2020) factory image didn't fix mine either.
I was able to get into Settings by pulling down the notification shade while the "Pixel is starting" message shows. I removed my fingerprints and PIN.
I don't seem to be able to launch apps from within the apps list in Settings. Can you describe how you did that?
I've tried this:
Settings-->Apps & notifications-->App info--> {select any app and tried clicking on icon at top of screen} Nothing. Poked around a bit and tried various things but couldn't figure out how to launch an app from here. Thanks in advance.

docdl said:
I don't seem to be able to launch apps from within the apps list in Settings. Can you describe how you did that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There should be a "Open" shortcut just below the app icon to the left of "Uninstall" (or "Disable" if it is a built-in app).

_Ra1n_ said:
Alright, this is a weird one! Only of few instances of the mystical "pixel is starting..." screen show up online and I'm mostly out of ideas at this point.
First, some background:
I was still on the December 5th update (QQ1A.191205.008). Stock, unlocked, rooted with Magisk. I hadn't yet flashed the patched Magisk boot image, it was running only by fastboot boot pachted.img. The only root-related App I had installed was Battery Charge Limiter.
What happened:
I created a custom theme & changed my wallpaper. I then used Activity Launcher to launch the "hidden" System UI Tuner. While in there I disabled the clock in the system tray. I also went into the "Plugins" menu and toggled the "enable" toggle on, then off (I thought more plugin options, whatever they may be, were hidden since they were not enabled...). I fiddled with a few more settings hiding/showing icons and hit the home button.
When I returned back to the homescreen, my wallpaper had changed back to the default Pink/purple Pixel 3 wallpaper. "Huh? System UI Tuner must have reset this." I changed the wallpaper again but it didn't even change. After a few more attempts (tried changing just lockscreen wallpaper, just homescreen, both; nothing would actually change), I rebooted the phone.
Upon booting back up, I was greeted with a "Pixel is starting..." screen that won't go away. This occurs before the lock screen, prior to letting me enter my PIN.
Attempted recovery steps already taken
Rebooted many times. (Which which would have booted the factory boot.img; see above background)
Tried booting into "safe mode." (Same "Pixel is starting..." screen comes up with the words "Safe mode" in the bottom left)
sideloaded the most recent OTA for my device (QQ1A.200105.002)
Booted corresponding Magisk patched boot.img
Has this happened to anyone before? Can anyone think of a way recover anything at this point? Luckily I had adb enabled before this happened and it still functions; logcat doesn't show anything that seems helpful, though. Since I cannot unlock the device, I can't use adb to recover any data. I really wish adb had a means of unlocking via PIN!
My next step is likely going to be to flash a factory image (probably QQ1A.191205.008 as that was what I was using prior to this happening) with "-w" removed and praying I can at least unlock the phone.
Data recovered!
Edit: Wow! I wasn't able to fix the "Pixel is starting..." issue, but I was able to use adb to recovery all my data. I will follow up with what I did shortly! Dodged a bullet... unbelievable!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey! I just ran into the same dilemma. I toggled the "plugins" setting in System UI tuner (by mistake), and my wallpaper went black. Then I decided to just reboot. I'm in the same "Pixel is starting" loop you described. I'm also stock, rooted with Magisk, on the January update. I just found that I can get into adb, but I'm a loss of what do to from here. I can't believe toggling a system UI tuner setting could cause a catastrophic crash. How did you end up solving this? Were you able to flash the full factory image while preserving your data? I honestly have no idea what do to at the moment. I'm gonna have to use an older device and research this more after work.
Edit: I was able to remove my security PIN via launching Settings through ADB, and therefore getting into some apps. I guess I'm more bothered by having to set up the device from scratch then I am losing any data. So time consuming. I'm assuming you ended up wiping the phone entirely and flashing a full factory image in the end? Geez. I miss my Moto devices and TWRP...

Ditamae said:
Hey! I just ran into the same dilemma. I toggled the "plugins" setting in System UI tuner (by mistake), and my wallpaper went black. Then I decided to just reboot. I'm in the same "Pixel is starting" loop you described.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting! Exact same order of events.
Ditamae said:
Edit: I was able to remove my security PIN via launching Settings through ADB, and therefore getting into some apps. I guess I'm more bothered by having to set up the device from scratch then I am losing any data. So time consuming. I'm assuming you ended up wiping the phone entirely and flashing a full factory image in the end? Geez. I miss my Moto devices and TWRP...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I wiped completely. Used it as an excuse to flash LineageOS, something I had been planing on doing for a while anyway. I load very little on my devices to begin with so really its just typing in a few passwords.
Since you have root, if you want to mess around with trying to fix it without resetting, does the following directory exist on your device: /data/data/com.android.systemui.tuner
If so, take a look at the files within; that should be where SystemUI Tuner saves the settings you have selected. Maybe rename the directory & reboot so the settings can't be loaded?
Edit: Don't try messing around with anything until you're sure you got all of the data off the device though!

_Ra1n_ said:
Interesting! Exact same order of events.
Yes, I wiped completely. Used it as an excuse to flash LineageOS, something I had been planing on doing for a while anyway. I load very little on my devices to begin with so really its just typing in a few passwords.
Since you have root, if you want to mess around with trying to fix it without resetting, does the following directory exist on your device: /data/data/com.android.systemui.tuner
If so, take a look at the files within; that should be where SystemUI Tuner saves the settings you have selected. Maybe rename the directory & reboot so the settings can't be loaded?
Edit: Don't try messing around with anything until you're sure you got all of the data off the device though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a great idea about renaming the directory. When I'm home from work I will try to figure out how to copy internal user data to my PC and then I'll look into that directory. Do you know how to enable file transfer via adb or thru the Settings app (launched via adb)?
I did utilize the system UI tuner to disable my alarm icon from showing in the status bar, so I'm hoping I can perhaps find the file associated with the plugin specifically and rename that. Hmm. Only this is systemless... Might not be possible. This is my first rooted device without full read/write capabilities. Not sure how I feel about systemless.
Otherwise, other than time, the only bummer to all this is that I think I'm going to lose the Magisk module YouTube Vanced, as it's not longer supported.
Anyway, thanks very much for your help so far.

Ditamae said:
That's a great idea about renaming the directory. When I'm home from work I will try to figure out how to copy internal user data to my PC and then I'll look into that directory. Do you know how to enable file transfer via adb or thru the Settings app (launched via adb)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your luck is as good as mine, you should be able to just plug in the device and enable file transfer (Settings > Connected Devices > USB > "Use USB For ... File Transfer."
Note that, as explained above, I had to remove my security PIN in settings before that worked, though.

_Ra1n_ said:
Since you have root, if you want to mess around with trying to fix it without resetting, does the following directory exist on your device: /data/data/com.android.systemui.tuner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was able to backup my data, and use Solid Explorer with root to search through system files. But, I don't see that directory. I see: data/data/com.android.systemui but no systemui.tuner. Any other idea where those systemui tuner files might be lurking? I'm an RN with a kindergartener home from school, and as much as I love tinkering with Android, now is not a good time.

_Ra1n_ said:
Interesting! Exact same order of events.
Since you have root, if you want to mess around with trying to fix it without resetting, does the following directory exist on your device: /data/data/com.android.systemui.tuner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just wondering if you have any other troubleshooting ideas before I install a full factory image...
My device boots now, partially. It seems that after I disabled lockscreen security, my phone boots, but without all gesture navigation, status bar, notification overlay. Essentially all SystemUI elements appear missing. The devices behaves as it did immediately after I accidentally toggled the UI tuner "plugins" setting, before I rebooted. It's unusable as a daily, but I did get my data. As I said previously, I could not find the directory: /data/data/com.android.systemui.tuner. Seems odd. I wonder where those setting preferences are hiding. Any help/ideas would be much appreciated.

Ditamae said:
Just wondering if you have any other troubleshooting ideas before I install a full factory image...
My device boots now, partially. It seems that after I disabled lockscreen security, my phone boots, but without all gesture navigation, status bar, notification overlay. Essentially all SystemUI elements appear missing. The devices behaves as it did immediately after I accidentally toggled the UI tuner "plugins" setting, before I rebooted. It's unusable as a daily, but I did get my data. As I said previously, I could not find the directory: /data/data/com.android.systemui.tuner. Seems odd. I wonder where those setting preferences are hiding. Any help/ideas would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the slow reply. Unfortunately I'm mostly out of ideas.
I'd ask in the general Android Help subforum: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/help
You'll likely get more eyes on the question (where does SystemUI Tuner store it's settings & how to reset them) and hopefully someone with better knowledge on Android settings/preferences can provide some incite.

Homeboy76 said:
Guide
Do #4 'keep data', then #9 to root.
Make sure you have the latest SDK platform-tools, there is a link in the guide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing the factory image with -w removed to keep the data won't help. The issue is that SystemUI Tuner saved some setting (related to enabling the mysterious "Enable Plugins" option) that prevents the phone from completely booting up. A factory flash retaining data will retain the setting that SystemUI Tuner screwed up.

_Ra1n_ said:
Flashing the factory image with -w removed to keep the data won't help. The issue is that SystemUI Tuner saved some setting (related to enabling the mysterious "Enable Plugins" option) that prevents the phone from completely booting up. A factory flash retaining data will retain the setting that SystemUI Tuner screwed up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Ditamae Rain is correct. I have edited my post.

WTF is this starting screen after I turned it on after a long time

Hello guys,
I haven't used my Moto maybe for a year or two and after I turned it on, I have seen the Moto logo and then this screen appeared. I've had to put my security pattern into that little square which was quite tricky and after that my phone turns on normally.
I think I haven't seen this screen appearing before, does it have something with Twrp or Magisk and how can I turn it off? I have Android 8.1 and it is really annoying to put the pattern into that little sqare which is the same size as my index finger.
Thank you
Wish you all the good
Jakub

You would either have to format data to remove encryption or change your lockscreen from a pattern to a pin
This is the boot level encryption on your device - it has nothing to do with twrp or magisk

TheFixItMan said:
You would either have to format data to remove encryption or change your lockscreen from a pattern to a pin
This is the boot level encryption on your device - it has nothing to do with twrp or magisk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I understand, but why it is so minimalistic? Couldn't it to be set up as a regular size pattern?

kubick4 said:
Yes I understand, but why it is so minimalistic? Couldn't it to be set up as a regular size pattern?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No idea why it is that small. Maybe a mismatch in bootloader/kernel/rom firmware versions - try changing it to pin restart and then back to pattern again.
Or Flash the latest retail firmware via fastboot and start with a fresh device