My First Degoogling: All Steps and Snags - Redmi Note 8 Guides, News, & Discussion

This is an entertaining and educational review of degoogling my first android device.
The Goal: A LineageOS device without GAPPS, with TWRP, Magisk, and MicroG
Finding a phone that is available new in Australia, has a decent camera, and supports both TWRP and LineageOS officially is a suprisingly hard ask. After a couple of days of cross-referencing and researching I found one device: the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8.
In the days before the delivery of this new phone, I pieced together a guide for installing everything I needed in nice step by step order, I downloaded everything I thought I would need, TWRP, LineageOS, Magisk both apk and zip, MicroG, and the SmaliPatcher, as well as the Mi Unlocker and USB Drivers, and I made a Mi account hooked up to an email address. I was prepared, everything was set up for smooth sailing.
As we all know, things rarely turn out so easy.
The first hurdle was unlocking the bootloader. In order to unlock the bootloader, you have to unlock Developer Options and enable OEM Unlocking, USB Debugging, and USB Debugging (Security Settings). I'm not stuttering, there are two USB Debuggings. I had unlocked Developer Permissions on my Smart E9 before, but that runs Oreo Go edition, and in that one you have to go Settings -> About and tap the build version 7 times. In a Xiaomi, you have to tap MIUI version 7 times. This is not obvious, as 'build version' is also visible in 'About'.
Quick Guide: Go to Settings -> About and tap MIUI version 7 times to enable Developer Options
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Click to collapse
Enabling the correct permissions was also not so simple. Enabling OEM Unlocking and USB Debugging was as simple as tapping the switches, but USB Debugging (Security Settings) has three seperate warning popups and only lets you know you NEED a Sim card AFTER you've tapped through.
The Redmi Note 8 takes Nano Sims. I only have my regular sized Sim. So, on the phone with my carrier I go to order a replacement Nano Sim. After a frustrating conversation online in which they tell me to ring my local branch and won't give me the number, I ring my local branch. Who then won't replace it unless I come in, which I point blank refuse to do due to the whole plague situation. I decide to phone the main branch, who tells me they'll send a replacement out right away free of charge. Okay then.
To insert the Sim (And a MicroSD if you want) there's a small hole in left the side of the phone, where you stick the little pokey key thing that comes with the phone (A paperclip is too thick), and the Sim tray pops out. The Sim and SD card just sit on the tray, balanced precariously, as you gently stuff that tray back where it came from.
Quick Guide: Argue with underpaid customer service reps for an hour to get your Nano Sim card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sim inserted successfully, so now I try to enable USB Debugging (Security Settings) again. Tap through the three warning popups and success! All permissions were now set, and it was time to unlock the bootloader!
Quick Guide: After inserting a working Nano Sim, go to Settings -> Developer Settings, and enable OEM Unlocking, USB Debugging, and USB Debugging (Security Settings)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I turn off the phone, boot into fastboot, log into the Mi Unlock App on the PC and...
Turns out: You have to have a recovery phone number for the Mi Account before you can see any unlocking options on the PC App. I guess the chinese government has my phone number now.
Quick Guide: Set up a Mi Account with both an email address and a phone number
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, after setting up that recovery phone number on the website I tried again, log the phone into fastboot, log into the Mi Unlock App, plug in the phone and...
I get told to use the Mi Unlock Status option on the phone to unlock the option to unlock. Huh. Fine then.
This is where things get a little bit more ring around the rosy, because I had already hooked the Mi Account up to the phone and logged in, for some reason the Mi Unlock Status option in the phone point blank refused to log in using mobile data. I logged out of the Mi Account on the phone, rebooted the phone, and then tapped straight through to the Mi Unlock Status, logging in there using Mobile Data. It worked this time!
Quick Guide: Choose Mi Unlock Status and tap through, turn off Wi-Fi and turn on Mobile Data, log into the Mi account, then go back a screen and press the button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NOW it was time to use the Mi Unlock App. I opened it up, signed in to the Mi Account, and received a verification SMS on the phone. Verification dealt with, I turned off the phone, logged it into fastboot, use the USB to connect to the PC, and press Unlock. Success! Well, sort of. I get told I need to wait 168 hours before I can unlock the bootloader, but progress is progress.
Quick Guide: Open up the Mi Unlock App and sign in, shut down your phone, hold Volume Down + Power to enter Fastboot. Then connect your phone to PC using USB cable and click "Unlock"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Waiting 168 hours (7 days) to play with a new toy is difficult. I also had to make sure I kept using the device during this time. I browsed reddit and mi community for a few minutes a day and played a bit of tetris. Other than that the phone was left on but idle. This is an example of bare minimum usage because A: I'm not really a phone person, I'm a PC person, and B: At this point I am referring to my phone as 'the spy machine' due to just how utterly violating of privacy I know this thing to be. Thus the degoogling.
After waiting the requisite amount of time it was time to ACTUALLY unlock the bootloader. At this point I was regretting not buying a Motorola G7, but I couldn't have purchased one new anyway.
So again, I open the Mi Unlock App, sign in, boot the phone into fastboot, and plug that sucker in. Press Unlock. Success! Actual success this time, bootloader is unlocked. It reboots and has a little unlock symbol at the bottom of the screen. When the phone boots up, it asks for my Mi Account password before it will set up the OS again. No problem.
Quick Guide: Repeat the previous Unlocking procedure, then enter your Mi Password into the phone if it asks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now it was time for TWRP. Developer Options and both kinds of USB Debugging had been reset after unlocking the bootloader, so they all had to be enabled again.
I copy the TWRP recovery image into my platform-tools folder and open a command prompt in said folder. I connect my phone to the PC, and in the command window I type
Code:
adb devices
. It lists the devices, which is to say none. Freaking what.
I read a couple of guides. Okay, drivers are needed. The Mi Unlock App straight up came with the necessary drivers so, double clicky the USB drivers exe and boom. All fixed.
Code:
adb devices
now lists my phone and it's unauthorized. Back to the phone, allow this computer and press the checkbox for always allow it. Now it's authorized.
Quick Guide: Install your goddamn USB drivers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that ADB is working it's time to install TWRP. I reboot the phone into fastboot using the command window with
Code:
adb reboot bootloader
. I'm not sure its actually necessary to boot into fastboot this way, I'm pretty sure doing it manually while it's plugged in works just fine, but that's what the guide said and at this point I am too nervous to deviate.
Alright, now the phone is in fastboot and I still have a command window up. I make sure the device is still connected with
Code:
adb devices
Nothing. Okay what now, oh, oopsie. Turns out that's the wrong command when in fastboot. Okay
Code:
fastboot devices
That's much better.
Now I type
Code:
fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.4.0-1-ginkgo.img
Successfully flashed, now to boot into it.
Code:
fastboot boot twrp-3.4.0-1-ginkgo.img
The phone booted into TWRP! I am excited, I'd never gotten this far before.
Quick Guide: Boot into fastboot. Check the connection with
Code:
fastboot devices
Flash the recovery with
Code:
fastboot flash recovery <yourrecoveryname>.img
Boot into the recovery with
Code:
fastboot boot <yourrecoveryname>.img
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With TWRP flashed it was time for LineageOS. This was a little odd because to install it, the guide said to 'sideload' the zip file, and I had no idea what this actually meant. But, it had step by step instructions, and you don't learn unless you try. Onwards I went.
First, I move the LineageOS zip file to my platform-tools directory. Then I use TWRP to make a backup, then I head back to the home screen, press wipe, and format data. Don't ask me why I did this, it was in my guide and I'm pretty sure a youtube video told me to. I don't think this step is necessary, and quite frankly the_weird_aquarian's guide says it's not recommended.
Now it was time to actually sideload the LineageOS zip. On the TWRP home screen, I choose Advanced -> ADB Sideload and swipe the little slider. On the command window I type
Code:
adb sideload lineage-17.1-20201026-nightly-ginkgo-signed.zip
I didn't actually type out that whole zip name by hand, that'd be ridiculous, I pressed tab to autofill it after typing "lin". This step took a while to finish.
Quick Guide: Choose Advanced -> ADB Sideload, then in the command windows type
Code:
adb sideload <customromname>.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After it was done, it offered to reboot. This was it. I rebooted and there it was, the LineageOS system. I had done the bulk of it!
(I had not done the bulk of it)
One thing I immediately noticed was that the little triangle and little square symbols for navigation were reversed from what they were in MIUI (original xiaomi phone OS).
I played with the device for a while, installed F-Droid and a few apps, made sure I could still make phone calls, that sort of thing.
Next it was time to install Magisk. First I needed to set the permissions again. This time 'build number' is the thing to tap, right at the bottom of the About page.
Quick Guide: Go to Settings -> About -> tap Build Number 7 times
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Developer Options are in a different spot in LineageOS, this time they're under Settings -> System -> Advanced, and now I enable Android Debugging, which is the same as USB Debugging but everyone needs their own name for it.
Quick Guide: Go to Settings -> System -> Advanced and enable Android Debugging
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I transfer the Magisk apk and zip file onto the phone and install the apk. Opening up the app, I notice that it says "ramdisk: no". The Magisk Wiki says that if my device’s boot partition does not include ramdisk, I have to patch Magisk into the TWRP recovery, and it has instructions on how to do that.
I grab the TWRP image and copy it onto the phone, then go back into the Magisk Manager app and press 'Install' on the Magisk card. I make sure 'Recovery' is checked, choose the 'Select and Patch a File' option and pick said recovery image.
After it finished patching, I pull it back to the computer with
Code:
adb pull /sdcard/Download/magisk_patched.img
Then I reboot the phone into fastboot and flash this patched recovery with
Code:
fastboot flash recovery magisk_patched.img
After rebooting I check the Magisk Manager app, which reports that Magisk was NOT installed. Okay, so the Wiki says that in order to boot into the Magisk system I have to hold down Volume Up + Power just like I would if I was booting into recovery, but then let go of everything after the splash screen. Okay, I do that.
It boots to fastboot. Huh, odd. Okay, I turn the phone off and try it again. It boots normally this time, but Magisk is still not installed. I looked up the problem, Magisk Manager didn't install twice, it wasn't installed to external storage, I reinstalled the Manager and it didn't help.
I had nothing. No idea at all. I gave it a break for a day.
Quick Guide: Don't do anything that I did in the above section
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was when I encountered one thing I really didn't like about LineageOS: the Camera.
The default LineageOS Camera is not great. The pictures are fine, but the Redmi Note 8 comes with a macro lens, an ultrawide lens, and the ability to do panorama shots. None of these were accessible in the default camera.
I tried Open Camera and FreeDCam, I didn't like either of them. Camera MX wasn't available on Aurora Store.
So after some googling I came to what was to be my saviour: ANXCamera. It's the MIUI Camera App, retrofitted for Custom ROMs.
There was one problem: It needed Magisk.
Back to XDA I go, back to the beginners guides. Specifically the_weird_aquarian's guide. Here, the instructions for Magisk were different. These said to just install the zip from inside TWRP. The Wiki said this was not recommended. I do it anyway.
I rebooted, crossing my fingers. It booted, a good start. I tapped into the Magisk App and... "Installed". I had done it!
Quick Guide: Boot into TWRP, press install, pick the Magisk zip, and reboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I had to figure out how to install the two modules I had downloaded: ANXCamera and ANXFramework. It's simple after Magisk is actually installed, there's a little puzzle piece logo on the bottom right for AddOns. Next, I install both modules and reboot, excited for a new camera.
Then, disaster struck. I bootlooped.
The first step was obviously to panic, which I did with great diligence and enthusiasm. Then I boot into the recovery and try to restore from the backup I made. Only to discover that there was no backup there. It had gotten deleted when I wiped the device the first time.
Quick Guide: Save a copy of backups externally just in case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I googled and found a bootloop hotfix addon for ANXCamera, listed in bold right on the page where I downloaded the other modules. But it needed to be installed in Magisk, and I didn't have access to Magisk.
Next, I tried to 'reinstall' LineageOS by sideloading it again. This did absolutely squat diddly.
Factory reset came to the rescue.
It was only after this that I found that the ANXCamera wiki straight up tells you that if you bootloop you should use the recovery file manager to remove '/data/adb/modules/ANXFramework' and '/data/adb/modules/ANXCamera'. Oh well.
My phone was working again, but all my apps and contacts had been deleted. Strangely, all the pictures I'd taken and all the files I had transferred to the phone were untouched. I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I reinstalled Magisk Manager, determined to get this camera app working. It said Magisk was already installed, and that it needed to download and install a few files to get everything working. Alrighty, no worries there. I let it reboot and hoped really hard that it wasn't about to reinstall the modules that had bootlooped my phone the first time.
It didn't. The files were technically there, but they weren't counted as installed in the AddOn's section of Magisk's Manager. I reinstall them, along with the bootloop fix and a 48MP fix. It rebooted. No bootloop. Everything was okay.
Quick Guide: Read everything before jumping the gun. If something says it needs a bootloop hotfix, believe it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quick Guide: Install ANXCamera, ANXFramework, ANXCamera bootloop hotfix, and the 48MP fix in Magisk's AddOns section
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I needed the actual camera app, because this wasn't complicated enough yet. So, I install F-Droid, and then install Aurora Store from F-Droid, and, in Aurora Store, I find the ANX Camera Pro app. I install that, open it up and press save, then start up the actual camera app. Everything was black. It wasn't working. I had to enable all the permissions for the app manually.
Quick Guide: Go to Settings -> Apps -> See All -> ANXCamera and enable all the permissions. Turn off network access for it while you're there, it doesn't need the net
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Click to collapse
Sweet, no more black screen. Everything looked good! Then I tried the front camera, and it crashed. Damn. Okay, the FAQ says to hop back into ANXCamera Pro and turn off Hand Gestures. I do that, and the front camera works now, awesome.
Portrait mode crashed the app again. The 48MP fix was supposed to fix that. Okay, uninstall that and install an older version... nothing. Uninstall that and install ANXCustlibs instead. Nothing. Installed the latest version of 48MP fix. Still nope.
I could not get portrait mode working at all, it just crashes the camera app every time. Everything else works nicely, so I just moved that mode out of the main section in the app's own settings.
I still haven't installed MicroG. I haven't found a good reason to install it, and truth be told I am a little scared of what traps and tripwires lie in wait on that particular journey. One day I will make it, but for now, I have a degoogled phone.

I read your post with a smile, because I also had my trial and errors for the simple very first step to unlock the bootloader.
But all later issues you described from unlocking till having a custom ROM were fortunately NOT discovered by me:
I chose to use MSMXtended as custom rom since my feeling of that rom after heaving read several custom rom threads including Lineage OS was that MSMXtended is really stable and easy to flash.
I am speaking of the meanwhile closed thread for MSMXtended running Android 10 (!) with it's latest version 13. Give it a try and follow the very simple steps (but do not forget to flash dm-verity zip at the end before rebooting).
You will have a very smooth, google-free rom with the stock MIUI-cam and a very battery friendly behaviour. I was also able to install the famous GCam without (!) the need to install gapps (I have described this elsewhere).
During the weekend I have prepared two more Redmi Note 8 for MSMXtended v13 (for my father and for my daughter) and everything works fine. By the way I also installed EdXposed and XPrivacy Lua for privacy reasons - everything working as I expected (or better: hoped).
And one more hint: during the 168 days waiting time for unlocking the bootloader there is NO need to do anything with the phone. You can remove the SIM-card, you can shut-down the phone. The only important thing us that you MUST NOT log-out your phone from your MIUI-account.
I hope that other readers are not too frightened from the odyssey you described. ..

JellyfishSprinkle said:
too much hahahaha ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
waste of time

Uluru25 said:
I read your post with a smile, because I also had my trial and errors for the simple very first step to unlock the bootloader.
But all later issues you described from unlocking till having a custom ROM were fortunately NOT discovered by me:
I chose to use MSMXtended as custom rom since my feeling of that rom after heaving read several custom rom threads including Lineage OS was that MSMXtended is really stable and easy to flash.
I am speaking of the meanwhile closed thread for MSMXtended running Android 10 (!) with it's latest version 13. Give it a try and follow the very simple steps (but do not forget to flash dm-verity zip at the end before rebooting).
You will have a very smooth, google-free rom with the stock MIUI-cam and a very battery friendly behaviour. I was also able to install the famous GCam without (!) the need to install gapps (I have described this elsewhere).
During the weekend I have prepared two more Redmi Note 8 for MSMXtended v13 (for my father and for my daughter) and everything works fine. By the way I also installed EdXposed and XPrivacy Lua for privacy reasons - everything working as I expected (or better: hoped).
And one more hint: during the 168 days waiting time for unlocking the bootloader there is NO need to do anything with the phone. You can remove the SIM-card, you can shut-down the phone. The only important thing us that you MUST NOT log-out your phone from your MIUI-account.
I hope that other readers are not too frightened from the odyssey you described. ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the recommendations and the info. I'd not heard of XPrivacy Lua before, it sounds really cool. I am going to be taking a step back and looking at other ROM options, I chose LineageOS because it's the most well known privacy ROM for android, but I know that doesn't mean it's necessarily the best option.
Thank you also for letting me know that I can just let the phone sit there during the unlocking period, that'll make life a lot easier in the future.
May I ask why one needs to flash dm-verity after installing MSMXtended? I don't really understand what it does.

loopypalm said:
i didn't read tbh ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't take advice from people who couldn't be bothered to read what they're advising on!
Common courtesy goes a long way. You should try it sometime.

JellyfishSprinkle said:
Thank you for the recommendations and the info. I'd not heard of XPrivacy Lua before, it sounds really cool. I am going to be taking a step back and looking at other ROM options, I chose LineageOS because it's the most well known privacy ROM for android, but I know that doesn't mean it's necessarily the best option.
Thank you also for letting me know that I can just let the phone sit there during the unlocking period, that'll make life a lot easier in the future.
May I ask why one needs to flash dm-verity after installing MSMXtended? I don't really understand what it does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my understanding if you use a custom rom which does not support encryption (as it is true for MSMXtended) your device might refrain from booting but will return to the recovery. This dm-verity zip (flashed at the very last before rebooting) prevents this. But I am not an expert but only an "interested reader". You will find a big post hier in xda by zackpfg5 as OP or a short note in the very first post in The-weird-aquarian's guide to unlocking and for sure elsewhere in the web. Maybe you don't need it but better have it on your sd-card in case your phone doesn't boot after flashing the custom rom. Good Luck!

Without meaning to belittle JellyfishSprinkle's impressive work, quick note to the less hacking inclined:
/e/ Foundation Lineage based OS including microG now supports gingko/willow devices natively (see https://doc.e.foundation/devices/ginkgo/).

Love your post!

JellyfishSprinkle said:
This is an entertaining and educational review of degoogling my first android device.
The Goal: A LineageOS device without GAPPS, with TWRP, Magisk, and MicroG
Finding a phone that is available new in Australia, has a decent camera, and supports both TWRP and LineageOS officially is a suprisingly hard ask. After a couple of days of cross-referencing and researching I found one device: the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8.
In the days before the delivery of this new phone, I pieced together a guide for installing everything I needed in nice step by step order, I downloaded everything I thought I would need, TWRP, LineageOS, Magisk both apk and zip, MicroG, and the SmaliPatcher, as well as the Mi Unlocker and USB Drivers, and I made a Mi account hooked up to an email address. I was prepared, everything was set up for smooth sailing.
As we all know, things rarely turn out so easy.
The first hurdle was unlocking the bootloader. In order to unlock the bootloader, you have to unlock Developer Options and enable OEM Unlocking, USB Debugging, and USB Debugging (Security Settings). I'm not stuttering, there are two USB Debuggings. I had unlocked Developer Permissions on my Smart E9 before, but that runs Oreo Go edition, and in that one you have to go Settings -> About and tap the build version 7 times. In a Xiaomi, you have to tap MIUI version 7 times. This is not obvious, as 'build version' is also visible in 'About'.
Enabling the correct permissions was also not so simple. Enabling OEM Unlocking and USB Debugging was as simple as tapping the switches, but USB Debugging (Security Settings) has three seperate warning popups and only lets you know you NEED a Sim card AFTER you've tapped through.
The Redmi Note 8 takes Nano Sims. I only have my regular sized Sim. So, on the phone with my carrier I go to order a replacement Nano Sim. After a frustrating conversation online in which they tell me to ring my local branch and won't give me the number, I ring my local branch. Who then won't replace it unless I come in, which I point blank refuse to do due to the whole plague situation. I decide to phone the main branch, who tells me they'll send a replacement out right away free of charge. Okay then.
To insert the Sim (And a MicroSD if you want) there's a small hole in left the side of the phone, where you stick the little pokey key thing that comes with the phone (A paperclip is too thick), and the Sim tray pops out. The Sim and SD card just sit on the tray, balanced precariously, as you gently stuff that tray back where it came from.
Sim inserted successfully, so now I try to enable USB Debugging (Security Settings) again. Tap through the three warning popups and success! All permissions were now set, and it was time to unlock the bootloader!
I turn off the phone, boot into fastboot, log into the Mi Unlock App on the PC and...
Turns out: You have to have a recovery phone number for the Mi Account before you can see any unlocking options on the PC App. I guess the chinese government has my phone number now.
So, after setting up that recovery phone number on the website I tried again, log the phone into fastboot, log into the Mi Unlock App, plug in the phone and...
I get told to use the Mi Unlock Status option on the phone to unlock the option to unlock. Huh. Fine then.
This is where things get a little bit more ring around the rosy, because I had already hooked the Mi Account up to the phone and logged in, for some reason the Mi Unlock Status option in the phone point blank refused to log in using mobile data. I logged out of the Mi Account on the phone, rebooted the phone, and then tapped straight through to the Mi Unlock Status, logging in there using Mobile Data. It worked this time!
NOW it was time to use the Mi Unlock App. I opened it up, signed in to the Mi Account, and received a verification SMS on the phone. Verification dealt with, I turned off the phone, logged it into fastboot, use the USB to connect to the PC, and press Unlock. Success! Well, sort of. I get told I need to wait 168 hours before I can unlock the bootloader, but progress is progress.
Waiting 168 hours (7 days) to play with a new toy is difficult. I also had to make sure I kept using the device during this time. I browsed reddit and mi community for a few minutes a day and played a bit of tetris. Other than that the phone was left on but idle. This is an example of bare minimum usage because A: I'm not really a phone person, I'm a PC person, and B: At this point I am referring to my phone as 'the spy machine' due to just how utterly violating of privacy I know this thing to be. Thus the degoogling.
After waiting the requisite amount of time it was time to ACTUALLY unlock the bootloader. At this point I was regretting not buying a Motorola G7, but I couldn't have purchased one new anyway.
So again, I open the Mi Unlock App, sign in, boot the phone into fastboot, and plug that sucker in. Press Unlock. Success! Actual success this time, bootloader is unlocked. It reboots and has a little unlock symbol at the bottom of the screen. When the phone boots up, it asks for my Mi Account password before it will set up the OS again. No problem.
Now it was time for TWRP. Developer Options and both kinds of USB Debugging had been reset after unlocking the bootloader, so they all had to be enabled again.
I copy the TWRP recovery image into my platform-tools folder and open a command prompt in said folder. I connect my phone to the PC, and in the command window I type
Code:
adb devices
. It lists the devices, which is to say none. Freaking what.
I read a couple of guides. Okay, drivers are needed. The Mi Unlock App straight up came with the necessary drivers so, double clicky the USB drivers exe and boom. All fixed.
Code:
adb devices
now lists my phone and it's unauthorized. Back to the phone, allow this computer and press the checkbox for always allow it. Now it's authorized.
Now that ADB is working it's time to install TWRP. I reboot the phone into fastboot using the command window with
Code:
adb reboot bootloader
. I'm not sure its actually necessary to boot into fastboot this way, I'm pretty sure doing it manually while it's plugged in works just fine, but that's what the guide said and at this point I am too nervous to deviate.
Alright, now the phone is in fastboot and I still have a command window up. I make sure the device is still connected with
Code:
adb devices
Nothing. Okay what now, oh, oopsie. Turns out that's the wrong command when in fastboot. Okay
Code:
fastboot devices
That's much better.
Now I type
Code:
fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.4.0-1-ginkgo.img
Successfully flashed, now to boot into it.
Code:
fastboot boot twrp-3.4.0-1-ginkgo.img
The phone booted into TWRP! I am excited, I'd never gotten this far before.
With TWRP flashed it was time for LineageOS. This was a little odd because to install it, the guide said to 'sideload' the zip file, and I had no idea what this actually meant. But, it had step by step instructions, and you don't learn unless you try. Onwards I went.
First, I move the LineageOS zip file to my platform-tools directory. Then I use TWRP to make a backup, then I head back to the home screen, press wipe, and format data. Don't ask me why I did this, it was in my guide and I'm pretty sure a youtube video told me to. I don't think this step is necessary, and quite frankly the_weird_aquarian's guide says it's not recommended.
Now it was time to actually sideload the LineageOS zip. On the TWRP home screen, I choose Advanced -> ADB Sideload and swipe the little slider. On the command window I type
Code:
adb sideload lineage-17.1-20201026-nightly-ginkgo-signed.zip
I didn't actually type out that whole zip name by hand, that'd be ridiculous, I pressed tab to autofill it after typing "lin". This step took a while to finish.
After it was done, it offered to reboot. This was it. I rebooted and there it was, the LineageOS system. I had done the bulk of it!
(I had not done the bulk of it)
One thing I immediately noticed was that the little triangle and little square symbols for navigation were reversed from what they were in MIUI (original xiaomi phone OS).
I played with the device for a while, installed F-Droid and a few apps, made sure I could still make phone calls, that sort of thing.
Next it was time to install Magisk. First I needed to set the permissions again. This time 'build number' is the thing to tap, right at the bottom of the About page.
Developer Options are in a different spot in LineageOS, this time they're under Settings -> System -> Advanced, and now I enable Android Debugging, which is the same as USB Debugging but everyone needs their own name for it.
Now I transfer the Magisk apk and zip file onto the phone and install the apk. Opening up the app, I notice that it says "ramdisk: no". The Magisk Wiki says that if my device’s boot partition does not include ramdisk, I have to patch Magisk into the TWRP recovery, and it has instructions on how to do that.
I grab the TWRP image and copy it onto the phone, then go back into the Magisk Manager app and press 'Install' on the Magisk card. I make sure 'Recovery' is checked, choose the 'Select and Patch a File' option and pick said recovery image.
After it finished patching, I pull it back to the computer with
Code:
adb pull /sdcard/Download/magisk_patched.img
Then I reboot the phone into fastboot and flash this patched recovery with
Code:
fastboot flash recovery magisk_patched.img
After rebooting I check the Magisk Manager app, which reports that Magisk was NOT installed. Okay, so the Wiki says that in order to boot into the Magisk system I have to hold down Volume Up + Power just like I would if I was booting into recovery, but then let go of everything after the splash screen. Okay, I do that.
It boots to fastboot. Huh, odd. Okay, I turn the phone off and try it again. It boots normally this time, but Magisk is still not installed. I looked up the problem, Magisk Manager didn't install twice, it wasn't installed to external storage, I reinstalled the Manager and it didn't help.
I had nothing. No idea at all. I gave it a break for a day.
This was when I encountered one thing I really didn't like about LineageOS: the Camera.
The default LineageOS Camera is not great. The pictures are fine, but the Redmi Note 8 comes with a macro lens, an ultrawide lens, and the ability to do panorama shots. None of these were accessible in the default camera.
I tried Open Camera and FreeDCam, I didn't like either of them. Camera MX wasn't available on Aurora Store.
So after some googling I came to what was to be my saviour: ANXCamera. It's the MIUI Camera App, retrofitted for Custom ROMs.
There was one problem: It needed Magisk.
Back to XDA I go, back to the beginners guides. Specifically the_weird_aquarian's guide. Here, the instructions for Magisk were different. These said to just install the zip from inside TWRP. The Wiki said this was not recommended. I do it anyway.
I rebooted, crossing my fingers. It booted, a good start. I tapped into the Magisk App and... "Installed". I had done it!
Now I had to figure out how to install the two modules I had downloaded: ANXCamera and ANXFramework. It's simple after Magisk is actually installed, there's a little puzzle piece logo on the bottom right for AddOns. Next, I install both modules and reboot, excited for a new camera.
Then, disaster struck. I bootlooped.
The first step was obviously to panic, which I did with great diligence and enthusiasm. Then I boot into the recovery and try to restore from the backup I made. Only to discover that there was no backup there. It had gotten deleted when I wiped the device the first time.
I googled and found a bootloop hotfix addon for ANXCamera, listed in bold right on the page where I downloaded the other modules. But it needed to be installed in Magisk, and I didn't have access to Magisk.
Next, I tried to 'reinstall' LineageOS by sideloading it again. This did absolutely squat diddly.
Factory reset came to the rescue.
It was only after this that I found that the ANXCamera wiki straight up tells you that if you bootloop you should use the recovery file manager to remove '/data/adb/modules/ANXFramework' and '/data/adb/modules/ANXCamera'. Oh well.
My phone was working again, but all my apps and contacts had been deleted. Strangely, all the pictures I'd taken and all the files I had transferred to the phone were untouched. I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I reinstalled Magisk Manager, determined to get this camera app working. It said Magisk was already installed, and that it needed to download and install a few files to get everything working. Alrighty, no worries there. I let it reboot and hoped really hard that it wasn't about to reinstall the modules that had bootlooped my phone the first time.
It didn't. The files were technically there, but they weren't counted as installed in the AddOn's section of Magisk's Manager. I reinstall them, along with the bootloop fix and a 48MP fix. It rebooted. No bootloop. Everything was okay.
Now I needed the actual camera app, because this wasn't complicated enough yet. So, I install F-Droid, and then install Aurora Store from F-Droid, and, in Aurora Store, I find the ANX Camera Pro app. I install that, open it up and press save, then start up the actual camera app. Everything was black. It wasn't working. I had to enable all the permissions for the app manually.
Sweet, no more black screen. Everything looked good! Then I tried the front camera, and it crashed. Damn. Okay, the FAQ says to hop back into ANXCamera Pro and turn off Hand Gestures. I do that, and the front camera works now, awesome.
Portrait mode crashed the app again. The 48MP fix was supposed to fix that. Okay, uninstall that and install an older version... nothing. Uninstall that and install ANXCustlibs instead. Nothing. Installed the latest version of 48MP fix. Still nope.
I could not get portrait mode working at all, it just crashes the camera app every time. Everything else works nicely, so I just moved that mode out of the main section in the app's own settings.
I still haven't installed MicroG. I haven't found a good reason to install it, and truth be told I am a little scared of what traps and tripwires lie in wait on that particular journey. One day I will make it, but for now, I have a degoogled phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the time and effort you exerted to record and post your experiences! Thank you!
(I bookmarked your post so I can study it and LEARN from it!)

yeah, all the world must degoogle own phone, and all sites must publish the apk on the own portal, not on the Gplaystore.

Related

Nexus 6 - Can't boot TWRP recovery

I was trying to fix an issue with my phone the other day, and saw that re-locking the bootloader might fix it. Nobody mentioned anything about it completely wiping the phone, including the internal SD card. I set most of the stuff back up again but realized that it was suffering from the bug on the old radio version that causes it to lose LTE randomly.
I went and rebooted into TWRP to try and flash it, and TWRP showed a completely empty sdcard partition and said it could not mount '/data'. I enabled "require pattern to boot," thinking it may not have known to decrypt the partition without that, and now I can't get into TWRP at all. I tried disabling the "require pattern to boot" option again but no luck. It shows the "Google" logo for about 5 seconds, then the blue "TEAMWIN" logo for about 3 seconds, then reboots to the "Google" logo and proceeds to boot normally. I should note that I have CM12.1 installed, and the latest TWRP. I've tried reflashing TWRP and that didn't help; I also did "fastboot format cache" and then "fastboot flash cache cache.img" using the stock factory cache.img. I got the radio flashed using fastboot, but I'd really like to have a working recovery.
briman0094 said:
I was trying to fix an issue with my phone the other day, and saw that re-locking the bootloader might fix it. Nobody mentioned anything about it completely wiping the phone, including the internal SD card. I set most of the stuff back up again but realized that it was suffering from the bug on the old radio version that causes it to lose LTE randomly.
I went and rebooted into TWRP to try and flash it, and TWRP showed a completely empty sdcard partition and said it could not mount '/data'. I enabled "require pattern to boot," thinking it may not have known to decrypt the partition without that, and now I can't get into TWRP at all. I tried disabling the "require pattern to boot" option again but no luck. It shows the "Google" logo for about 5 seconds, then the blue "TEAMWIN" logo for about 3 seconds, then reboots to the "Google" logo and proceeds to boot normally. I should note that I have CM12.1 installed, and the latest TWRP. I've tried reflashing TWRP and that didn't help; I also did "fastboot format cache" and then "fastboot flash cache cache.img" using the stock factory cache.img. I got the radio flashed using fastboot, but I'd really like to have a working recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no working recovery with a locked bootloader, sorry. if the bootloader is locked, you cant flash anything. its locked. to flash things, you need an unlocked bootloader. its like locking a door, but expecting it to open magically when you walk up to it.
simms22 said:
no working recovery with a locked bootloader, sorry. if the bootloader is locked, you cant flash anything. its locked. to flash things, you need an unlocked bootloader. its like locking a door, but expecting it to open magically when you walk up to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I forgot to mention that I re-unlocked the bootloader. I can also boot the OS so I'd be able to enable OEM unlock again if needed.
briman0094 said:
I forgot to mention that I re-unlocked the bootloader. I can also boot the OS so I'd be able to enable OEM unlock again if needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
important thing to forget to mention
So what happened when you reflashed the lasted version of twrp for your device after verifying the downloads md5?
simms22 said:
important thing to forget to mention
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I assumed that when I said "continues to boot normally" people would assume I could re-enable "OEM Unlock" if needed
scryan said:
So what happened when you reflashed the lasted version of twrp for your device after verifying the downloads md5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the console output indicates success, and it boots to the initial "TEAMWIN" logo for a few seconds and reboots.
No Recovery Similiar issue
briman0094 said:
I was trying to fix an issue with my phone the other day, and saw that re-locking the bootloader might fix it. Nobody mentioned anything about it completely wiping the phone, including the internal SD card. I set most of the stuff back up again but realized that it was suffering from the bug on the old radio version that causes it to lose LTE randomly.
I went and rebooted into TWRP to try and flash it, and TWRP showed a completely empty sdcard partition and said it could not mount '/data'. I enabled "require pattern to boot," thinking it may not have known to decrypt the partition without that, and now I can't get into TWRP at all. I tried disabling the "require pattern to boot" option again but no luck. It shows the "Google" logo for about 5 seconds, then the blue "TEAMWIN" logo for about 3 seconds, then reboots to the "Google" logo and proceeds to boot normally. I should note that I have CM12.1 installed, and the latest TWRP. I've tried reflashing TWRP and that didn't help; I also did "fastboot format cache" and then "fastboot flash cache cache.img" using the stock factory cache.img. I got the radio flashed using fastboot, but I'd really like to have a working recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Briman, I seem to have a similar issue on my and wife's Google Nexus 6s. I unlocked and rooted using Wug Tool Kit I used in years past with seamless success. To confirm root CM 12.1 I can get into bootloader, Teamwin. From there I am to flash the Superuser, Busybox and TWRP zips under SD\iReady to Flash\Rootfiles..... Only I am not given an option on the menu? I am struggling with using the command prompt and proper paths from SDK Tools so that is not an option at this moment. I see a File Manager that shows this path but am hesitant to use it as I have READ this could cause damage ( brick) to the system. Watching your thread for answers or possibilities. I know the senior members as Simm22 dislike tool kits and so do I. I am simply trying to grow and learn.
ray6279 said:
Briman, I seem to have a similar issue on my and wife's Google Nexus 6s. I unlocked and rooted using Wug Tool Kit I used in years past with seamless success. To confirm root CM 12.1 I can get into bootloader, Teamwin. From there I am to flash the Superuser, Busybox and TWRP zips under SD\iReady to Flash\Rootfiles..... Only I am not given an option on the menu? I am struggling with using the command prompt and proper paths from SDK Tools so that is not an option at this moment. I see a File Manager that shows this path but am hesitant to use it as I have READ this could cause damage ( brick) to the system. Watching your thread for answers or possibilities. I know the senior members as Simm22 dislike tool kits and so do I. I am simply trying to grow and learn.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
na, toolkits work fine. sure, they occasionally do mess up, but its not very ofver. i generally like ut when noobies do the rooting the correct way the first time, that way they can learn some basic things about how everything works. then, they can yse toolkits all they
btw, teamwin isnt your bootloader, its your recovery. team win = twrp. now all you need to do is download the latest supersu and flash it via your recovery, and the you can install a busybox app from tbe play store, and use it to unstall .
briman0094 said:
I was trying to fix an issue with my phone the other day, and saw that re-locking the bootloader might fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saw that bit of advice where? I can't think of a single thing re-locking the bootloader would fix.
nhizzat said:
Saw that bit of advice where? I can't think of a single thing re-locking the bootloader would fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A screenshot of an e-mail from a Google employee regarding Android Pay and SafetyNet.
50% JOY No Fastboot?
simms22 said:
na, toolkits work fine. sure, they occasionally do mess up, but its not very ofver. i generally like ut when noobies do the rooting the correct way the first time, that way they can learn some basic things about how everything works. then, they can yse toolkits all they
btw, teamwin isnt your bootloader, its your recovery. team win = twrp. now all you need to do is download the latest supersu and flash it via your recovery, and the you can install a busybox app from tbe play store, and use it to unstall .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I followed your directions while working on my Nexus6 phone. Was able to access bootloader then install iReady files. Worked perfectly and phone loaded SUPERUSER, BUSYBOX & PERM RECOVERY. Not so much on wife's Nexus 6. I get thru UNLOCK & ROOT w/custom recovery on the Wug Fresh Tool Kit. At RECOVERY menu pulls up SD - Up one level. No option is allowed to continue on and load the three mentioned packages. I then able to reboot to system. Does it appear I am bootloading but not fastbooting? Will try and insert images.
ray6279 said:
I followed your directions while working on my Nexus6 phone. Was able to access bootloader then install iReady files. Worked perfectly and phone loaded SUPERUSER, BUSYBOX & PERM RECOVERY. Not so much on wife's Nexus 6. I get thru UNLOCK & ROOT w/custom recovery on the Wug Fresh Tool Kit. At RECOVERY menu pulls up SD - Up one level. No option is allowed to continue on and load the three mentioned packages. I then able to reboot to system. Does it appear I am bootloading but not fastbooting? Will try and insert images.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
one question.. what is perm recovery?? the only recovery that works on the n6 is twrp recovery.
and when you are in her recovery, is it showing you the right location where the files should be? if nit, you csn change the lication.
Simm & Others. Thank you for your good words and suggestions. It would be easier for me to list what I did not attempt rather than what I did try. . I tried nearly most functions in the Wug Fresh ( by Harold) v2.0.5 after failing to find the correct command prompt to use ADB. What happened is an odditity. Mind you, I've been on these two Nexus 6 phones for 4-6hours a day for about ten days! Day later, Happened to be waiting for wife in parking lot and picked up phone and pressed SuperUser. Viola! It went into TWRP and gave me an RECOVERY option. On impluse, I flashed TWRP and Superuser zips. It took and processed. however, the best part of this is the hands on learning experience of booting, flashing, wiping, language, terms, SDK, Android and more. Once I figure out my path problem on my windows based PC to loading ABD commands I am continuing my self study of Android and App development. How do I get the packages out of the SDK Tool Kit to folders in PC? Thanks all.
ray6279 said:
Simm & Others. Thank you for your good words and suggestions. It would be easier for me to list what I did not attempt rather than what I did try. . I tried nearly most functions in the Wug Fresh ( by Harold) v2.0.5 after failing to find the correct command prompt to use ADB. What happened is an odditity. Mind you, I've been on these two Nexus 6 phones for 4-6hours a day for about ten days! Day later, Happened to be waiting for wife in parking lot and picked up phone and pressed SuperUser. Viola! It went into TWRP and gave me an RECOVERY option. On impluse, I flashed TWRP and Superuser zips. It took and processed. however, the best part of this is the hands on learning experience of booting, flashing, wiping, language, terms, SDK, Android and more. Once I figure out my path problem on my windows based PC to loading ABD commands I am continuing my self study of Android and App development. How do I get the packages out of the SDK Tool Kit to folders in PC? Thanks all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your welcome, but you are still off in one bit of fact. you use fastboot, not adb, to flash a recovery(and system.img)
edit.. you can use apps like flashify to flash recovery, if you have root already.
So BOOTLOADER is the USB connection between the device and PC. FASTBOOT is the process via we make changes in the device via the PC. ADB is the device language via which we communicate. So do I still need to flash a system recovery image? Flashify App? I already went thru install>iready to flash> superuser (version)>busybox>flash>reboot>system. I'm going cross eyed from reading. The wiping part worries me as I fear formatting or deleting essential data.
ray6279 said:
So BOOTLOADER is the USB connection between the device and PC. FASTBOOT is the process via we make changes in the device via the PC. ADB is the device language via which we communicate. So do I still need to flash a system recovery image? Flashify App? I already went thru install>iready to flash> superuser (version)>busybox>flash>reboot>system. I'm going cross eyed from reading. The wiping part worries me as I fear formatting or deleting essential data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, when wiping, dont do the first option wipe, itll wipe your whole phone clean. you need to select the advanced options and pick what you want wiped. fastboot is the way to unlock your bootloader, or flash a recovery. also, you use it to flash a system.img or any part of it.
adb is a general linux that can be used with android, anywhere but in the bootloader(only fastboot in the bootloader).
bootloader isnt the usb connection between the device and the pc, its part of the phone that boots it and decides if the rom is safe to run. thats why we unlock it. so we can flash roms eithout googles key.
fastboot is the tool that you use to do whatever needs to be fone in the bootloader, adb everywhere else.
a recovery you need if you want to flash custom roms, kernels, supersu, or other mods. you can also wipe different partitions with the recovery, or make a "nandroid' backup. thats a bavkup of everything. its like a complete snapshot of everything during the time you made it. if you ever mess up your phone, you can restore it, and you will be at the exact same place when you made the backup.
anything else?

Stuck in Fastboot Flash mode, Developer options turned off

I've followed all of the steps from this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=56938530&postcount=1
I've got to the end where I am running the code snippets to flash everything, but everything fails. The error stated is FAILED: remote failure. I am not sure if this is related to my developer options being turned off, but I think it might be.
Is there a way to turn developer options on while in fastboot mode or perhaps a way around this error? The reason I am stuck in the fastboot is because the boot image can't be validated, I am not at the fastboot by choice, haha.
No. If your recovery is still stock, flash the Android N Preview 1 OTA or an Android 6.0.1 OTA image from Google. One of those will restore your Nexus to operating condition, and from there you can try again. If your recovery is TWRP, flash a custom ROM.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
No. If your recovery is still stock, flash the Android N Preview 1 OTA or an Android 6.0.1 OTA image from Google. One of those will restore your Nexus to operating condition, and from there you can try again. If your recovery is TWRP, flash a custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I apologize for my ignorance since this is all new to me, but could you explain a few things to me.
Is this what you're referring to when you say Android N Preview 1 OTA: 'https://developer.android.com/preview/download.html'
Secondly, in order to flash these, am I still following the steps I was before, or should I be following a new set of steps?
You don't need the N Preview anymore. Download your Android 6.0.1 image from the Google page and flash using the instructions given on that page.
I went to the page and followed the directions. Still doesn't work. The flash-all script reboots after the first two commands, which lock the phone. But even then, it is still giving the error FAILED:remote failure.
me too!
I seem to be having the exact same issue! i just bought a Nexus 6 online that wasn't booting, it would only show a green led when plugged in. so here I am doing everything I can think of to fix the issue but then I get hit with the "remote failure" when i try to oem unlock the bootloader! (and since the phone wont't boot i can't check the "unlock bootloader" box in the developer options) so yeah I am going to keep researching this but if anyone has any good ideas about to get around the bootloader being locked please jump right in.
anyways I may have deeper issues, the battery will not charge. i know this because when i load up the fastboot menu, which i have to do by holding the buttons while plugging it in, it should say battery charging but all it says is battery ok
I also can't load recovery because when im in the fastboot menu and i choose recovery the phone freezes and the green led comes back on... *sigh*
They have the full ota packages posted on Google site now you can and push through the stock recovery
Here just make sure you get the shame version
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/ota#hammerhead
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
I have the OTA. I also installed Wugs toolkit.
My phone is in fastboot mode due to the boot image not being able to be validated. I didn't voluntarily open up fastboot using the shortcut.
The phone is UNLOCKED until bootloader is rebooted, then it is LOCKED. If I click start, it becomes UNLOCKED again. Wug's toolkit tries to UNLOCK the phone even while the phone says it is UNLOCKED. I don't think the phone is actually UNLOCKED, however whenever it tells me it is UNLOCKED, I try to proceed with flashing and it gives me a remote failure message on each command.
The next thing I am going try is the drivers and Wug's toolkit has a driver option, so I will try that. Besides the drivers, any other ideas?
You seem to be inexperienced in rooting Android devices. If you aren't, I apologize for the assumption. However, you should learn how to use adb and fastboot without relying on the toolkit. Toolkits tend to hide diagnostic messages that adb and fastboot generate while running. This missing information makes solving problems much more difficult.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
You seem to be inexperienced in rooting Android devices. If you aren't, I apologize for the assumption. However, you should learn how to use adb and fastboot without relying on the toolkit. Toolkits tend to hide diagnostic messages that adb and fastboot generate while running. This missing information makes solving problems much more difficult.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am inexperienced, I stated that earlier. I have check a bunch of different forum posts and a bunch of different guides. Nothing seems to be helping and it seems like such a simple problem, a boot image that can't be validated. I am not trying to do anything special with my phone, I am just trying to get it to work. I woke up and it was stuck in this 'AP Fastboot Flash Mode (Secure)' mode. It is very bare bones, not even similar to the screens within videos I have seen. One moment the phone says it's UNLOCKED, the next it's LOCKED.
You are the expert, I am not. I am merely following your directions and they don't seem to be working. I did some outside research, came to a toolkit. Toolkits are great for beginners, especially since they are UI built, are built by someone who knows the area of interest, which makes researching easier and more efficient, but on top of that, it seems to be getting me much farther than your advice, although nothing is successful at this moment.
Here is a little more context into my situation. My phone seems to be recognized by Fastboot, but not ADB (From what I found, fastboot will find devices in fastboot, and adb will find devices functioning normally, don't know how true that is.). In addition, my phone seems to switch from UNLOCKED TO LOCKED after reboots, but can become UNLOCKED again if I push ANY button. Every command I issue (i.e flash bootloader, flash radio, flash system, flash userdata) result in the message, FAILED:remote failure, which I am not sure how to avoid (I have googled, checked these forums, checked other forums and there doesn't seem to be much, if any documentation on the error), but I think it is related to the fact my developer options are turned OFF. My next course of action is to install new drivers (I checked my drivers which are said to be up to date, I also installed google USB driver through the sdk, but now I am going to look into an adb or universal driver?) and attempt to rerun everything successfully.
If you have any other ideas, or don't think its the drivers, feel free to bring it up.
As a couple of fellows said before, try this:
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/ota
Flash a FULL OTA from the link above, not a factory image. To flash any OTA you don't need to be unlocked. I think you might be confusing the terms (with the OTA you don't have to flash anything using fastboot)
In the link there are the instructions, it's pretty straight forward and easy if you have the correct drivers installed.
OTA requires that u can startup into recovery, I cannot I can startup fastboot through key combo but when I go to select recovery the green led comes back on and the screen displaying the fastboot options remains static
I think the phone freezes because it does not appear to be able to use the battery. though there is a firm battery connection it will not charge or power on without being plugged in. maybe when I select recovery I can quickly unplug and replug the USB and maybe hold the power button to try to simulate a successful reboot.. idk just thinking aloud and working with what I got..
I also can not start in recovery mode and the OTA requires ADB, which isn't recognizing my device. I have also stated that I have followed those instructions, and nothing resulted from them, except the same messages I have been stating these last few posts.
I will try this first chance I get later tonight..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/help/solution-stuck-bootloop-locked-t3053783
Listen the ota doesn't get installed through fast boot, you have to select recovery through the fast boot then install the update by pushing it as bootloader does not need to be unlocked!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
holeindalip said:
Listen the ota doesn't get installed through fast boot, you have to select recovery through the fast boot then install the update by pushing it as bootloader does not need to be unlocked!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, well it seems we are at an impasse. You seem to think I can do something, so I am going to show some pictures of my screen. Its going to be blurry because I had to take it with my computer, so I apologize, but I will elaborate on each picture.
Qwertyismypw said:
Ok, well it seems we are at an impasse. You seem to think I can do something, so I am going to show some pictures of my screen. Its going to be blurry because I had to take it with my computer, so I apologize, but I will elaborate on each picture.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first two pictures are when the phone is 'UNLOCKED'. The second two pictures are when the phone is 'LOCKED'. The moment I press anything in 'LOCKED' mode, the little android man goes away, and it becomes the first two pictures. WHENEVER I push a button in 'UNLOCKED' mode, nothing happens, except in the bootloader logs screen says, 'FAILED TO VALIDATE BOOT IMAGE RET -1'. I have done everything on that OTA page in every way possible. It has done me no good.
Ok, I made a little progress I think. Wugs toolkit allowed me to use TWRP on my phone and ADB is recognizing my phone now. There are a lot of options within TWRP though, so I am going to look through them all for anything relevant. Anything I should keep an extra eye out for?
If you can use twrp just download a custom ROM to your phone and move it over to SD card and flash it, then you will be able to boot and unlock the bootloader in developer ootions, that is your best bet, if you keep getting force closes after flashing a custom ROM your going to have to do a factory reset from within twrp
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
holeindalip said:
If you can use twrp just download a custom ROM to your phone and move it over to SD card and flash it, then you will be able to boot and unlock the bootloader in developer ootions, that is your best bet, if you keep getting force closes after flashing a custom ROM your going to have to do a factory reset from within twrp
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have an SD card, can I move it to the internal storage? And how exactly do I do this? I can't copy/paste anything into the phone (it says the phone doesn't actually exist, even though adb is recognizing it as in recovery) or do I sideload it? When I try to sideload it though, the device disappears (and device manager sees nexus 6 under other devices, but the driver isn't up to date and no drivers seem to work. I've tried the google usb driver with no luck.) and it won't allow me to sideload it.

Installed Magisk APP and flashed Magisk v14.0 (BRICKED)

It's exactly as the title mentions...
Basically I had this tablet for two years, and I love this tablet, we've been through a lot when it came to flashing ROMs and other stuff, the journey so far has been awesome and I don't want it to end here and I won't give up on this tablet!
So here goes... basically I have installed the Magisk Manager app and in the app I chose to install Magisk V14.0 (I chose the recommended option) and once it has finished downloading and installing I then decided to reboot it. Upon rebooting i noticed that the kindle kept rebooting every 3 seconds, so I knew at that point I seriously screwed up!
I'm on the resurrection remix (marshmallow) and when it was installing the Magisk file it said it was updating the boot.img, I think that's the reason why my kindle is acting up. I don't know really know how to fix this issue as I've tried to go into recovery but it simply will not allow me to because it keeps rebooting and doesn't even give me a chance (which is giving me a headache). I looked on similar posts and users have said that a fastboot cable is needed, but I don't have one and I was wondering if using a normal USB cable would do the trick with ADB commands... if possible. If this requires me to purchase (or make) a fastboot cable then I will gladly order (or make) one.
And if ADB method does work, please tell me specific commands to use, and so. Also I have tried getting my laptop (windows 10) to recognise my device, but even when attached and the tablet is on my device isn't showing in device manger, I have downloaded the SDK tools (not manager) and even then I can't use ADB commands in CMD. I typed "ADB shell" (without commas) and even then it won't allow me to access ADB (so please guide me on this area as well).
If you're a user who is interested in helping others and likes to face a challenge, then please step right up and help me as I need all the help at this point! Thank you!
Stone. Cold said:
It's exactly as the title mentions...
Basically I had this tablet for two years, and I love this tablet, we've been through a lot when it came to flashing ROMs and other stuff, the journey so far has been awesome and I don't want it to end here and I won't give up on this tablet!
So here goes... basically I have installed the Magisk Manager app and in the app I chose to install Magisk V14.0 (I chose the recommended option) and once it has finished downloading and installing I then decided to reboot it. Upon rebooting i noticed that the kindle kept rebooting every 3 seconds, so I knew at that point I seriously screwed up!
I'm on the resurrection remix (marshmallow) and when it was installing the Magisk file it said it was updating the boot.img, I think that's the reason why my kindle is acting up. I don't know really know how to fix this issue as I've tried to go into recovery but it simply will not allow me to because it keeps rebooting and doesn't even give me a chance (which is giving me a headache). I looked on similar posts and users have said that a fastboot cable is needed, but I don't have one and I was wondering if using a normal USB cable would do the trick with ADB commands... if possible. If this requires me to purchase (or make) a fastboot cable then I will gladly order (or make) one.
And if ADB method does work, please tell me specific commands to use, and so. Also I have tried getting my laptop (windows 10) to recognise my device, but even when attached and the tablet is on my device isn't showing in device manger, I have downloaded the SDK tools (not manager) and even then I can't use ADB commands in CMD. I typed "ADB shell" (without commas) and even then it won't allow me to access ADB (so please guide me on this area as well).
If you're a user who is interested in helping others and likes to face a challenge, then please step right up and help me as I need all the help at this point! Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you are going to need a fastboot cable. You can pick one up on Amazon for cheap or you can make your own by using some tutorial online. After you get the fastboot cable, use the Kindle Fire restore tool that I will link down below. Download it (it will take a while) and run it. Please read the directions because I didn't at first and I boot looped my Kindle by installing older recovery and boot image. After this is complete your Kindle will work again. I wouldn't recommend installing Magisk again because it modifies the boot loader. Sorry.
KFHD Restore tool (that tool that I mentioned): https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1951254
Thank you for this, will. I will follow your instructions once I have received my fastboot cable
Again, thank you. I have left my tablet on my shelf for quite some time now and didn't really have time to fix it due to college work, and so. But I will definitely let you know the results :fingers-crossed:
I made pretty mutch the same error like you and flashed Magisk 12. I used the fastboot cable, entered fastboot and used the recovery tool to restore recovery and stock Rom with supersu and apex launcher. After following exectly the steps in 2. Bootloader and twrp. The problem I am facing is the same I faced before. After flashing linearOS 14 with twrp. I reboot from recovery. At first it showes the orange logo and the the blue. And it stays at blue logo for hours.
I don't know what to do. The strange thing is. I can boot in the recovered Amazonfire OS. But I can't flash any costum Rom.
I have no idea what I made wrong during the process. I followed all steps and repeated the procedure 3 times.
Always ending in blue logo.
Even without flashing any rom. Only following the steps to flash twrp with all the other stuff I am stuck on blue screen.
Please I need advice. Help me

Factory Reset to Stock (8.0) from root 8.0 updated to 8.1 - No USB Connection

Greetings,
I recently got a Pixel 2 XL and the first thing I did was try to root with SuperSU and TWRP. I had some issues with it and someone suggested Magisk. It worked great and I was able to update from the 8.0 to 8.1 with root. I kept up with the latest Magisk installs until the past week or so.
My phones USB port appears to have failed partially. Luckily I can still charge, but there is no way to see the device storage from a PC. Support has defaulted, after much troubleshooting, to an RMA solution with a refurbished phone. Thankfully, this seems to be covered by warranty and isn't going to pose a cost issue. However, through the troubleshooting I was forced to do a factory reset. I looked up some information regarding factory reset with rooted devices. I cannot find the exact tutorial I followed or thread I gained the how-to information, I'm not sure which it was. I simply searched how to factory reset magisk 8.1 device. It was quick and most of the stuff I find now has the same information.
Open Magisk, uninstall. Open TWRP, uninstall. Device Settings, Factory Reset. Easy
This seemed to have worked. I didn't run into any locked hardware issues thankful because I don't have USB to really flash something to it.
Before I continued, prior to attempting the reset I fully backed up the device to my computer using ES File Explorers FTP transfer over the wifi. This was great, lots of photos were able to be saved with no hassle. I copied the entire root directory and have it backed up.
The problem with the reset is that while Magisk remained uninstalled, TWRP has a basic file installed that upgrades to the full app. I still have root, which would have been nice, except I still need to unroot and go back to factory settings before I can send this device in.
Before I make a mistake moving forward, I want to find the best way to unroot, (preferrably relock the boot also), and return to factory stock as it was the day I got it so I can return in it in the best state I can.
I am running rooted android 8.1.0 Pixel 2 XL with kernel 4.4.88 if the helps. When I reset to factory defaults TWRP remains installed and root persists. I cannot connect via USB and run android dev tools to flash anything directly. How can I restore this device? I should have all original kernels backed up. During the root process I remember them saying to copy the old ROMs first and I performed every step exactly. I do have access to move files to and from the device via WiFi. Is it this even possible?
PS, does anyone think the firmware and rooted install could be the problem with the USB? It seems entirely like failed hardware to me but the troubleshooting was extremely thorough and seems to indicate softare/firmware are likely to be the issue instead of the hardware issue that was determined. Could this still rooted device have corrupted the USB transfer? It seems I should do my best to rule this out as well, more so than just giving them a factory reset device. I'd rather keep my phone if it can be fixed easily, than obtain a possibly low quality heavily used refurbished model.
Regards
Did you try removing and reinstalling the drivers?
Sent from my MI 5 using Tapatalk
teddy0209 said:
Did you try removing and reinstalling the drivers?
Sent from my MI 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you mean for the PC. Yes, I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling both using Microsofts found drivers and directly sent packages from the support team. Updates and 2 different PCs. DevKit installed on the one I originally used to root and a new PC with fresh driver installs.
They wouldn't suggest drivers for the phone, if you know of a way to install new drivers for the phone, please let me know, I'd definitely give that a shot.
Regards
BlazzedTroll said:
I assume you mean for the PC. Yes, I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling both using Microsofts found drivers and directly sent packages from the support team. Updates and 2 different PCs. DevKit installed on the one I originally used to root and a new PC with fresh driver installs.
They wouldn't suggest drivers for the phone, if you know of a way to install new drivers for the phone, please let me know, I'd definitely give that a shot.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should include all troubleshooting I mentioned for those that think they have a solution for the dead USB. My original request was for the OTA flash directions without USB, but I think a lot of people will want to suggest fixes for the phone as I suggested in the PS section.
Step 1: Check computer software.
Windows users, check to see if you have the latest version of Windows Media Player and have installed all recent system updates. Visit omitted for more information.
Mac users, make sure you install and are using Android File Transfer. Visit omitted for more information.
Step 2: Check for system updates.
On your device, go to "Settings" > Scroll down to "System" > Touch "About phone" (or tablet) > Touch "System updates".
If your device has a modified OS, troubleshooting may not resolve your device issue. Re-image your device back to Android factory settings using the instructions from the following link: omitted
Step 3: Restart your device in safe mode.
With the device on, hold the Power button to get the "Power off" prompt.
Touch and hold "Power off" until the "Reboot to safe mode" prompt appears.
Touch "OK" to reboot in safe mode.
Note: To exit safe mode later, simply restart the device normally.
Step 4: Unlock your device.
Before connecting the device to a computer, if your device is password protected, unlock your device. A locked device will not connect to the computer.
Step 5: Connect USB cable directly into computer.
If the USB cable is connected through a USB hub or extension, unplug the cable from the hub/extension and plug it directly to the computer.
A pop-up window should appear.
Mac users will have the Android File Transfer window appear.
Windows users may have a pop-up window appear. If not: On the computer, click the Windows Start button on the bottom left > click Computer > under Portable Devices, click on the device > click on the device's Internal Storage.
Step 6: Test if you can transfer files.
Try transferring a small file.
If file transfer works, success! No need to do the next steps.
If file transfer still isn't working (no pop-up windows to allow file transfer), proceed to Step 7.
Step 7: Change your USB computer connection settings.
Android 6+ Marshmallow only:
Plug in the device.
Slide down the notifications drawer from the top of the screen.
Touch the notification saying "USB for charging."
Touch the option for "File Transfers".
Test file transfer again (from Step 6). If the file transfer does not work, proceed to Step 8.
Older Android OS Versions:
Go to "Settings", under "Device," touch "Storage"​ > touch the "Menu" button (three vertical boxes at the top right) > touch "USB computer connection".
Only Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) should be checked. Uncheck MTP, check and then uncheck PTP, then re-check MTP.
Test file transfer again (from Step 6). If the file transfer does not work, proceed to Step 8.
Step 8: Windows Only: Install Google USB Driver.
Go to omitted and click the blue button on the right labeled "Download Google USB Driver."
After the download completes, right click the file ("latest_usb_driver_windows.zip") and select "Extract All."
Follow the USB Driver installation instructions available here: omitted
Test file transfer again. If file transfer still isn't working (no pop-up windows to allow file transfer), proceed to Step 9.
Step 9: Turn on "Developer options" and disable USB debugging.
Go to "Settings."
If using a phone, swipe down the screen with two fingers, then touch "Settings."
If using a tablet, swipe down the screen from the right side of the top of the screen, then touch "Settings."
Scroll down to "System" and touch "Developer options." If you don't see "Developer options," turn them on as follows:
Touch "About phone."
Scroll down to the "Build number."
Touch "Build number" 7 times to activate "Developer options."
Under "Debugging," verify that the box for "USB Debugging" is not checked. If it is checked, touch the checkmark to uncheck "USB Debugging."
Once USB Debugging has been deactivated, test file transfer again.
Step 10: Try different USB connections.
Try plugging the USB cable into a different USB port on the same computer.
Try connecting to the same computer but using a different/spare USB cable.
Try connecting your device to another computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My apologies on readability, I tried to include HTML formatting. I couldn't figure it out, the options support code highlighting but not the code itself.
Additionally, I tried different USB cables, safe mode, and the factory reset that I could perform.
@BlazzedTroll
Summary:
You've uninstalled Magisk, so you don't have root access when booted. TWRP still remains, so you have root access there.
If I read you correctly, what you need to do is to get rid of TWRP. Right?
Download the corresponding factory image, extract recovery.img and flash that by issuing the Install Image option in TWRP.
Just make sure you've done everything you need to before doing this, since you can't get back to a custom recovery if your USB really is busted. Other things to do could include flashing the system.img the same way to revert any possible /system modifications, etc.
Didgeridoohan said:
@BlazzedTroll
Summary:
You've uninstalled Magisk, so you don't have root access when booted. TWRP still remains, so you have root access there.
If I read you correctly, what you need to do is to get rid of TWRP. Right?
Download the corresponding factory image, extract recovery.img and flash that by issuing the Install Image option in TWRP.
Just make sure you've done everything you need to before doing this, since you can't get back to a custom recovery if your USB really is busted. Other things to do could include flashing the system.img the same way to revert any possible /system modifications, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you say corresponding factory image, does that mean I need the exact one that came on the device? Or just the latest factory image for the right device?
*EDIT* Never mind that, I found the backup folder in the Unified Toolkit which contains a compressed zip just like the ones on the site. I'll use that and transfer to my device over WiFi and use TWRP to flash it and come back with the results.
Thank you for your assistance
@Didgeridoohan
I have a backup locally saved that resembles those packages. I was unable to locate a recovery.img in either my saved file or the one on the site. My version that was backed up was 1.171019.011, which is 8.1. I know my phone came originally with 8.0 so I tried looking at one of the those for a recovery.img and still could not locate one.
In the zip there are several files
bootloader-taimen-tmz12a.img
flash-all.bat
flash-all.sh
flash-base.sh
another zip
radio-taimen-g8998-00164-17... .img
inside the second zip, many more .img files looked promising
abl.img
aes.img
android-info.txt
boot.img
cmnlib.img
cmnlib64.img
devcfg.img
dtbo.img
hyp.img
keymaster.img
laf.img
modem.img
pmic.img
rpm.img
system.img
system_other.img
tz.img
vbmeta.img
vendor.img
xbl.img
Same files in all 3 zips I checked.
TWRP only expects recovery.img for "BACKUP EXISTING RECOVERY"
TWRP also has "TWRP FLASH", which I did as one of my troubleshooting steps before and got the Google Pixel 2 XL (taimen) flash. These still keep the TWRP and root, which I believe is to be expected for that flash option.
DELETED
BlazzedTroll said:
I assume you mean for the PC. Yes, I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling both using Microsofts found drivers and directly sent packages from the support team. Updates and 2 different PCs. DevKit installed on the one I originally used to root and a new PC with fresh driver installs.
They wouldn't suggest drivers for the phone, if you know of a way to install new drivers for the phone, please let me know, I'd definitely give that a shot.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, I mean for PC...
You can usually get twrp backups from same device with same rom and flash it on yours via twrp ( ask on your device forum)... You will need system.img, recovery.img, and boot.img... I'm not so sure if you can relock the device without working usb/fastboot...
Sent from my MI 5 using Tapatalk
@BlazzedTroll
My apologies... I'm still not used to these damned A/B devices. :laugh:
If I remember correctly, recovery is included in the boot image, so what you need to do is flash the stock boot.img file to slot A. Don't know if this is possible in TWRP.
teddy0209 said:
You're right, I mean for PC...
You can usually get twrp backups from same device with same rom and flash it on yours via twrp ( ask on your device forum)... You will need system.img, recovery.img, and boot.img... I'm not so sure if you can relock the device without working usb/fastboot...
Sent from my MI 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll give this a shot, I have system.img and boot.img, as I said in reply to Didgeridoohan, I do not have a recovery.img in the files.
Sad news about relocking, but that should be OK.
Thanks for lending some help
Didgeridoohan said:
@BlazzedTroll
My apologies... I'm still not used to these damned A/B devices. :laugh:
If I remember correctly, recovery is included in the boot image, so what you need to do is flash the stock boot.img file to slot A. Don't know if this is possible in TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's alright. I don't know much of anything about them. It's easy enough to follow tutorials and if I had my USB connection I could do as you say pretty quickly. The problem is I don't understand what TWRP even is. There doesn't seem to be an option to flash you own custom img. "TWRP FLASH" only lets you select from the latest versions and downloads the one you select and starts the flash. "BACKUP EXISTING RECOVERY" expects a recovery.img and doesn't let me select anything other than that. I could try renaming system.img to recovery.img, but until I find out what the difference between the images is, I'm not to keen on trying that one. Sounds like a good way to get hosed before I return it. At this time, I would think without having USB access the folks at Google would be happy to have root on the phone. Rather return it working, but rooted, than bricked.
So I was trying to follow some other suggestions and it seems like maybe the device is actually not rooted anymore.
There is no SU file located in system/bin or system/xbin.
When I download something like "Root Checker" it gets stuck verifying the root.
I tried to use apps like rashr and flashify to flash a stock recovery and neither app will load properly suggesting no root access.
This means when I ran the uninstalls, everything did uninstall and unroot but the TWRP install must not be very clean (I don't think it's being maintained anymore for most devices). So I need to try and find where this app is located and remove it manually before I run the recovery again. If I solve this I'll post back.
BlazzedTroll said:
So I was trying to follow some other suggestions and it seems like maybe the device is actually not rooted anymore.
There is no SU file located in system/bin or system/xbin.
When I download something like "Root Checker" it gets stuck verifying the root.
I tried to use apps like rashr and flashify to flash a stock recovery and neither app will load properly suggesting no root access.
This means when I ran the uninstalls, everything did uninstall and unroot but the TWRP install must not be very clean (I don't think it's being maintained anymore for most devices). So I need to try and find where this app is located and remove it manually before I run the recovery again. If I solve this I'll post back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have root access, since you uninstalled Magisk. TWRP has it's own root, so while booted to recovery you can still do root stuff...
The only way to restore the stock recovery is to flash the boot image to your device.
And TWRP is pretty much the only maintained custom recovery for most devices...
Just a small note: this demonstrates the issues with using toolkits... It's just to click away and you never really learn how things actually works. Can bite you in the bee-hind when things go south.
Didgeridoohan said:
You don't have root access, since you uninstalled Magisk. TWRP has it's own root, so while booted to recovery you can still do root stuff...
The only way to restore the stock recovery is to flash the boot image to your device.
And TWRP is pretty much the only maintained custom recovery for most devices...
Just a small note: this demonstrates the issues with using toolkits... It's just to click away and you never really learn how things actually works. Can bite you in the bee-hind when things go south.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At this point I've just ordered the RMA replacement and I'll send it in. Hopefully those at Google are able to verify that the hardware malfunction is entirely unrelated to the root and they still honor the warranty. If the USB hadn't failed, I would easily flash back to stock as you have suggested. It's a fairly trivial action.
I agree somewhat with the idea that toolkits can be problematic in this way. There was quite a bit involved in running through the toolkit, it wasn't that One-Click root/jailbreak type stuff. I issued all of the commands over ADB and was fairly knowledgeable about what actions I was performing. This issue lies in this toolkits maintenance. The latest update to TWRP removed a ton of features and I'm unable to find the other version. Magisk was fully uninstalled as expected. TWRP did not make it clear that the flashed recovery would in fact contain was is essentially an ad for their toolkit. The placeholder app, as they call it, is literally just an ad that pops up when your recover that says "Don't forget to install us!". You can't even remove that file from the recovery partition, you must reflash to remove it. So the problem isn't just that you don't learn how it works, it's that you aren't forced to go through the changes with a fine-toothed comb as you would creating your own recovery. Had I created my own recovery I would have left it stock so that in the event of a failure such as this you are returned to factory stock without any changes except the unlocked bootloader. I guess in the future I'll have to do this myself. I did take the easy way out and just run the defaults from the toolkit in most cases.
Thanks to you and the others who threw in some helpful suggestions.
For anyone stumbling across this in the future, the problem is a 'semi-rooted' recovery can't be flashed without USB transfer capabilities. The solution is to RMA the faulty hardware hopefully. They should be reflashing all phones they get after repair/refurbish anyway.
Best Regards
For future reference...
BlazzedTroll said:
Greetings,
I recently got a Pixel 2 XL and the first thing I did was try to root with SuperSU and TWRP. I had some issues with it and someone suggested Magisk. It worked great and I was able to update from the 8.0 to 8.1 with root. I kept up with the latest Magisk installs until the past week or so.
My phones USB port appears to have failed partially. Luckily I can still charge, but there is no way to see the device storage from a PC. Support has defaulted, after much troubleshooting, to an RMA solution with a refurbished phone. Thankfully, this seems to be covered by warranty and isn't going to pose a cost issue. However, through the troubleshooting I was forced to do a factory reset. I looked up some information regarding factory reset with rooted devices. I cannot find the exact tutorial I followed or thread I gained the how-to information, I'm not sure which it was. I simply searched how to factory reset magisk 8.1 device. It was quick and most of the stuff I find now has the same information.
Open Magisk, uninstall. Open TWRP, uninstall. Device Settings, Factory Reset. Easy
This seemed to have worked. I didn't run into any locked hardware issues thankful because I don't have USB to really flash something to it.
Before I continued, prior to attempting the reset I fully backed up the device to my computer using ES File Explorers FTP transfer over the wifi. This was great, lots of photos were able to be saved with no hassle. I copied the entire root directory and have it backed up.
The problem with the reset is that while Magisk remained uninstalled, TWRP has a basic file installed that upgrades to the full app. I still have root, which would have been nice, except I still need to unroot and go back to factory settings before I can send this device in.
Before I make a mistake moving forward, I want to find the best way to unroot, (preferrably relock the boot also), and return to factory stock as it was the day I got it so I can return in it in the best state I can.
I am running rooted android 8.1.0 Pixel 2 XL with kernel 4.4.88 if the helps. When I reset to factory defaults TWRP remains installed and root persists. I cannot connect via USB and run android dev tools to flash anything directly. How can I restore this device? I should have all original kernels backed up. During the root process I remember them saying to copy the old ROMs first and I performed every step exactly. I do have access to move files to and from the device via WiFi. Is it this even possible?
PS, does anyone think the firmware and rooted install could be the problem with the USB? It seems entirely like failed hardware to me but the troubleshooting was extremely thorough and seems to indicate softare/firmware are likely to be the issue instead of the hardware issue that was determined. Could this still rooted device have corrupted the USB transfer? It seems I should do my best to rule this out as well, more so than just giving them a factory reset device. I'd rather keep my phone if it can be fixed easily, than obtain a possibly low quality heavily used refurbished model.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try downloading a stock Fastboot Image for your device then unzip it, collect boot.img, then flash just the stock boot.img from TWRP. Should solve the issue upon the following reboot with no more TWRP or root. If youre on magisk or systemless SuperSU. Not locking the bootloader though lol that's hopeless without usb function unless it's possible to lock bootloader using the terminal command with an WiFi ADB app from another device then follow with "adb reboot bootloader", "fastboot boot TWRP.img", then flash stock boot.img from there. I'm just spitballing the second one lol, but if it'll make it to the TWRP part successfully it should work in theory unless the WiFi ADB connection can't make it past reboot which I've never tried. Should probably get an unlock box like NCK Box Pro or whatever supports your device and you'll always know if the port is ****ed or not and flash back to full locked stock with the box if it isn't. It's what I do now. Handy little ****ers lol.

Fastboot no longer working

Crossposting from the Lineage 15 thread, as it may be a more general problem...
I installed lineage 15 a couple days ago.
I followed the OP, flashed the partition firmware first, then the ROM, TWRP, GAPPS, rebooted, flashed Magisk. Everything was working fine.
I took the 0210 nightly OTA. Google Play Services and all Google apps stopped working.
I figured I'd start fresh through fastboot, but now any command that would actually help (flash, boot, etc) returns "failed: unknown command". Can't boot into TWRP.
"fastboot devices" returns the device ID fine, fastboot reboot works.
Tried a factory reset based off another post I found, still in the same boat.
Any ideas?
Horror Business said:
Crossposting from the Lineage 15 thread, as it may be a more general problem...
I installed lineage 15 a couple days ago.
I followed the OP, flashed the partition firmware first, then the ROM, TWRP, GAPPS, rebooted, flashed Magisk. Everything was working fine.
I took the 0210 nightly OTA. Google Play Services and all Google apps stopped working.
I figured I'd start fresh through fastboot, but now any command that would actually help (flash, boot, etc) returns "failed: unknown command". Can't boot into TWRP.
"fastboot devices" returns the device ID fine, fastboot reboot works.
Tried a factory reset based off another post I found, still in the same boat.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What happened is that you messed up the installation order.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78037053&postcount=685
You only use the zip and rom before the restart and then Gapps and Magisk after.
If nothing else works, then I'd suggest flash stock and start from step one.
The factory reset only, normally, only clears the data partition.
Your bootloader and system partitions are bad as TWRP is written to the bootloader and Gapps installs to the system.
Don't quote me on the bad bootloader though; worst case, you'll want a blankflash and flash stock before starting over again.
[EDIT]
I may have alleviated worst case scenario, read the bottom: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78046198&postcount=692
dougo007 said:
What happened is that you messed up the installation order.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78037053&postcount=685
You only use the zip and rom before the restart and then Gapps and Magisk after.
If nothing else works, then I'd suggest flash stock and start from step one.
The factory reset only, normally, only clears the data partition.
Your bootloader and system partitions are bad as TWRP is written to the bootloader and Gapps installs to the system.
Don't quote me on the bad bootloader though; worst case, you'll want a blankflash and flash stock before starting over again.
[EDIT]
I may have alleviated worst case scenario, read the bottom: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78046198&postcount=692
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I definitely got the installation order correct for the fresh install. I used the built-in updater in lineage to update the OS, so it's entirely possible that there's a slot issue related to that...
The firmware link at the bottom of your post was the very first thing I did.
A blankflash file I found that I think should be recent enough for my device just shows <waiting for device>. I ran ADB and it shows the device as connected, so I don't think it's a driver issue. I know nada about blankflash, though.
Researching now. Thanks for the help.
Horror Business said:
I definitely got the installation order correct for the fresh install. I used the built-in updater in lineage to update the OS, so it's entirely possible that there's a slot issue related to that...
The firmware link at the bottom of your post was the very first thing I did.
A blankflash file I found that I think should be recent enough for my device just shows <waiting for device>. I ran ADB and it shows the device as connected, so I don't think it's a driver issue. I know nada about blankflash, though.
Researching now. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a whole package I created with links to different XDA threads on this device, but I don't have it with me at the moment.
You will definitely need to know what variant you're using.
I found one for XT1900-1 and one for XT1900-7.
There is a phone button combo you'll need to use and good timing.
dougo007 said:
I have a whole package I created with links to different XDA threads on this device, but I don't have it with me at the moment.
You will definitely need to know what variant you're using.
I found one for XT1900-1 and one for XT1900-7.
There is a phone button combo you'll need to use and good timing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have XT1900-1.
Thanks!
Here is my 'data dump' from my text file on what to do in the worst case scenario; I grabbed and linked what I could together below.
Don't take the words as direct advice from me as I never did this myself before.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter download Mode: Power & Volume - (down) for ten seconds [ or volume +]
blank flash (two different files, not sure which to use)
Generic Instructions:
https://www.droidsavvy.com/unbrick-qualcomm-mobiles/
Device Instructions:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x4/help/hard-bricked-how-enter-emergency-t3757472
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=77847019&postcount=606
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=77847374&postcount=44
https://www.aryk.tech/2017/09/moto-x4-unbrick-solutions.html
use qualcomm driver first with blank flash
MAY NEED TO ENTER PC INTO TEST MODE:
Make your PC into Test Mode.
Then run “CMD” or “Windows Terminal” as administrator and type:
bcdedit -set loadoptions DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING ON
(Restart computer)
***When you no longer need it.***
###To deactivate it we will use the following command.###
Bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions ENABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
Bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING OFF
Once the two commands have been executed, we must restart our computer so that the changes take effect and this mode is deactivated correctly.
If process completed successful then your mobile will restart into bootloader screen and your hard brick problem has been resolved. after that you can reboot into recovery by pressing power and volume down button again if required. Once you are in recovery mode then you can flash correct stock ROM into your mobile.
use manual and brick help to load system partition
ROMS: https://androidfilehost.com/?a=show&w=files&flid=229118
Data upload
There is one more file too big or here mentioned in the PDF.
I don't know which ROM is the best to use but you should use a PAYTON_FI for the XT1900-1
dougo007 said:
Data upload
There is one more file too big or here mentioned in the PDF.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Massive, massive thanks, man!
Got me rolling back to being able to flash a stock rom, which is good enough for me on this device!
I'm still guessing that slots jacked something up, but I'm not going to try to replicate the problem at this point, LOL!
One last note.
I noticed that flashing stock doesn't make the device genuine.
It appears that a trick I used to use on my old device works here; rooting with Magisk will mark the phone as certified.
To make sure this is the case, install the manager and if there is one RED and one GREEN; you're good to go on the install.
[EDIT]
Also, you can remove the unlocked bootloader warning with a patched image; I don't know if these two things will conflict though.
[EDIT 2]
I also don't know if either will conflict with OTA updates, assuming they work after you fixed your phone.
You can let me know below if you can provide any useful data.
If you have any other questions, make another post/thread. @Horror_Business

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