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[Q] Can't access root and Google apps

I recently rooted my phone (T-Mobile US Nexus S) and installed the 4.0.3 OTA update from this thread, but now I cannot access any Google apps or get root access on any of the apps that require it.

SounderBruce said:
I recently rooted my phone (T-Mobile US Nexus S) and installed the 4.0.3 OTA update from this thread, but now I cannot access any Google apps or get root access on any of the apps that require it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok! first download : http://www.4shared.com/zip/XG506hyV/icsroot-fastboot-recovey.html
just unpack, connect your device and click run.bat.....Good luck!

I ran the .bat, but I get an error saying "Device already rooted", but it is still not recognized as rooted by SuperUser.
Alternatively, is it possible to completely wipe the phone of everything (including root) so I can start over with a fresh phone?

Of course you can, and might be the best idea if you don't mind doing it.
Make sure you have the latest CWM recovery on your phone, download the FULL ROM from this thread (i'm not american so i don't know exactly, but from what i know yours is the I9020T, so get that ROM) and copy it to the SDCard. Now go into recovery, wipe system/data and dalvik cache, then flash the ROM.
Do make sure you have the right ROM though. This will get you 100% fresh and untouched 4.0.3. You can probably clear out any non-personal folders on the sdcard too, but that shouldn't do any harm anyway.
After this, use the attached file from this thread to root, and feel free to update root/superuser.

Actually, that's what I did...I can't use CWM recovery because its displaying an error of no root. So how do I wipe this or fix CWM?

Is your boot loader unlocked? And are you trying to flash cwm through fastboot?
Note to backup your sdcard if unlocking the bootloader.

Harbb said:
Is your boot loader unlocked? And are you trying to flash cwm through fastboot?
Note to backup your sdcard if unlocking the bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bootloader is apparently unlocked and I'm trying to flash through fastboot.

Are you sure the following is satisfied:
-open padlock and google logo on boot
-fastboot (on phone) says "bootloader status: unlocked" or something of the like
-you are using: "fastboot flash recovery "C:\path\to\recovery.img""
-you are using the above command while connected to the PC via USB (with working drivers) and that you are in fastboot mode on the phone (turn off phone --> hold Vol. Up then hold Power TOGETHER for about 2 seconds, should give you reboot and recovery options)
It is necessary to be in the bootloader/fastboot interface on the phone when you run the command. Hopefully it was something simple that i said above, otherwise i'm completely lost.

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. I didn't use that method to root...
4. I'll try that.

3 is just flashing recovery, that is the code u type into cmd/terminal to reflash the recovery img. It isn't rooting the phone. 4 is how to get into the mode on the phone to use the command.
Its a bit confusing at first but makes much more sense once you do it one or two times.

Where do I go to get the recovery image?

The latest ClockWorkMod Recovery can be found on this page. Just scroll down to Nexus S and download 5.0.2.0 crespo .img. Then just direct fastboot to the folder you have it saved in while using the "fastboot flash recovery C:\path\to\recovery.img" command.

Ok. I've tried this, but in command prompt, I get the following error:
C:\Users\Bruce>fastboot flash recovery C:\Users\Bruce\Downloads\recovery.img
'fastboot' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

Check out this rooting guide, however only go up to step 5 (and do NOT type "fastboot oem unlock", do everything up until that point). This will setup fastboot for you, and setup drivers for your computer. Once this is done, do what you did above and it should work successfully.
Remember to cd (change directory) in cmd to where you unzipped that folder.

There isn't a link...

Sorry, stuffed that up. I fixed the link in my previous post pointing to NexusSHacks - How to Root Nexus S.

It's worked, but when I try to go to the recovery menu, the Google/unlocked padlock screen freezes or it displays an Android with its chest compartment open and a red triangular ! symbol.

I just had a really long reply and managed to lose it by closing the page..
That's the stock bootloader you see there, it probably didnt flash or you rebooted your phone. And make sure that you are flashing the latest CWM you downloaded before.

I flashed the latest CWM, but when I try to go to recovery, my phone freezes at the Google logo with the unlocked padlock.

Have you tried flashing it again, or maybe redownloading the file? And of course making sure it is the NEXUS S version which you are downloading.
Alternatively, try just "fastboot boot recovery.img", replacing recovery.img with the full name and path of cwm.
edit: btw, i'll be gone for an hour or two Bruce so i can answer any more questions/issues when i get back

[Q] Moto G 'Boot up failed' after flashing TWRP recovery

Moto g

charliesutton said:
So I have a Moto G with an unlocked bootloader but no root. So I wanted to flash an android L cyanogen mod rom onto it and I first of all had to install custom recovery. I decided to use twrp. I downloaded all the latest drivers from motorola and the adb folders. I downloaded the recovery image and put it into the 'platform-tools' folder with 'fastboot.exe' in it as well (the boot image was specifically for the moto g btw) and flashed it onto the phone. It installed it but when I went on recovery the boot up image showed for about a quarter of a second but afterwards I was returned back to the moto g fastboot screen with some returned text on the bottom saying 'Boot up failed'. I had followed every step and I tried redoing the process but that didnt work. So I restored my device so I got the stock recovery and I tried cwm instead. This returned the same error message. Im not really sure where I went wrong in the process.
I also have some other questions as well though. I thought that maybe if I put the boot.img boot image from the cyanogen mod folder into the platform tools folder I could open cmd and type 'fastboot boot boot.img' and maybe it would flash it straight on however I dont want 'Boot up failed' from both 'Recovery' and 'Normal Powerup' in the fastboot menu. I was also wondering if I could convert the zip file for the custom rom to .tar.md5 and maybe flash it from odin? However whenever i watch odin tutorials they always use a samsung device and it also says that its for samsung. Or preferably just some help to get past the 'Boot up failed' error would be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin is a Samsung factory restore tool. Rsd lite is for motorola. I just got got this phone today so I'm not familiar with it yet to know anther way, sounds like you may just need to download your stock firmware and rsd. that should get ya back to stock at least

Can only load bootloader Original Moto G

I have given up, which is why i have finally made a post.
At some point yesterday, I screwed up my phone. I wanted to root it, and install a rom, all of which I've done before. I unlocked my bootloader no problem, and followed these instructions on how to root. All done without a hitch. I was able to boot my phone, acess the play store etc.
Somewhere along the lines of trying to install either, CWM or PA, I can't remember which, I'm sure a process failed, and didn't take notice.
At this point in time, I can access the bootloader, my phone is recognized in fastboot but not adb. I have installed and tried every option under the tools/utility section, all which have failed to place a stock system in place. Ive downloaded numerous recovery files, and installed via fastboot, but I just get a blank screen, And that is what happens EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. when I try anything.
PLEASE someone point me in the direction needed..
I have used this guide, this one, among others here on XDA. I've installed reovery images from twrp via fastboot. All with no avail. My OS was 4.4 before i screwed my phone.
My last attempt was using falcon_boost_user_4.4.4_KXB21.14-L1.57_57_release-keys-cid9.xml.zip
tldr; Can access bootloader, fastboot yes/adb no, all avenues explored, can't fix phone.

Fixed. Sorry
Sent from my Moto G using XDA Free mobile app

Try this version of TWRP: http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g/development/recovery-twrp-2-8-2-0-touch-recovery-t2980621
Boot into it:
fastboot boot twrp.img​
You now have ADB access while in TWRP.
Install XT1031 4.4.4 ROM zip from here: (adb push rom.zip /sdcard/)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g/development/rom-stock-motorola-rom-collection-t2854688​

[Q] Google OG Pixel problems soft bricked

Hello everyone,
I have an OG Pixel 5'', the stock Android was 7.1.2 and I updated it to Android 8.1 Oreo. Bootloader is unlocked, and I am able to install a TWRP 3.2.1-0 no problems. Phone at the time worked well. Now I have tried to flash an ElementalX Kernel on my device. This worked and I managed to boot. However, a message "There is an internal problem with your device, please contact the manufacturer". There is a thread to fix this and I should have done my research better.
Anyway, I went into TWRP and did a complete wipe of the phone, thinking that I could have just boot into TWRP again and copy the stock flashable zips to reflash the ROM.
It turns out that:
a) TWRP doesnt work. I.e when I got into fastboot mode (Power + Volume Down) and selected Recovery, the phone flashed to screen with Google image and then flashed back into the one with the green Android.
b) I managed to boot twrp via fastboot from my computer. So I booted into fastboot mode, and then on my computer, did: fastboot boot <twrp3.2.1.zip>. This worked and I managed to get into TWRP again. However, I cannot transfer file to flash. I.e when the phone showed up on my computer in TWRP, I cannot drag and drop anything into mounted folder.
I have tried the following to get stock ROM from this website: https://developers.google.com/android/images
a) I decided to look at ADB Sideload. So from the above website, I downloaded the zip files under Full OTA Images and then in TWRP, I went into Advance and chose ADB SIdeload. On my computer, I did "adb sideload name_of_zip_file_downloaded". The process started but ended very quickly, the finished time was 0.00 second, which means that nothing happened. Clearly, TWRP console showed that it is unable to mount /data and other folders. I guess the reason is that I am running a "live" TWRP? I checked by going back to TWRP mainscreen and tried to mount. However, all hard drives show 0MB (OTA USB and the main drive).
b) I used factory images approach by downloading zip from the same website, but this time under Factory Images. For this one, I unzip the files to a separate folder. Then I did flash-all.sh script but it said that my fastboot is too old.
So... to fix fastboot, I tried: (I am on Ubuntu 16.04.02)
a) Remove whole android fastboot with sudo apt-get remove, then reinstalled => Did not work. Still fastboot is too old
b) Download entire Android SDK from here: https://developer.android.com/studio/install.html. Fastboot still didnt work
c) From the Android Studio website, I tried to download just the command line tools. However, I could not find the folder with fastboot in it. A Google search shows that the fastboot and adb should be in platform-tools folder. Couldnt find any
Once again, I apologize for a very very long thread (It's 5am and I am trying to figure this thing out). Please, let me know if you guys can offer any help. Any help is greatly appreciated. FYI, I am coming from a Moto Z Play, and if things happen I would just boot into TWRP and copy the zip over. Clearly, this is not the case. This is my 1st Pixel as well.
Please let me know and thank you very very much.

Installing ex messes with the boot.IMG you need to reflash twrp after. Also don't manually flash stock zips that doesn't even make any sense. Download the latest android sdk or base platform tools then get the latest factory image and extract it into platform tools. Then go into fastboot and manually flash the official factory image

To use fastboot on ubuntu you have to put sudo infront of the command: sudo fastboot ........, Because of a permissions thing.
Sent from my Google Pixel using XDA Labs

Thank you everyone. I have managed to reflash the OS. Gonna stay with stock kernel

maxwell0312 said:
Thank you everyone. I have managed to reflash the OS. Gonna stay with stock kernel
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Click to collapse
I personally recommend using a custom kernel just make sure to follow the OP exactly. As the kernel and twrp are usually stored in the boot.img together and the kernel overwrites the boot.img the problem was likely that you just did things in the wrong order which would cause twrp to be removed. Typically the order of installing custom stuff from stock goes this way: flash_all to restore stock boot.img, boot twrp, factory wipe, flash rom, flash twrp, boot rom, reboot into recovery, flash kernel, flash twrp, reboot system, reboot recovery, flash magisk. Some rooms vary as they may require you to do things like flash a vendor img or delete the vendor overlay folder(always follow OP).

Mi mix 3 Global ROM bootloop

I'll start by apologizing if this has been solved elsewhere I have searched but found no answers.
I have the global variant and was rooted with twrp. I wanted the ota update so I unrooted and updated. Today I had some time so I flashed twrp wiped and entered bootloop. I attempted a full factory reset through twrp but still bootlooped. I have fastboot rom and have attempted to use miflash to fix it but get the "cannot found lock.bat" error though when first starting miflash I get the "can't find flash script" error. The drivers are properly installed yet the error persists. I cannot get adb to sideload which is, I'm guessing because of the wipe removing debugging mode? Is there any way to get the ROM image to the phone(I tried adb push command but says no device. Yet flashing recovery works so I know it's connected and recognized) so I can flash it via TWRP or the stock recovery img to flash and work from there? I'm kind of at a loss here. Am I now the proud owner of a very neat paper weight? I seriously hope not as I'm not exactly made of money and I've only owned the phone for a couple months.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Update
I have managed to get adb push to start sending global v10.2.2.0 to the root folder. I'm hoping this will allow me to flash from twrp.
Mota420 said:
I'll start by apologizing if this has been solved elsewhere I have searched but found no answers.
I have the global variant and was rooted with twrp. I wanted the ota update so I unrooted and updated. Today I had some time so I flashed twrp wiped and entered bootloop. I attempted a full factory reset through twrp but still bootlooped. I have fastboot rom and have attempted to use miflash to fix it but get the "cannot found lock.bat" error though when first starting miflash I get the "can't find flash script" error. The drivers are properly installed yet the error persists. I cannot get adb to sideload which is, I'm guessing because of the wipe removing debugging mode? Is there any way to get the ROM image to the phone(I tried adb push command but says no device. Yet flashing recovery works so I know it's connected and recognized) so I can flash it via TWRP or the stock recovery img to flash and work from there? I'm kind of at a loss here. Am I now the proud owner of a very neat paper weight? I seriously hope not as I'm not exactly made of money and I've only owned the phone for a couple months.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Update 2 phone working but still confused.
Pushing the ROM via ADB did indeed allow me to flash from twrp and restore the phone. My question now is why did it happen? Is the new OTA MIUI 10.3... update incompatible with twrp or did something anomalous happen with the flash? I flashed exactly the same method I used with the 10.2.2 ROM a few weeks ago....

OTA's should only be used when completely stock! Even though you uninstalled root, there were still system modifications that more than likely caused your issues. The fastboot version of the firmware is different than the TWRP image. You can not flash a TWRP image via fastboot, hence the missing scripts and bat files. If you had actually downloaded the fastboot image, you would have had a flash_all.bat file that would have returned your device completely to stock with a single run of that file.

Thanks for the reply and information. I actually expected my issues to begin upon installing the ota update and was quite surprised that it updated without error. What confuses me is how flashing twrp after the update caused the issues. I went through the normal process when flashing twrp and still ended up bootlooped. I made the mistake of thinking boot.img was the old stock recovery i renamed when i first rooted and flashing that as recovery. Obviously this was not the recovery file but fastboot. It was then that panic mode kicked in and things went from bad to worse. I formatted planning to flash the stock rom via adb which didn't work. Given that I never touched the fastboot image on the phone I'm confused on how the bat files and scripts weren't found.
I'll admit I'm not extremely well versed in this area.
Is it possible that the ota update contained different bat files and scripts than the previous rom had? Which would cause miflash to not recognize them when attempting to flash an older rom? I'm sorry if my questions are ignorant lol. I'm a process guy and a troubleshooter by nature which means even though I've resolved the issue, I need to figure out what caused it.
Would flashing fastboot to the phone as the recovery image have screwed up the bat and scripts? Having two instances of boot.img on the partition messed it up maybe? Was it the formatting even though I was still able to boot into fastboot after? Or was it something that happened during the unrooting and updating that messed it up and it didn't manifest until I flashed twrp? Like I said the update worked fine and the phone was fully functional until I tried to reroot.
Thanks again for taking the time to help. It's definitely appreciated.

Mota420 said:
Thanks for the reply and information. I actually expected my issues to begin upon installing the ota update and was quite surprised that it updated without error. What confuses me is how flashing twrp after the update caused the issues. I went through the normal process when flashing twrp and still ended up bootlooped. I made the mistake of thinking boot.img was the old stock recovery i renamed when i first rooted and flashing that as recovery. Obviously this was not the recovery file but fastboot. It was then that panic mode kicked in and things went from bad to worse. I formatted planning to flash the stock rom via adb which didn't work. Given that I never touched the fastboot image on the phone I'm confused on how the bat files and scripts weren't found.
I'll admit I'm not extremely well versed in this area.
Is it possible that the ota update contained different bat files and scripts than the previous rom had? Which would cause miflash to not recognize them when attempting to flash an older rom? I'm sorry if my questions are ignorant lol. I'm a process guy and a troubleshooter by nature which means even though I've resolved the issue, I need to figure out what caused it.
Would flashing fastboot to the phone as the recovery image have screwed up the bat and scripts? Having two instances of boot.img on the partition messed it up maybe? Was it the formatting even though I was still able to boot into fastboot after? Or was it something that happened during the unrooting and updating that messed it up and it didn't manifest until I flashed twrp? Like I said the update worked fine and the phone was fully functional until I tried to reroot.
Thanks again for taking the time to help. It's definitely appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OTA's are not a complete image. It is a partial update that only replaces what it has to replace. If MiFlash dis not recognize the image, it was either the wrong image or a corrupt image.
Sometimes updates to the system and recovery partitions fix exploits that things like root and TWRP take advantage of.
Fastboot isn't something you flash to the phone. It is a command line used to flash a dull factory image to the device properly. You do not need MiFlash to flash a fastboot factory image. All you do is extract the full image to your ADB folder unless it is system wide, boot your device into the bootloader, connect ir to your PC, and run the flash_all.bat command contained in the folder you extracted. A command prompt window will open, everything will complete after about a few minutes the window will close, and your phone will reboot.

So the "fastboot" rom is a rom designed to be flashed using fastboot? The miflash error was given because the rom I was trying to flash was corrupted. That makes sense as I'd never known of a fastboot rom before. But it has been a few years since I rooted and romd my phone. I always did the typical flash from the rom image from twrp. I'm still not sure how I got myself in a boot loop unless when I wiped after flashing twrp I accidentally selected another option that erased more than I wanted.. Which makes perfect sense. I knew it had to be an ID10T error lol.
Thanks for the explanation.