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Asus Padfone 2 - softbrick after SKU change + Fix

Hi Guys,
Just thought I'd provide a warning and a fix to a half day ordeal recovering from a soft-brick after wanting to make the switch from TW to WWE.
What made this all go wrong?
I have a Padfone 2 which had the latest TW_A68-10.4.17.15
I have a accidentally turned off adb USB debugging mode
The process:
I unlocked my bootloader using the ASUS official unlocker.
I had then install 2.7.0.1 twrp which didn’t work
Install 2.5.0.0 twrp which did.
Forgot to do a backup which I usually did, but guess I thought that I have done this so many times, nothing would go wrong.
DON’T GET COCKY BACKUP FIRST.
Opted for the easy way out and write to system VIA twrp using zip, which was reported to work.
This installed and didn’t report any error.
After reboot, app.phone and another OS programs crashed constantly and rebooted.
I removed my sim and this stopped the crashed apps, but not the reboots.
I realised I was in a whole world of trouble and it was only at this moment did I realise that I didn’t have USB Debugging turned on. Frantically tried to enable it in between reboots, but failed and was now presented with only a ASUS spinning circle of death, or even better later, only the which ASUS logo before it reached it.
All I had available was fastboot and twrp.
You’d think this was an easy fix, but I didn’t have a usable/original rom on the /data/media a.k.a /sdcard partition.
Note: have a handful of roms including your original rom saved on the phone before trying anything, as this phone has no access to external storage when all goes pear shaped.
I wiped caches, didn’t work.
I then wiped data, which then deleted the only rom I had access to. So I couldn’t even now retry installing from zip.
ADB didn’t work from any recovery including CWM 6.0.4.4
I was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.
The recovery:
Installed twrp 2.6.3.0 was persistent with ADB sideload, even though I didn’t have USB Debugging enabled.
Note: ADB sideload will still work even if you don’t have USB Debugging enabled. It’ll either take a min or two to register on your computer, but if not reboot and reboot again to get it to register.
Sideloaded the wrong firmware file again.
Note: If you are trying to sideload the original firmware, extract the zip “TW_PadFone2_user_10_4_17_15_UpdateLauncher.zip” and sideload the zip hiding within “ASUS” -> “Update” -> “TW_A68-10.4.17.15-0-ota-user.zip”
After another long time trying to get the ADB device to register, finally got a second chance and got back to the original firmware.
Did this deter me from the switch from TW to WWE. HELL NO!!
Enable ADB USB Debugging
Make sure you push the rom WWE to your /sdcard partition
How to do it right.
Load the original recovery attached recovery.stock.img
Reboot into recovery and select "apply update from external storage" and choose the zip file to flash.
This will fail! It's what it's meant to do
At this point the recovery changes the partition table and then restarts.
On reboot we will have a nice "Installation aborted", this because, being changed the partition table, the recovery can not find the file to flash as it the partition containing the data has been reformed losing its contents. So you will need to copy the file again via adb.
Select "wipe data / factory reset"
You need to do a wipe, because it formats the partition where we will send the file. Having just changed, the partition has not a file system and so it must be formatted to save something on it.
Upon rebooting to ADB stopped working under the stock recovery. It registered with my computer but the command to repush the WWE rom to /data/media kept failing.
Rebooted into fastboot and install twrp 2.6.3.0. At this stage as I knew that the partition table had been updated, I sideloaded the WWE rom, which works more reliably when it's originally enabled
Did a Wiped cache for safe measure
Reboot and welcome to another 2GBs of space and WWE firmware.
NOTE: Always flash the inner zip “TW_A68-10.4.17.15-0-ota-user.zip” not the outer zip “TW_PadFone2_user_10_4_17_15_UpdateLauncher.zip”

freak4916 said:
Load the original recovery attached recovery.stock.img
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where can I find this?

[Q] CM12 stuck on loop?

Howdy'
So it's a Moto G X1032, rooted and unlocked bootloader using MotoTool. Stayed on stock for a while until today, I downloaded the CM12 nightly "cm-12-20150119-NIGHTLY-falcon.zip" on a laptop, and this is what went through in order
1. Updated CWM recovery to "recovery-clockwork-6.0.4.7-falcon.img" using ADB
2. Rebooted
3. Copied "cm-12-20150119-NIGHTLY-falcon.zip" and "pa_gapps-modular-mini-5.0.1-BETA12-20150116-signed.zip" and "BETA-SuperSU-v2.44.zip" to SD Card (Root Folder)
4. Reboot into CWM Recovery 6.0.4.7 using power and volume key then 'recovery'
5. Wipe data/factory reset
6. wipe cache partition
7. advanced - wipe dalvik cache - then go back to main menu
8. install zip
9. choose zip from /sdcard
10. 0/
11. cm-12-20150119-NIGHTLY-falcon.zip (Success)
12. pa_gapps-modular-mini-5.0.1-BETA12-20150116-signed.zip (Error Status 6 - Installation aborted) (never mind it, I continue by going back to menu)
13. BETA-SuperSU-v2.44.zip
14. Reboot
15. Root access possibly lost. Fix? No / Yes - Fix root (/system/xbin/su)
16. Yes
17. Motorola Logo
18. Cyanogenmod Blue Evil Android thingie with a rotating arrow appears
19. Stuck like that for more than an hour
20. I google a bit, some say it's super su, some say it's false alarm
21. I remember I had an old supersu.zip in the root folder back from when I first rooted using MotoTools
22. Go back in recovery do the whole thing again but this time with the old supersu
23. Reboot - Stuck on the evil blue android
24. Can't access anything of course other than recovery
25. I come here to ask you for help
Update 1: I flashed the newest supersu and rebooted into recovery from the advanced menu, but it gave the Root access possibly lost. I did it again but this time with the old supersu file I had there and rebooted into recovery, no Root access possibly lost message. So I install the cm12 nightly, but sadly the root access lost message appears again. I'm guessing this is the whole problem. Any ideas?
Update 2: Wiped everything, flashed the good old supersu, flashed cm 12 nightly, flashed the old supersu again, rebooted with no error messages. Yay! Right? No! Still stuck on the evil blue android
Note: Back when I was on stock before any of this, I had super user and not supersu, if it makes any difference to diagnosing this whole thing
Thanks for any help!!

Fixed
For anyone facing the same problem, it's all in the root. The root was not 5.0 capable. You have to download CF Auto Root (newest version supports 5.0). Links in this article
and in case you get an error of wrong path, you can edit the cmd command to point to the files by navigating using CMD to /tools
C:\Windows>cd ..
C:\>cd CF-Auto-Root-falconumts-falconreteu-xt1032\tools
C:\CF-Auto-Root-falconumts-falconreteu-xt1032\tools>fastboot-windows.exe oem unlock (it will give error if you're already unlocked, that's ok)
... OKAY
C:\CF-Auto-Root-falconumts-falconreteu-xt1032\tools>fastboot-windows.exe boot ..\image\CF-Auto-Root-falconumts-falconreteu-xt1032.img
downloading 'boot.img'... OKAY
booting... OKAY
CM12 will boot just fine after that. Just do a fresh install "if necessary"
Thanks incrjaysen for that last step of editing the path.
All works now

Auto Encryption ROM 47.2.A.10.62

I was trying to apply the installation of the eXistenZ (https://forum.xda-developers.com/xz...om-existenz-pie-v3-5-0-beta-31-01-19-t3895452)
But aside from that I found the following problem:
Following the instructions I downloaded the last ROM, I specifically downloaded the G8141_Customized UK_1308-5320_47.2.A.10.62_R3C
First of all I made a clean flash and restart, then I installed the TWRP v.3.3.1 via ADB, next the Magisk 19.3, later reboot the system normally and finally a tried to do the part of rebooting in the recovery and wiping data, cache, dalvic, etc.
However I noted that when the system started up the first time (after flashing) it appears a legend describing a process of encryption, it said the cel phone was going to be encrypted and it restarted once again.
When I start in the recovery mode and slide the bar to authorize to modify system partition nothing happens.
The first try I stored the Magisk.apk file in the internal memory but in TWRP interface the system partition is not mounted, the storage space says is 0 GM (or mb).
I started up the system one more time, trying to disable the encrypted function but is not possible, I disable Find my Device function as administrator maybe thinking it was the reason deactivating encryption was blocked but nothing.
I have to mention that when I enter recovery mode is not asking me to enter any pass or pin as it does when there is a pin protected phone.
Please can anyone help me to find the solution to this problem

Zur75 said:
I was trying to apply the installation of the eXistenZ (https://forum.xda-developers.com/xz...om-existenz-pie-v3-5-0-beta-31-01-19-t3895452)
But aside from that I found the following problem:
Following the instructions I downloaded the last ROM, I specifically downloaded the G8141_Customized UK_1308-5320_47.2.A.10.62_R3C
First of all I made a clean flash and restart, then I installed the TWRP v.3.3.1 via ADB, next the Magisk 19.3, later reboot the system normally and finally a tried to do the part of rebooting in the recovery and wiping data, cache, dalvic, etc.
However I noted that when the system started up the first time (after flashing) it appears a legend describing a process of encryption, it said the cel phone was going to be encrypted and it restarted once again.
When I start in the recovery mode and slide the bar to authorize to modify system partition nothing happens.
The first try I stored the Magisk.apk file in the internal memory but in TWRP interface the system partition is not mounted, the storage space says is 0 GM (or mb).
I started up the system one more time, trying to disable the encrypted function but is not possible, I disable Find my Device function as administrator maybe thinking it was the reason deactivating encryption was blocked but nothing.
I have to mention that when I enter recovery mode is not asking me to enter any pass or pin as it does when there is a pin protected phone.
Please can anyone help me to find the solution to this problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wipe cache and data
To factory reset and then boot your system
Turn off / flash twrp/ restart/turn off / enter twrp/ magisk / restart to twrp/flash existenz/ reboot
You will loose all data

Yes i have same problem. When use TWP Swipe but always failed
I try use flashtools, flash .ftf firmware .62 and choose all swipe in box Flashtools.
Now, folder is working.
You can try.

ngocthang26 said:
Yes i have same problem. When use TWP Swipe but always failed
I try use flashtools, flash .ftf firmware .62 and choose all swipe in box Flashtools.
Now, folder is working.
You can try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry, didn't understand you, did you fallow the sequence karrouma gave me in the first answer?

Magisk root > bootloop > Stock ROM > success

I have almost finished setting up new Redmi 6.
After rooting, getting TWRP on the phone I have reinstated all apps trough TitaniumBackup. I have reinstated too many apps from TB and at some point I have removed 1 or 2 apps too many that I thought are only from TB...
Inside TB I went into system apps and deleted apps wit: Backup copy [APK + backup]. Before I realised that apps with backup were actually original Xiaomi appswas too late, I had few warnings later and phone rebooted but couldn't boot into system.
This way I got rid of:
com.android.providers.telephony
com.android.phone
I could recreate what I have removed going into old phone and seeing which apps are backed up from system...
Can you help me to get apps back trough TWRP or FASTBOOT?
USB debugging was still on last time
My SD card is formatted as part of internal storage
TWRP File Manager can browse ROOT folder
It is newest ROM for Redmi6, [V10.3.6.0.OCGMIXM_], can someone provide copy of APKs please?
When in TWRP I mount system only, and try to [wipe dalvik] I get messages:
Failed to wipe dalvik
Updating partition details...
df /external_sd > /tmp/dfoutput.txt process ended with ERROR: 1
df /external_sd > /tmp/dfoutput.txt process ended with ERROR: 1
...done
Unable to mount storage
I almost will not loose any data, but:
if I can I'd like to move missing apps back to /app/data/ OR /system/app/ ? to recover system so it starts
if need be I will flash Xiaomi ROM and start from scratch but will loose many h of hard work on de-bloating etc [I hope that flashing original ROM will be easy since TWRP is working fine]
During TWRP - ADB sideload:
HTML:
adb install com.android.phone.apk
error: device '(null)' not found
- waiting for device -
What can I do???
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turns out I had to flash original stock
Xiaomi guide is terrible and out of date, so:
there are prerequisites required, like ADB, drivers, that is well explained on Xiaomi site, then...
download original stock for fastboot >>> unpack folder XXX sitting inside 2 archives [it's not zip] >>> download/install and run XiaoMiFlash.exe >>> SELECT button - navigate to unpacked folder XXX >>> attach mobile >>> refresh = device will appear on list >>> FLASH
Read official xiaomi instructions on flashing original ROM just in case something will get updated
Why not any other way?
In TWRP it asked me for a password at the start
I couldn't get /system/ or /data/ mounted, wiped or formatted.
I have seen folks giving advice on how to do it, but often it didn't make sense or it didn't work.
I would be risking bricking new device by other methods & I had no more than 3 pictures to loose on flashing ROM and hours spent on doing up.
Interesting is, there really wasn't even one working advice on how to mount i.e. /system in TWRP when password is missing in booted operating system [like my case, I couldn't find any info on that, all at some point were going to advice to do something that required mounted /system or /data]
But then I just finished whole process of flashing stock ROM; I have set [1. simple password] then [PIN], went to TWRP, tried to use OS password/PIN and it didn't work, it didn't remove encryption .
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found a solution on how to root the phone after all above.
After another Original stock ROM 10.3.6.0.OCGMIXM flash with XiaoMiFlash.exe, phone will automatically restart and start OS
But... I didn't let it to boot
Once it restarted I have pressed Vol- [button down] and waited for fastboot to load [no need to hold power button]
Installed TWRP 3.0.0.0
Restarted
Hold Vol+ [button up]
TWRP loads
CANCEL if asks for password
----------------------
INSTALL boot.img [when you flash stock ROM it is inside folder, just copy it across]
in MOUNT tick /vendor & /system
use back button to exit MOUNT
INSTALL Magisk 19.3.zip
clean dalvik cache and swipe
I have once again restarted to RECOVERY/TWRP
------------------------
When OS booted I couldn't run/start Magisk APK/aplication. Screen blinked and that's all. Root not working.
download Magisk Manager [7.3.4 in my case] from web & install
I could start application this time & it asked me to install something extra - I have chosen to install it right away
Magisk reboots phone
Now phone was finally rooted
---------------------
I used external USB attached to phone with files so I didn't need to copy files to phone.
This is much more convenient as after restarting to TWRP first time there is nothing on the phone and you would have to sideload.
---------------------------
Below is LibreOffice doc with ADB commands to uninstall bloatware. In the column next to uninstalling commands, are commands to instal same app back [I do not know will this always work since I tried only on few] [some missing - you can create it yourself]
Potentially further down the list there are more necessary apps. Uninstalling them did not cause problems in my set up, but sometimes they might be needed for less important stuff...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xpfeh4wx1nv5dlf/Bloatware removal + SD as internal.ods?dl=0

I need help with root after update

I've used my phone for days without issues, with unlocked bootloader, TWRP and magisk root.
I've also made all OTAs and maintained also root following these steps successfully:
Make sure to disable Automatic system updates (Settings -> Developer options) if this is your first time doing something like this.
Magisk Manager -> Uninstall -> Restore Images
This will restore the boot to stock
Do not reboot yet or you'll uninstall Magisk and won't have a good time
Apply OTA (Settings -> System -> System Update)
Seriously, do not restart
Magisk Manager -> Install -> Install to Inactive Slot (After OTA)
After the installation is done, press the reboot button in Magisk Manager
But with latest update, after reboot, I've loose the phone capabilities since the phone app crashed everytime and also SIM was not detected. So after many tries to remove and reinsert the SIM, with no success, I've disinstalled magisk and rebooted the phone. After reboot the SIM worked again with phone functions.
But now can I Re-Install magisk?
I've tried booting TWRP.img but after I put my password the phone doesn't recognize it and doesn't decrypt data so if I want to pass a file like TWRP.img to flash it definitely or magisk root is not possible since I can't mount usb data or transfer files with adb sideload

May I ask what version you are on OOS?