[Q] Best way to identify a cheaper tablet? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

A relative of mine has a cheap tablet and it's pretty beaten up. However, he wants to give it to his niece and isn't of a mind to buy a better one. He got it second hand, and the thing turns on, and goes to an "android" screen. There, it does nothing. It freezes and stays that way until it dies. I was wondering what the best way to go about trying to fix this thing. Would identifying it be the first thing and if so, could anyone offer some guidance? I'm no stranger to rooting and flashing custom roms and the like, just not sure where I'd start. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bump

ninjames, have you checked if this device has a recovery installed. If you are lucky and find the correct buttons to boot to recovery maybe resetting to factory defauls will bring it back to life.
Can post a link to a picture of your device (front and back). Maybe someone will recognize it and will point you to a stock rom which you can reflash.

- Identify the device (OEM, model etc.)
- If it's a "known" OEM, it probably has its own forum section here, so check that out for more help if that's the case.
- Try to google "device name + model + bootloader buttons", and if you're lucky, the bootloader will have its own stock recovery (like Samsungs, LGs etc.)

Related

[Q] Bricked unlocked tf201? Stuck on ASUS / Nvidia boot screen, with APX

I am pretty sure I know the answer but want to make sure its true as its a costly issue: I did some searching and found a lot of threads with different options over the last few years, so just want to confirm; I have:
Asus Transformer Prime TF201, unlocked with latest ICS official (WW) installed via SD Card
I was intending on giving the tablet away to a family member, so decided to factory reset the device. I went to the PWR+VOL Down menu, and selected wipe which I read was the way to perform a factor reset. After a long time of this process, the tablet powered off (was plugged into mains with full batteries). I powered on by pressing PWR button some time later. Now the tablet just boots onto the screen that states "The device is UnLocked" in the top left, ASUS in the middle (and some lies about perfection), and the bottom right "Powered by Nvidia TEGRA".
If I power on:
1. PWR + VOL Down, nothing happens, it boots to the same screen, no menu
2. PWS + VOL UP, the screen is black, the tablet vibrates and if i have it plugged into a PC it detects it in APX mode.
I've tried a full power cycle, and read about the nvflash tool. I unfortunately have no nvflash backups, I'm not sure that tool was around when I unlocked the tablet, and as i'd not been flashing any custom roms (although I had intended) I'd not seen that tool before.
As I understand the state of affairs is:
1. Somehow the bootloader is jiggered, i guess the wipe didn't work right
2. APX is useless if you don't have some backups created with a tool
3. The only current solution is to send it to ASUS and pay almost exactly the same price as a new tablet costs
Is there any other options I can do with an unlocked tablet and only access to APX?
Any likelihood that there is anything that can be done with nvflash in the future without needing a custom backup that is unique per tablet?
I have exactly the same problem please someone help us :angel:
virus4o said:
I have exactly the same problem please someone help us :angel:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem too. Only apx.
Please, Anyone knows any solution for this issue?
Same problem while flashing CM
Aduniel said:
I have the same problem too. Only apx.
Please, Anyone knows any solution for this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My tf is in the same state. Got there when trying to install CM's nightly build.
Bricked TF201 - Stuck in bootscreen
I have the exact same problem. :crying:
Please, I know that there are many brilliant minds in this forum, help us n00bs get out of this mess and lead us into the light. Oh, and bump this thread
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I hate hit and run thread posters so I will provide an update.
I am afraid that my tablet was bricked. No way back from that state after reading the entire internet. I have purchased a replacement motherboard, popped open the case and replaced this. After replacing the motherboard, I now have a working tablet. I wish someone would have documented the NVFlash process requirements previously, but that's the risk of following guides on android sites I guess.
So to summarise the initial post, if you are in that state, at current and likely forever, you are hardbricked and the tablet can not be recovered in that states without a previous backup. The only way for it to be repaired is to send it to Asus who have a database of firmware, etc. and will charge you for repairs (~200€), or to go on ebay and purchase this motherboard:
0K0AMBA000
This will cost you ~80€ + shipping, and you must be comfortable working with electronics. Its mostly very clear when you pop off the case, everything has its place. You will need some plastic case pries and a small screw driver.
spudthedestroyer said:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I hate hit and run thread posters so I will provide an update.
I am afraid that my tablet was bricked. No way back from that state after reading the entire internet. I have purchased a replacement motherboard, popped open the case and replaced this. After replacing the motherboard, I now have a working tablet. I wish someone would have documented the NVFlash process requirements previously, but that's the risk of following guides on android sites I guess.
So to summarise the initial post, if you are in that state, at current and likely forever, you are hardbricked and the tablet can not be recovered in that states without a previous backup. The only way for it to be repaired is to send it to Asus who have a database of firmware, etc. and will charge you for repairs (~200€), or to go on ebay and purchase this motherboard:
0K0AMBA000
This will cost you ~80€ + shipping, and you must be comfortable working with electronics. Its mostly very clear when you pop off the case, everything has its place. You will need some plastic case pries and a small screw driver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This sucks, I did the same exact thing last night factory resetting it to give it to my brother. I still don't understand what exactly I did wrong as I've factory reset this thing before. I had CM on it before but have been using the stock rooted ROM & recovery for the past 6+ months.
bricked?
I've been scouring that internet and haven't been able to find a case exactly like mine, but most are similar. From what I can remember (it's been months since I initially 'bricked' it), I was upgrading a cm nightly and did the data/cache/dalvik wipe like the instructions said and I became stuck in a bootloop after leaving recovery. When I tried volume-down and power, I was left with the original 3 options and after some reboots and shutdowns I ended up doing a factory data wipe. From there, when I rebooted the phone I was left with just 'Wipe Data' and 'Fastboot.' Wipe data does nothing more and when I choose fastboot I am left a message 'Starting fastboot usb download protocol' which never changes.
I have tried to push TWRP onto the device but I can't get into recovery (unless I'm doing something wrong of course). Sorry if I missed a duplicate of my post somewhere on here, but if so can someone at least point me in the right direction? Thanks!
i.imgur.com/LEHNREw.jpg
try another ROM
This has worked for me everytime, possibly due to dud bootloader install or some other thing: so long as I was able to recover to CWM with pwr+vol down, I installed virtuous prime rom. This rom was on sdcard already, not sure if you can get from adb if machine in this state. Anyhow, this virtuous prime rom replaced the booting sequence, restored OS and machine worked again.
Asus TF201 stuck on Asus Logo
My Asus Tablet was slow while browsing, and it had JB 4.1.1 with stock rom, so i tried to unlock the device, which was successful and was planning to push the CM11 Kit Kat. I booted in to recovery mode as i could see the 4 icons and then tried to do wipe data/factory reset and then it rebooted and got stuck on the asus logo and at the right bottow with the message powered by NVIDIA Tegra. I tried all the options to get into recovery and also downloaded drivers on my laptop for APX, but no luck at all. What are my options or if any one was successful to get it fixed. Appreciate any help here from smart guys out there. Thanks
spudthedestroyer said:
I am pretty sure I know the answer but want to make sure its true as its a costly issue: I did some searching and found a lot of threads with different options over the last few years, so just want to confirm; I have:
Asus Transformer Prime TF201, unlocked with latest ICS official (WW) installed via SD Card
I was intending on giving the tablet away to a family member, so decided to factory reset the device. I went to the PWR+VOL Down menu, and selected wipe which I read was the way to perform a factor reset. After a long time of this process, the tablet powered off (was plugged into mains with full batteries). I powered on by pressing PWR button some time later. Now the tablet just boots onto the screen that states "The device is UnLocked" in the top left, ASUS in the middle (and some lies about perfection), and the bottom right "Powered by Nvidia TEGRA".
If I power on:
1. PWR + VOL Down, nothing happens, it boots to the same screen, no menu
2. PWS + VOL UP, the screen is black, the tablet vibrates and if i have it plugged into a PC it detects it in APX mode.
I've tried a full power cycle, and read about the nvflash tool. I unfortunately have no nvflash backups, I'm not sure that tool was around when I unlocked the tablet, and as i'd not been flashing any custom roms (although I had intended) I'd not seen that tool before.
As I understand the state of affairs is:
1. Somehow the bootloader is jiggered, i guess the wipe didn't work right
2. APX is useless if you don't have some backups created with a tool
3. The only current solution is to send it to ASUS and pay almost exactly the same price as a new tablet costs
Is there any other options I can do with an unlocked tablet and only access to APX?
Any likelihood that there is anything that can be done with nvflash in the future without needing a custom backup that is unique per tablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had messrd up my tf101 with cm nightly to. I did manage to get it working again with adb tool of sorts. When im home i will tr y to find it on my comp. Th

[Q] Import tablet stuck at boot logo

Hi,
A friend of mine has asked me to take a look at his tablet. All that happens when powering it on is the android logo and nothing else.
It's a chinese import so I'll give what information I can gain from the tablet.
Model Number: P10AN01
10.1" (by the looks of it)
It has the word "DeLUX" written on the back (stylised as I've written it)
It has a HDMI port (plus all the other standard ports)
That's it.. I don't know how to get into recovery (although I've tried holding every combination of buttons I can think of when powering on).
I have a feeling the ROM can only be re-flashed via the SD card but I wouldn't know where to start in looking for the ROM I need.
I am hoping that most of these dodgy imports are generic and there's a pool of ROMs somewhere that people use and one of you lovely people could direct me to
I do find the occasional thread with the model number listed and some ROMs to download but as I'm not confident that it won't be the wrong ROM I have came seeking advice.
Can anyone offer up any advice?
Thanks for reading
Nobody got any pointers or should I just give up on this?

I'm Not Even Sure What This Is SONY XPERIA Z2 TABLET -VERIZON- POSSIBLE BRICK?

Hey guys, please forgive me for any bad etiquette or lack of information (any information I can provide is available upon request if I leave anything out). I am new to forums in general and especially to XDA, which seems like a good place to get help.
I recently purchased a Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet from Craigslist under the assumption it was a fully unlocked tablet not associated to a carrier. Turns out it was a Verizon Z2 tablet. I dislike Verizon with a firey passion and without getting into too many details, I'm fairly certain they won't help me because a) this tablet wasn't purchased through them as a customer and b) Verizon and I have bad history (unauthorized account modification, shady charges, etc.)
So I thought I'd do my best to make the tablet mine since the asshole who sold it to me has ceased all contact and I don't know how to get a hold of him anymore. No receipt and a data-less tablet.
Anyway, I successfully rooted the tablet and began installing apps that I installed for my G4 when I rooted it (SuperSU, Adaway, Greenify, etc.)
Things were going well but I realised I wanted anything that had to do with Verizon removed from the tablet so I was going to flash Cyanogenmod onto it with a guide I found online. Now rooting and installing custom recoveries was familiar territory and I did these flawlessly. It had TWRP and I made a backup of the system -no Nandroid, sadly-and I began the flashing process. The process said it completed without issue and I went to reboot my device. Enter my current situation:
The device, when I attempted to turn it on, all it did was vibrate constantly until I let go of the power button. Attempting to enter recovery mode (green LED, power + vol down) it showed me, instead of TWRP, a very basic recovery mode with basic options. "Continue booting up", "enter safe mode", "system recovery", and "power down". I tried entering safe mode and it just shut back down, I tried doing a system recovery and it shut down. The only time I ever see the "SONY" logo is if I'm entering this mode. I can enter what I assume is "fastboot mode" (power + vol up and plugging the device into a PC). Nothing on the screen but the LED is blue. I am trying to find guides to restore it if I can and it all looks promising but the only things I know how to really do are root and install custom recovery. I know there are PC tools I can use to send commands to it while it's in fastboot, or send commands in general I just don't know where to begin.
Does anyone know how to fix this? I know it was from Verizon, which sucks, and I know the problem most likely occurred with the attempted flashing of Cyanogenmod. I think I read somewhere I might have done something regarding mismatching kernal numbers. I couldn't find a way to unlock the bootloader so I assume that had something to do with it too.
If someone could give me a guide to restore it to at least its stock ROM where I can begin rooting and installing a custom recovery again, that would be great. Even better would be just flashing a ROM on there that doesn't need Verizon or being able to take it to a stage where it's unlocked and the only evidence it was ever with a carrier is the Verizon logo on the back. I'd really hate to think I wasted money on this and now I'm at a dead end because of a mistake I made. This was supposed to be a gift for my mom on her birthday which is coming up soon. So if anyone knows anything, or has a guide where we can at least get the thing bootable again and I'll just try and deal with a rooted locked device, that would be great.
Thanks for considerations,
Marmalade_Shaws
I have spent time on that screen too.
2 things
1. .. If you installed dual recovery, there is an up, down sequence to select the recovery.
2. Find a downgrade guide, use flashtool to flash. Ft back to stock.
Also you need to know what hardware you are running..511, 561.. And use the proper version.
There are some options with the flashtool and prf maker that can remove branding and vendor stuff. I have not tried those options.
Ez-go said:
I have spent time on that screen too.
2 things
1. .. If you installed dual recovery, there is an up, down sequence to select the recovery.
2. Find a downgrade guide, use flashtool to flash. Ft back to stock.
Also you need to know what hardware you are running..511, 561.. And use the proper version.
There are some options with the flashtool and prf maker that can remove branding and vendor stuff. I have not tried those options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry if this is late... But where can I find the stock? I've searched everywhere and I would need to do it from a flash tool on my PC? I could use all the help I can get.
I just had a very similar experience to the OP, seemingly identical in every way, and am curious if anyone has a solution.
ADB won't function at all, and the bootloader has blocked any sort of flashing via fastboot. Can't boot into TWRP, it goes into a very minimal "recovery," which I imagine is the stock tool, and the Factory Restore option there does absolutely nothing. Flashtool would work great if ADB / Flashmode was at all functional (device blinks and vibrates in a fashion typical of something bricked, and no connection is picked up).
Verizon Z2 Tablets are 561s.
This thing dead or is there some way to push back onto it?

Samsung Boot Loop - How do you work out what software needs flashing via odin?

Suppose a Samsung phone is stuck in a boot loop, getting only as far as the Samsung logo. Recovery mode doesn't work - it only shows a sick robot with 'No Command' and some text about 'applying CSC' (whatever that is) before going back into the boot loop. Download mode works. You can inspect the hardware, and do whatever is necessary in download mode. Aside from that which can be worked out somehow, the history of the phone (original network, firmware installed, what's been flashed to the phone, unlock status etc) is unknown.
What are the possible causes of this boot loop problem? Does anybody actually know, or is everyone just hiding behind comments like 'there are many possible causes', pretending to be knowledgeable when they don't actually know anything? I ask because I really want to know and genuinely have not seen a complete answer to this question after hours of searching and seriously wonder whether anyone actually knows. If there are 'many possible causes', list them and explain how they result in a boot loop.
How do you work out what software needs flashing to repair the phone? If it can't be worked out, is there a sure-fire way of flashing all of the necessary software so that it will definitely work?
For any phone model, there are many firmwares available, according to country, carrier, and firmware date. What actually governs whether a given firmware is going to work on the phone? Surely the hardware is pretty much always the same? So why does the firmware version matter as long as you get the right phone model?
If the model of the phone is significant (i.e., it isn't possible to give a general answer to these questions that can be followed for any model of Samsung phone), please explain why it is significant for your answer (rather than hiding behind that as an excuse for not answering), and then assume an S4 mini.
Thanks.
Thread moved to Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting.
Regards,
Wood Man
Forum Moderator

Samsung J7

Hi there,
I'm hoping someone can help me. I bought a second hand Samsung J7. It seemed to work fine but then when I had to restart the phone when it was at about 28% battery, it would start to boot and then turn off, I had to charge it to bring it back on. After this happening a number of times I looked for some help online and was advised to do a soft reset. When I did this, the phone came on and had a page entitled "Unmodified System Partition" again I looked this up and it appears that the phone has been rooted and TWRP has been installed.
Is there a way of getting rid of anything the previous owner did and get the phone up and running for a noob to use, as if bought brand new? And could the restart/battery issue be related or should I get a new battery?
I'm not tech savy, but I'm not a technophobe either, and any help I would really appreciated, so my son can have his first phone!
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Kindest regards xx
Claireabel said:
Hi there,
I'm hoping someone can help me. I bought a second hand Samsung J7. It seemed to work fine but then when I had to restart the phone when it was at about 28% battery, it would start to boot and then turn off, I had to charge it to bring it back on. After this happening a number of times I looked for some help online and was advised to do a soft reset. When I did this, the phone came on and had a page entitled "Unmodified System Partition" again I looked this up and it appears that the phone has been rooted and TWRP has been installed.
Is there a way of getting rid of anything the previous owner did and get the phone up and running for a noob to use, as if bought brand new? And could the restart/battery issue be related or should I get a new battery?
I'm not tech savy, but I'm not a technophobe either, and any help I would really appreciated, so my son can have his first phone!
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Kindest regards xx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your phone is in a boot loop because the previous owner messed something up. You can either flash a stock ROM via Odin or an easier way since you have TWRP installed is flash a custom ROM found on XDA. Make sure to read the info and the install instruction involve flashing with TWRP. Custom ROM can be found here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-j7-2017/development. I looked really quick this one is easy to install: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-j7-2017/development/rom-cleanoreov1-t3875903

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