[VIDEO] Unlock, Root, & Clockwork for the Nexus 7 Tablet

[2defmouze]

thank you for your quick reply. I had used cd to change the directory.

c:\nexus7>fastboot oem unlock

that is what I have as the full command

So you have to make sure that folder (nexus7, in your C drive in this example) contains the fastboot.exe file available in the OP. Also if the file is named anything different such as fastboot-windows.exe, just alter the command, i.e.
fastboot-windows oem unlock

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[ragnarokx]

thank you for your quick reply. I had used cd to change the directory.

c:\nexus7>fastboot oem unlock

that is what I have as the full command

CD c:\
CD nexus7
fastboot oem unlock

 

[jenskristian]

I have a problem after the upgrade to Android 4.2.1 with CWM. I have tried to flash CWM using the method in this thread numerous times, but I still end up with the dead Android with the red warning triangle after a reboot. Does anyone have any other things I can try?

Edit:
I figured it out. This solved it for me.

 

[Darkson71]

Okay, complete noob at this, and I have a couple of questions.

Firstly, I'm using XP (not Vista or whatever's in the video), so my device manager screens are different. When I browse to "C:\Universal_Naked_Driver" I don't get the automated driver bit. Where do I go from there?
I also have two subfolders - which one do I choose?


Help, as I'm getting hacked off with WMP not wanting to sync, and the 4 songs I've managed to copy across are getting old.

[Edit] Never mind - not sure what I did, but it worked eventually. Had to add the "supersu.zip" to my sdcard also, but managed that.
I believe I now have a rooted Nexus - just need to download some apps and see.

Thanks.

[Edit II] I do indeed - fantastic.

 

[CompuDino]

Alternatively, you can just start the tablet, wait for your computer to recognize it as a device, then drag and drop supersu.zip into the tablet.

OK, I'm a bit freaked out at this moment but I definitely need to get some HELP as my attempt to follow this video didn't work and I'm not sure what to do to either make this work or change what I need to make it work.

I was able to follow the steps up to pushing the Supersu.zip file. The tablet displayed error messages - at the bottom of the screen - that said -
E: can't mount /cache/recovery/command
E: can't mount /cache/recovery/recovery/log
E; can't open /cache/recovery/log
E: can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log
E: can't open /cache/recovery/last_log

At this point I searched thru this topic thread for hints and clues, tried, as suggested, re entering the pushing supersu.zip commands again, still error messages, again, more error messages and figured I wasn't going to get the rooting happening at this point so I powered off and the table came back on appearing just like in the video. I signed on thru the screens and looked in apps but NO # (supersu) there so obviously the rooting didn't happen.

OK, I am game to drag and drop the supersu.zip file onto the tablet BUT WHERE?!? To the main Nexus 7 folder OR to the Internal Storage folder OR to WHICH folder in the Internal Storage folder? Downloads? Yep I'm a grass green newbie to android, but please understand that directions such as 'drag onto tablet' need a bit more detail for me to execute it successfully.

I appreciate all you do and am willing to give this another go if I can get past this stopping point (and another doesn't trip me up next).

 

[2defmouze]

OK, I'm a bit freaked out at this moment but I definitely need to get some HELP as my attempt to follow this video didn't work and I'm not sure what to do to either make this work or change what I need to make it work.

I was able to follow the steps up to pushing the Supersu.zip file. The tablet displayed error messages - at the bottom of the screen - that said -
E: can't mount /cache/recovery/command
E: can't mount /cache/recovery/recovery/log
E; can't open /cache/recovery/log
E: can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log
E: can't open /cache/recovery/last_log

At this point I searched thru this topic thread for hints and clues, tried, as suggested, re entering the pushing supersu.zip commands again, still error messages, again, more error messages and figured I wasn't going to get the rooting happening at this point so I powered off and the table came back on appearing just like in the video. I signed on thru the screens and looked in apps but NO # (supersu) there so obviously the rooting didn't happen.

OK, I am game to drag and drop the supersu.zip file onto the tablet BUT WHERE?!? To the main Nexus 7 folder OR to the Internal Storage folder OR to WHICH folder in the Internal Storage folder? Downloads? Yep I'm a grass green newbie to android, but please understand that directions such as 'drag onto tablet' need a bit more detail for me to execute it successfully.

I appreciate all you do and am willing to give this another go if I can get past this stopping point (and another doesn't trip me up next).

Drag and drop it to the main folder that comes up on your computer when it's plugged in.. this is the root of your sd card. The boot back into the bootloader, fastboot yourself into the custom recovery, and find the file and flash it. Shouldn't be a problem

 

[CompuDino]

MAYBE THIS WILL HELP - Copy the c:\nexus7\supersu.zip file to this N7 Internal Storage drive. Just stick it in the root along with the folders, Android, DCIM etc...

Thanks a million! I had seen the suggestion to drag-and-drop the supersu.zip folder over to the Nexus, but you - bless you!! - told me WHERE to 'drop' in. Before I felt like I could 'drop' in a limbo location that not only wouldn't this process be able to use, but that I couldn't find to either remove or move to proper placement. This newbie thanks you sooooo much for being specific in your instructions!!

 

[CompuDino]

I already have this info in post #3, but I like your explanation better. Going to use it instead.

GREAT idea, hope you also edit that post to include the specific 'to' location for moving supersu.zip to. The more complete and updated the instructions - as EARLY (beginning of thread/pages) as possible, the less chance we followers will have to miss it or bag out due to frustration or fear. Thanks!

 

[CompuDino]

Personally I recommend TWRP instead of CWM Recovery. I've been using it for months on my Gnex and now my Nex7 and have never had an issue with it. The interface is nicer and it's very fast.

You can download a fastboot-able img of it from their site (will try to include a link in a few) or just use the Goomanager app to flash it for you. Once you go TWRP you won't go back to CWM, imo.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I am slowly reading thru this thread - mainly hunting for hints, help and encouragement to give rooting another go after slamming into the 'sdcard/supersu.zip' wall on my first attempt at rooting. I have seen your link to TWRP (next post after this one), but wonder if you have/will either make an 'updated' or TWRP video to guide us new to rooting members thru the commands needed to flash this instead of Clockwork?!? Just a question and thought.

 

[dmmarck]

I am slowly reading thru this thread - mainly hunting for hints, help and encouragement to give rooting another go after slamming into the 'sdcard/supersu.zip' wall on my first attempt at rooting. I have seen your link to TWRP (next post after this one), but wonder if you have/will either make an 'updated' or TWRP video to guide us new to rooting members thru the commands needed to flash this instead of Clockwork?!? Just a question and thought.

Same commands in fastboot, just use the appropriate file name.

Sent from my Overly Suspicious Robotic Grouper

 

[2defmouze]

I am slowly reading thru this thread - mainly hunting for hints, help and encouragement to give rooting another go after slamming into the 'sdcard/supersu.zip' wall on my first attempt at rooting. I have seen your link to TWRP (next post after this one), but wonder if you have/will either make an 'updated' or TWRP video to guide us new to rooting members thru the commands needed to flash this instead of Clockwork?!? Just a question and thought.

Same commands in fastboot, just use the appropriate file name.

Sent from my Overly Suspicious Robotic Grouper

What he said, lol. Just replace the cwm.zip filename with the twrp one, whatever it is called. Other than that everything is the same. The interface of TWRP is different than CWM but very easy to navigate, you should be fine. It is a much better recovery

 

[CompuDino]

An indication that the push probably didn't work is if your command prompt returns '* daemon not running. starting it now *' and '* daemon started successfully *' during the push command.

This was indeed what I saw and I'd say an important clue (error message?) to be included within the instructions for this procedure as that might keep us from banging our heads against the keyboard/wall etc. when trying to PUSH that probably ain't there but we didn't know (about) it. Details details lol!

 

[CompuDino]

Thanks a million! I had seen the suggestion to drag-and-drop the supersu.zip folder over to the Nexus, but you - bless you!! - told me WHERE to 'drop' in. Before I felt like I could 'drop' in a limbo location that not only wouldn't this process be able to use, but that I couldn't find to either remove or move to proper placement. This newbie thanks you sooooo much for being specific in your instructions!!

Just wanted to feedback to all that the instruction to copy supersu.zip over to Internal Storage folder DID WORK and when I went back into the rooting procedure following from bootloading -> unlocking, said was unlocked (already) and NOT doing the 'push supersu.zip' command, then selecting the sdcard found, used and 'rooted' the N7 for me.

PHEW!!! and big THANKS to all for assistance plus tolerating a nervous newbie with this procedure. Now I can set up my N7 to work as I want it to, without annoying bloatware and being able to use flash drives thanks to Stick Mount. That is until I hit another OMG trip up - lol.

 

[2defmouze]

Just wanted to feedback to all that the instruction to copy supersu.zip over to Internal Storage folder DID WORK and when I went back into the rooting procedure following from bootloading -> unlocking, said was unlocked (already) and NOT doing the 'push supersu.zip' command, then selecting the sdcard found, used and 'rooted' the N7 for me.

PHEW!!! and big THANKS to all for assistance plus tolerating a nervous newbie with this procedure. Now I can set up my N7 to work as I want it to, without annoying bloatware and being able to use flash drives thanks to Stick Mount. That is until I hit another OMG trip up - lol.

Lol glad you got it working.. If you need anything we are always here to help

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CURRT1S]

I'm getting 'fastboot' is not recognised as an internal or external command?!

 

[2defmouze]

I'm getting 'fastboot' is not recognised as an internal or external command?!

Your command prompt is not opened in the directory your fastboot files are in, you need to 'cd' or change directory to the correct one. Either that or your fastboot file is named something different like fastboot-windows or fastboot-mac, etc.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[J T M]

You need stock recovery to install an OTA update. To get stock recovery back, you repeat the same steps that you used to install Clockwork. do the following:

1) download stock-recovery.img, extract the file inside, place the file in the nexus7 folder (C:\nexus7)
2) reboot into bootloader (power off, hold vol down+power), plug in tablet to PC via USB
3) open Windows command prompt (cmd), navigate to the nexus7 folder in the command prompt (cd c:\nexus7)
4) in command prompt, type "fastboot devices" to make sure your tablet is connected properly, then type "fastboot flash recovery stock-recovery.img" to get stock recovery back, then reboot the bootloader by typing "fastboot reboot-bootloader" to finish installation
5) using the volume keys, go to "Recovery mode" on the bootloader screen and press power to select it
6) you should now see stock recovery, which is a little Android laying down with an exclamation point over him. if you see this, then you're ready to apply the OTA update. reboot and apply the 4.1.1 update as normal.
7) after you apply the OTA update, if you want Clockwork back repeat the above steps but instead of using "stock-reocvery.img" use "clockwork.img" from the video (it should already be in your nexus7 folder).

if you lose root access after the OTA update, check to see if SuperSU is still in your app list. if it is, open it and tap yes when it asks to install binaries, then you'll have root access back.

I recevied my new 32GB N7 this afternoon, and unlocked/rooted with minimal difficulty. For whatever reason, i was unable to get CWM to stick, but was able to flash TWRP with no problems. After getting my tablet all setup the way i wanted, and being that i want to receive OTA updates with no problems, i figured i'd flash the stock recovery back onto my device. It seems to go through okay in the Command window, but I'm having a world of trouble trying to get into the stock recovery mode to make sure everything is ok.

I've followed the instructions above to a T, but after pressing the volume keys so that Recovery Mode appears, i push the power button to select it, and the device simply reboots and proceeds to my lockscreen. I also tried doing it via adb and get the same result. No matter what, i can't access the stock recovery. Any ideas? I just want to be sure i can get OTA updates with no difficulty, so if this is normal, then so be it. If this isn't normal, however, i'd like to fix it somehow. Thanks in advance for any help, and for all the great tutorials that have been provided.

 

[ragnarokx]

I recevied my new 32GB N7 this afternoon, and unlocked/rooted with minimal difficulty. For whatever reason, i was unable to get CWM to stick, but was able to flash TWRP with no problems. After getting my tablet all setup the way i wanted, and being that i want to receive OTA updates with no problems, i figured i'd flash the stock recovery back onto my device. It seems to go through okay in the Command window, but I'm having a world of trouble trying to get into the stock recovery mode to make sure everything is ok.

I've followed the instructions above to a T, but after pressing the volume keys so that Recovery Mode appears, i push the power button to select it, and the device simply reboots and proceeds to my lockscreen. I also tried doing it via adb and get the same result. No matter what, i can't access the stock recovery. Any ideas? I just want to be sure i can get OTA updates with no difficulty, so if this is normal, then so be it. If this isn't normal, however, i'd like to fix it somehow. Thanks in advance for any help, and for all the great tutorials that have been provided.

So you flashed TWRP, then flashed stock recovery over it? What was the name of the stock recovery file?

 

[J T M]

So you flashed TWRP, then flashed stock recovery over it? What was the name of the stock recovery file?

That's correct. The file name was stock-recovery.img

 

[ragnarokx]

That's correct. The file name was stock-recovery.img

Is your tablet connected to your PC via USB when you try to get to recovery? If so, you might want to try redownloading stock recovery and reflashing it (https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#nakasi).