Nexus 7 (2012) Stuck in Startup Loop?

[Kenny Rizner II]

I recently had an issue with my Nexus 7 freezing constantly and I tried to perform a factory reset through the tablet's setting itself instead of the recovery menu now it seems to be stuck in some sort of loop when I try to start it. This tablet is non-rooted and completely stock, btw.

When the tablet turns on, it boots into a screen that shows an Android with a spinning blue cage on his chest, the word "Erasing..." and a bar at the bottom, which isn't actually filling to show any progress and is instead full blue with these lines going through it.

After a few minutes of that, the blue cage thing and the bar stop moving and the tablet freezes, bringing me to a screen with an Android laying on his back with a red exclamation point above his open chest.

When I press Power and Vol+, it brings me to the recovery menu, with this at the bottom:

Also, I don't know if this is important or not, but it says Android system recovery <3e> and KTU84P at the top of the recovery menu.

Details

E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_install E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_install E: Failed closing dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-name/MSC (I/O error) E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument)

Being that I'm in the recovery menu, I have the option to reboot, apply update from ADB, wipe data/factory reset, and wipe cache partition. Being as it's constantly telling me that it either can't open or can't mount /cache, I thought wiping the cache partition would help, but that also gives me a bunch of fails:

Details

-- Wiping cache... E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) Formatting /cache... E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_install E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_install E: Failed closing /dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-name/MSC (I/O error) E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument)

After that, I attempted to do a wipe from this menu, which also gave the same errors:

Details

-- Wiping data... Formatting /data... E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) Formatting /cache... E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_install Data wipe complete. Formatting /cache... E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument) E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_install E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_install E: Failed closing /dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-name/MSC (I/O error) E: failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument)

After all that jazz and long wall of failure, it brings me back to the recovery menu. Even with all the failing, I thought it did something since it said "Data wipe complete", but now trying to "reboot system now", it brings me to a solid black screen as if the tablet locked up or just turned off. Turning it back on again, it shows the word "Google" before displaying the original screen of the android with the blue spinning cage and the word "Erasing", effectively completing the loop.

My warranty obviously expired ages ago now and I'm hoping somebody here can help.

 

[Irvgotti]

I've been out the game for awhile but have you tried flashing the stock img file? Or trying to load a custom rom in recovery

 

[Kenny Rizner II]

I've been out the game for awhile but have you tried flashing the stock img file? Or trying to load a custom rom in recovery

I'm not sure how to go about flashing even the stock img. From some of the guides I've seen, you need to either be rooted or in the menu that first gets displayed when powered on by holding Power and Vol-, but I can I can't seem to get to that menu. Even if I attempt to hold Power and Vol-, it only comes up with that Android with the circling cage that says "Erasing...".

That freezes after several minutes and eventually brings me to the menu where I can reboot, factory reset, and all that. I could be missing something, but I don't believe I can get back to the "original" bootloader menu (or whatever it's called) that has the other options from there.

 

[Kenny Rizner II]

So, update here: I tried to mess with it some more this morning and it seems that it got through the factory reset it was stuck on, but I'm still having issues with constant freezing.

I can get to the "Google" bootup screen and where the colored circles spin around before bringing me to the menus to set up my Wi-Fi and account and all that (like it did when it was first out of the box), but now it continues to freeze while trying to set up these settings.

I managed to input my Wi-Fi password and skip over the rest of the settings in hopes of getting into the system before another freeze and now it gets stuck on a black screen that only shows the "back" arrow at the bottom and the battery and internet indicators at the top right.

Any ideas, guys? I can effectively get into the bootloader now, but attempting to wipe through the recovery menu gives the same errors as before while clearing cache seems to work without issues.

I attempted to use a Nexus Root Toolkit to "Flash Stock + Unroot" with the "Soft-Bricked/Booloop" option selected and everything seemed to work until it got towards the end when the program stops responding.

Now I can't boot into the system at all and I only get a very primitive "bootloader" that says Google (instead of showing the Android) and that's it. I can use the volume keys to browse between "Start", "Restart bootloader", "Recovery mode", and "Power off". Both Start and Recovery mode bring me to the same exact screen while "Restart bootloader" seems to bring me to a complete bootloader, but choosing any of those options brings me right back to the screen without all the info.

I feel like I'm just messing this up more the more I mess with it and I'm not sure what else to try. This Nexus 7 is completely stock, by the way.

 

[Garion Alderson]

Hi
I have exactly the same issue as described however mine is still stuck in the erasing, red triangle bootloop. Can I ask how you or it got out of that loop.
Thank in advance

 

[nameeman333]

Was able to re flash with wugs. Battery ran out, started to recharge, pulled back off unit with thumb nail (between silver and rubber, side top side then carefully the bottom) I noticed a button below the volume rocker buttons.There are four, power, vol up and down and one inaccessible from outside, I pushed it with my fingernail a couple times. I am not sure if this did anything or not. Anyway restarted and got to erasing screen yet again but tried holding in power button and pushing volume down repeatedly instead of just holding in and screen flashed, I let go of all buttons and I was in bootloader screen. Wugfresh loaded google drivers from advanced options in main menu. Followed instructions page by page already before.Tested with success.(Unit boots at this point so i went to settings, storage, enable USB MNT. Also went to settings, about, pushed version # several times to unlock developer options, entered options from menu, enabled USB debugging.) Unlocked bootloader, did NOT root, flashed image (4.4.4 kit kat (no lagging)) with the "unit on" button pushed instead of bootloop. Relocked bootloader. Unit was fine for a day then returned to random shutdowns and sleep mode shutting down which is the reason I tried to reboot in the first place. I reflashed my other unit to Kit Kat and it is fine. Also a 2012 unit. Hated lollipop on the 2012, not enough ram I assume. Kit Kat is so smooth.

 

[Legobricke]

I had this very same issue...

Was never able to get into it to unlock it.... Everytime i tried, it claimed to unlock but it never took the unlock.... So, no flashing new image at all..

Asus wanted 100 bucks to look at it.... After an hour with support, it came down to the flash storage had gone bad....

So.... Off to ebay I went and purchased a used Google Nexus 7 32GB Motherboard / Logic board 1st gen with frame that came from a unit that someone had broken the screen.... Got it for 30 bucks....

With the online tutorial and 20 minutes of time, I replaced the bad boards (honestly, I just replaced the old frame and boards with the one purchased).... and I'm back to a fully working Nexus 7.

Now, if you choose to go this route... Be sure that the component you buy is complete.... I made the mistake of not completely reading the description and once it arrived, it didn't include the usb power connector or headphone jack (this is one piece). I just cannibalized my old board of the needed parts and all is good....

I suggest that you go this route as it is easier and less time consuming than trying to get the unit working with software. Also, it is a very easy process to replace.... On that note, it is an easy and cheap way for one to upgrade a 16gig unit to a 32....

 

[systemofadown1]

My n7 looped with no end in sight - I tried every tip and trick you could imagine. I finally figured out my motherboard was cooked. I just bought a replacement motherboard (used) off eBay and have been up and running fine since then.

 

[Junior Valdez]

Kenny, how did you solved the loop errors? this describes perfectly what I'm experiencing, and I'm still stock and you didn't explain how you solved.

Thank you in advance.