LG G2 - Broken Screen Phone Access?

[characters]

Hello. I just broke my screen, only the top 1/3 is responsive. I have a pattern lock set so I can't unlock it. It's insured, but I want to get my pictures off of it before I exchange it. I plugged it into my PC via USB but I believe it needs to be unlocked before it lets the computer read its files, correct? My computer will install the driver files and say successful, but it won't show the phone as a device. I have read so much about it so far and pretty much the only thing I can find around the password lock screen is to do a hard reset, but that would erase my pictures also. The only other option I see is spending an extra $60 over the insurance deductible and buying a replacement screen/LCD assembly for $150 and just replacing it myself, retaining all the hardware and my data. Any opinions?

Thanks for reading!

 

[Yim Pham]

The same thing happened to me! I hate this. I just spent $150 to get it replaced. I don't know how to get all my pictures off. Let me know if you find a solution.

 

[slinkies]

Go download an app called button savior and one called ultimate rotation control this will allow the phone to be flipped completely upside down and should give access to lockpad this happened with my lg og this stupid new tech lg introduced in the og is crap who sticks the glass and digitizer/LCD panels together its stupid causes way more screen breaks than any other design its the worst idea in the history of screens if you ask me

Sent from my LG-LS970 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[slinkies]

Also my OG backs all my pictures up to a picasa web album not sure if G2 does this also but I'd check into it because if it does then a factory reset would be OK because your pictures are already backed up.

Sent from my LG-LS970 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Tiffany Werth]

ok that doesn't work. I really need to get the pictures off my phone.

 

[imthinkingwait]

After running into the same problem and hitting a wall everywhere I started trying random things. On a Verizon G2 I was able to get my data off as follows:

1) Pull down the top bar (my screen was cracked at the bottom) and turn on "Wireless storage" (one of the buttons by airplane mode)
2) The phone is nice enough to give you a server, login, and PW as a notification so you can see it.
3) Log into your server from a PC and grab all your files.

Super excited right now but this actually seems like a big vulnerability. Going to have to turn this off after I get my new phone (and backups properly configured.)

 

[Klotar]

Wireless Storage isn't really more of a vulnerability than you may have on your network now. It does use a username and password.

If the G2 is your only wireless device on your network (everything else is wired), then yes -- the risk is higher; but if you have other phones, laptops, tablets, game consoles, etc. that connect wirelessly, then the risk would be (IMO) about the same. That said, it certainly does not do any harm to turn it off when not needed, like you say.

 

[srvenkatramanan]

ok, as luck would have it, my top part of the screen broke and a line across the screen. this disabled first two rows of the lock pattern and the top slide down. is there a way to connect to my mac (mounting the phone is still going to require a response which is not possible now with a screen locked phone) and recover data before shipping it out? from google directly? thx

 

[GibMcFragger]

You can mount it on your Mac in MTP mode using the "Android File Transfer" app. I do it all the time on mine. just install the app on your Mac, and if you can get your phone into MTP mode over USB, your are good to go.

Sent from my rooted and Xposed LG D803 on Rogers.

 

[srvenkatramanan]

MTP = Mac Transfer Protocol? the screen is so broken that i can't do "anything" on the phone screen; how do i switch the phone to MTP mode?

 

[srvenkatramanan]

You can mount it on your Mac in MTP mode using the "Android File Transfer" app. I do it all the time on mine. just install the app on your Mac, and if you can get your phone into MTP mode over USB, your are good to go.

Sent from my rooted and Xposed LG D803 on Rogers.

MTP = Mac Transfer Protocol? the screen is so broken that i can't do "anything" on the phone screen; how do i switch the phone to MTP mode?
also, ATP says 'no android device found'; i think it is because i have the option to have the option turned to mount sd card when USB connected; it goes to charging mode by default and waits for confirmation to mount the device.

 

[Azreoeneiorickle]

Yep - same happened to me. When i set up the pattern i set up a code incase i forgot or something - so i just used taht instead.

Im using a samsung galaxy s4 until its fixed and the lg is sooooooooooooooooooo much better. Samsung overheats so much and the battery life is so bad.

 

[ffejjj]

Im using a samsung galaxy s4 until its fixed and the lg is sooooooooooooooooooo much better. Samsung overheats so much and the battery life is so bad.

I'm actually pretty surprised at how the G2 doesn't get hot very often at all

Sent from my HTCONE using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Shaun Wallace]

I also had this problem and solved it by using a USB TO GO cable and a USB mouse. You can then use the wireless shared storage once unlocking with a mouse. Tip: click and drag works like sliding/dragging your finger on touch screen.

 

[Kevin Schlosser]

I found the LCD a lot cheaper than 150$. Where are you looking and what carrier do you guys have? I think its no coincidence I have the same problem. My screen broke from the top and only the bottom half works. I only had knock on, so extracting pics works. It is a great phone, the LCD being so fragile is the only downfall Ive seen with it. But ya, what carrier do you guys have? Is it the vs980?

 

[littleannieoakley]

well that would work wonderfully except that I cant even get INTO my phone...><

 

[imthinkingwait]

Hey Klotar - Never saw that there were more posts related to this thread. My only point about the vulnerability is that anyone with physical access to the phone can access my data without unlocking the phone. That worked out well for me when the screen broke and I couldn't unlock it - but anyone who knew about the default setting could simply enable the wireless storage (without unlocking) and be given the password to grab anything they wanted off the phone.

I've since disabled the feature from the quick access menu and made sure that my Verizon backups are running successfully.

 

[JBY]

Just wanted to say that the mouse is the best solution. I was so frustrated, i spoke to the sprint repair store and even these techs Said there is nothing that can be done. I took the advice and attached a mouse to the phone and was able to punch in my pin. Great advice, i can get all my photos and data now. Good luck

 

[JBY]

Buy a adapter that plugs into the micro usb, the other end of cabe is usb. Connect a mouse and you are able to unlock your phone

 

[JBY]

Thank you Shaun, your advice helped me out. Not even repair techs i spoke to at sprint knew this