Factory Image is a .tgz file - how do I use TWRP to go back to 4.1.1?

[androidluvr2]

I want to go back to 4.1.1. The factory image is a .tgz file and I have it on my phone on SD card (checked MD5 and it is good). When I boot into recovery with TWRP, it doesn't see the .tgz file.

What do I need to do? Thanks!

 

[androidluvr2]

Ok, so I found an unzipper and unzipped the tgz file. I hate using Wug's because it wipes the phone but I can't seem to get the windows' drivers to recognize my phone when I am in bootloader mode so I can't do it manually from my windows machine.

I thought I could use TWRP to do it. I can extract the tgz files and point TWRP to the zip file, but it fails when I try to flash it. Don't know why.

 

[2defmouze]

Factory image has to be flashed via fastboot, not via recovery. Follow the instructions in the restore to stock sticky, just take your time and update the filenames where appropriate for the new update, as I'm not sure it's been updated yet by anyone here. If you are having driver problems try reinstalling them. You'll find most issues asked and answers resolved throughout the thread.

 

[androidluvr2]

Factory image has to be flashed via fastboot, not via recovery. Follow the instructions in the restore to stock sticky, just take your time and update the filenames where appropriate for the new update, as I'm not sure it's been updated yet by anyone here. If you are having driver problems try reinstalling them. You'll find most issues asked and answers resolved throughout the thread.

Thanks, unfortunately, the driver problems have never been resolved no matter how many threads I read here or anywhere else. For some unknown reason the windows drivers are a problem for many of us no matter how many times we uninstall/reinstall, etc. Wug's works, though, so there has to be a way to do it manually if his toolkit will work. I just hate having to wipe my device every time.

The problem is getting Windows to recognize the phone in bootloader mode. Everything is fine until you get into bootloader mode. Then windows doesn't even see the device. But yet Wug's toolkit will work.

Can I use Wug's to flash a custom ROM?

 

[2defmouze]

Thanks, unfortunately, the driver problems have never been resolved no matter how many threads I read here or anywhere else. For some unknown reason the windows drivers are a problem for many of us no matter how many times we uninstall/reinstall, etc. Wug's works, though, so there has to be a way to do it manually if his toolkit will work. I just hate having to wipe my device every time.

The problem is getting Windows to recognize the phone in bootloader mode. Everything is fine until you get into bootloader mode. Then windows doesn't even see the device. But yet Wug's toolkit will work.

Can I use Wug's to flash a custom ROM?

Really I don't know what the toolkit can/can't do, I do everything manually.. and I know the driver situation is not unfixable, I used my Win 7 system to do everything I needed on my Gnex. Now my primary system is Ubuntu which works perfectly with my Nexus 4.. but I'm sure you can get the Windows drivers working, I've done it and most users are able to.

 

[androidluvr2]

but I'm sure you can get the Windows drivers working, I've done it and most users are able to.

Any thoughts on why Windows XP and 7 won't recognize my GNex in bootloader mode? That's the problem and it was true in ICS, too.

It doesn't show up under portable devices in device manager when in bootloader mode.

 

[2defmouze]

Any thoughts on why Windows XP and 7 won't recognize my GNex in bootloader mode? That's the problem and it was true in ICS, too.

It doesn't show up under portable devices in device manager when in bootloader mode.

Do you know how to use adb and fastboot? With the phone plugged into the comp in bootloader mode, what does the command:

fastboot devices

return?

 

[androidluvr2]

Do you know how to use adb and fastboot?

Yes, does it matter that I have lost root? I went ahead and used Wug's to return to 4.1.1 and it unroots the device. I want the 4.2.2 OTA so I was going to leave it stock until I get the OTA.

I am unlocked on stock 4.1.1 unrooted now.

Fastboot devices gives me back the serial number of my phone.

 

[2defmouze]

Yes, does it matter that I have lost root? I went ahead and used Wug's to return to 4.1.1 and it unroots the device. I want the 4.2.2 OTA so I was going to leave it stock until I get the OTA.

I am unlocked on stock 4.1.1 unrooted now.

Fastboot devices gives me back the serial number of my phone.

Root is irrelevant for now.... and if fastboot devices gives you back the phone's serial number then you are good, you are not having any driver issues! Lol. You perform a factory image restore using just "fastboot ... " commands, and since fastboot devices shows that your drivers are installed correctly you should have no problem going forward.

Obviously you used the toolkit so you don't have a need for it now. Also worth noting that you said you didn't want to use the toolkit because it would wipe your device, but a factory image restore wipes it completely no matter how you do it.

Since fastboot works.. you can use it to flash a recovery and root whenever you want. Find an appropriate recovery.img (CWM from clockworkmod.com/rommanager or TWRP from TeamWin Projects - TWRP 2.4 - | TeamWin).. download it to the folder your fastboot file is in on your computer. Also download the superuser.zip from koush and put it on your phone, linked here: Redirecting
From the bootloader, boot into the recovery with:
fastboot boot nameofrecovery.zip
Then just scroll to find the superuser.zip and flash it.

 

[androidluvr2]

Since fastboot works.. you can use it to flash a recovery and root whenever you want. Find an appropriate recovery.img (CWM from clockworkmod.com/rommanager or TWRP from TeamWin Projects - TWRP 2.4 - | TeamWin).. download it to the folder your fastboot file is in on your computer. Also download the superuser.zip from koush and put it on your phone, linked here: Redirecting
From the bootloader, boot into the recovery with:
fastboot boot nameofrecovery.zip
Then just scroll to find the superuser.zip and flash it.

OK, I will try it but I have never been successful manually.

What is the difference between superuser and SuperSU? And what is the difference between CWM and TWRP?

 

[2defmouze]

OK, I will try it but I have never been successful manually.

What is the difference between superuser and SuperSU? And what is the difference between CWM and TWRP?

Koush is kind of the godfather of Android hackery.. he created the first Superuser app and binary, I believe. Development has switched hands over time, but he recently created this new Superuser app to give the community a secure and open source app for handling your root access. It's very quickly become the new standard, and for good reason. Just go with it

CWM and TWRP are the two major custom recoveries we use. Each functions basically the same, as in you can do what you need with either one, but people have their preferences. I prefer TWRP because I like the interface, speed, and fact that it's open source. CWM is fine to use as well, and since Koush develops it you know it is trustworthy as long as you grab it from his site. Whichever you choose is fine. Each is associated with their own app which can install the recovery for you if you are already rooted and can be used to download ROMs and stuff through, though we still recommend downloading ROMs the old fashioned way and flashing them through recovery rather than through an app.. but if you want them, TWRP uses Goomanager and CWM uses ROM Manager.

 

[Tye Aldana]

I have two Nexus 4s. One I can connect to my windows8 pc and all the drivers load. I can use adb devices, fastboot, MTP. The other Nexus 4 used to be the same until a week ago. Now I cant get any drivers to load, can not find the device with adb, cannot find the device with fastboot. How do you fix that?