Help Sideloading Kit Kat through ADB

[2prevail]

Been at this since 3 this morning and it never works. Adb and fastboot both find my phone but when I go to sideload the zip it just says error. I want kitkat please help!

If a log is needed ill be able to get one later when I get off

 

[John Bean]

Without details it's hard to comment meaningfully, but the most common generic problems involve the USB port and/or cable. Don't use a USB 3 (or USB 1) port, use only USB 2 ports. Make sure you use the original cable or a good quality substitute.

 

[2prevail]

Without details it's hard to comment meaningfully, but the most common generic problems involve the USB port and/or cable. Don't use a USB 3 (or USB 1) port, use only USB 2 ports. Make sure you use the original cable or a good quality substitute.

I was using a Samsung cord, should I just use the lg cord that came with the phone for the sideload?

 

[codesplice]

What .zip do you have? I hadn't seen anything about an OTA being pushed out yet, just the factory images (which have to be flashed through fastboot, not ADB).

 

[bjacks12]

Yeah, mine failed the first time because i used the wrong USB port. No damage done, just switched ports and tried again. Worked fine.

 

[jhawkkw]

What .zip do you have? I hadn't seen anything about an OTA being pushed out yet, just the factory images (which have to be flashed through fastboot, not ADB).

This is probably the reason.

 

[2prevail]

I pulled the images needed and compressed them into a zip file so I could sideload them. It wouldn't work. So then I tried flashing the images individually through fastboot and I kept getting an error that said the image could not be read

 

[codesplice]

I pulled the images needed and compressed them into a zip file so I could sideload them. It wouldn't work. So then I tried flashing the images individually through fastboot and I kept getting an error that said the image could not be read

There's a bit more to a flashable .zip than just compressing all the images inside it, so that approach won't work.

I'd check to make sure that you had a download - compare the MD5 of the .tgz you downloaded to the value posted on the download page: 7180251114d877d162a886d13fff1cf8

Use something like 7-zip to extract the .tgz into its various components, and continue extracting until you see the flash-all.bat.

If you're on stock 4.3 and want to avoid a data wipe, edit the flash-all script to remove the -w option on the fastboot update line, and then save the script.

Connect your (booted into Android) phone to the computer, and do adb devices to make sure it shows up. Also try a quick adb logcat to make sure that everything works. Then it's as easy as

> adb reboot bootloader
> flash-all.bat

 

[bjacks12]

Also, if you are running the flashboot-all script, I would go into the image zip and remove the userdata.img file. If it flashes that, it will override your data.

 

[codesplice]

Also, if you are running the flashboot-all script, I would go into the image zip and remove the userdata.img file. If it flashes that, it will override your data.

Unless you remove the -w (wipe) option from the flash-all script like I mentioned

That's the route I took and I didn't lose anything.

 

[bjacks12]

Unless you remove the -w (wipe) option from the flash-all script like I mentioned

That's the route I took and I didn't lose anything.

Ah, I didn't know that. I did both just to be sure.

 

[codesplice]

Ah, I didn't know that. I did both just to be sure.

Don't feel bad - I learned about that yesterday.

 

[xploPR]

So i could just download the image factory zip and flash it with CWM?

 

[codesplice]

No, but you can flash this that way:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2527484

 

[jhawkkw]

So i could just download the image factory zip and flash it with CWM?

Factory images have to be flashed through fastboot. They don't have an update script and this flagging through recovery would fail. They also contain an update to recovery which would result in a writing conflict getting to overwrite what is actually being used to write to the device.

 

[xploPR]

Ok thanks guys, when i get home from work i will fastboot it.

 

[bjacks12]

Yup, and it will flash stock recovery onto your phone for those of you using CWM or TWRP.
I'm glad I still had my bootloader unlocked from my failed root attempt last month. Didn't have to wipe anything.

 

[2prevail]

I got it, thanks everyone for the help. I'm loving this so much

 

[xploPR]

I got another question, im using the kit kat rom from the nexus 5 like for a week already, i heard that when i flash the nexus 4 version of kit kat, i will lose the google experience launcher that the nexus 5 brings, i got use to that new launcher already, so the question is can i flash that launcher to the phone after i flash the [4.4 KitKat][KRT16O] rom?

 

[codesplice]

I got another question, im using the kit kat rom from the nexus 5 like for a week already, i heard that when i flash the nexus 4 version of kit kat, i will lose the google experience launcher that the nexus 5 brings, i got use to that new launcher already, so the question is can i flash that launcher to the phone after i flash the [4.4 KitKat][KRT16O] rom?

No need to flash for the launcher. Just install the apk.

http://phandroid.com/2013/11/14/how-to-install-google-experience-launcher-with-ok-google-command/

 

[xploPR]

No need to flash for the launcher. Just install the apk.

How to install the Google Experience Launcher with working “Ok Google” hotword on your Android device [VIDEO]

Cool, thanks a lot.