Help File recovery From Bootloop'ed Nexus 4

ashyossi · Jul 14, 2015

Hi,
I Need help .
I have nexus 4 with stock ROM and stock recovery.
Two days after OTA update to Lollipop, the phone got stuck on boot-loop.
The problem is that on the phone i have a very important voice recording of a cop that says he will lie in court.
The court time is coming and i need that recording!

Everywhere i looked, no one has an idea how to recover a boot-loop'ed phone.

The 2 options that people recommended are:
1. RE-Flash the ROM.
Maybe it wont delete the files.
2. Wipe everything and hope that the file is recoverable with one of the software's.

A. What do you recommend?
B. Did someone try any of the recovering software's with any luck of actually recovering?

jhawkkw · Jul 14, 2015

Can you confirm if the bootloader is already unlocked? If not, was usb debugging turned on in the developer options prior to the bootloop?

funkylogik · Jul 14, 2015

I say give it to the police and let them use their digital forensics on it because they'll be far better than any tool you'll find online that claims to do it (unless of course your dispute is with the cop in which case you're probably screwsd, sorry, if my understanding of the US police is true to how they are portrayed over here)

Option 1 and 2 are a no go I think

Have you asked your lawyer about any potential solutions? (private digital forensics or whatever)

ashyossi · Jul 14, 2015

jhawkkw said:
Can you confirm if the bootloader is already unlocked? If not, was usb debugging turned on in the developer options prior to the bootloop?

The bootloader is locked and if remember correctly, the USB Debugging Should be OFF....

funkylogik said:
I say give it to the police and let them use their digital forensics on it because they'll be far better than any tool you'll find online that claims to do it (unless of course your dispute is with the cop in which case you're probably screwsd, sorry, if my understanding of the US police is true to how they are portrayed over here)

Option 1 and 2 are a no go I think

Have you asked your lawyer about any potential solutions? (private digital forensics or whatever)

A. its about a Traffic violation that i didnt commit... The Police are not in a Willing and giving mood.....
B. the Penalty is less important then STICKI'n IT to the PO... i dont have the money to spend on it.
i'm just hoping for help from good people like you...

jhawkkw · Jul 14, 2015

ashyossi said:
The bootloader is locked and if remember correctly, the USB Debugging Should be OFF....

Having the bootloader locked and usb-debugging off is designed keep your data safe in the event that the device is lost or stolen. Unfortunately, this also prevent you from getting into your own device in a tight situation like this. You could try wiping cache in recovery to see if that fixes the bootloop (first lollipop boot can take 30 minutes or more). If not, then there really isn't any other realistic options.

ashyossi · Jul 14, 2015

jhawkkw said:
Having the bootloader locked and usb-debugging off is designed keep your data safe in the event that the device is lost or stolen. Unfortunately, this also prevent you from getting into your own device in a tight situation like this. You could try wiping cache in recovery to see if that fixes the bootloop (first lollipop boot can take 30 minutes or more). If not, then there really isn't any other realistic options.

this is exactly why i asked it here. maybe someone has an idea...
or at least someone who succeed in wiping and recovering.

in a call to google's tech support, they suggested to wipe the cache partition.
didnt work.

funkylogik · Jul 14, 2015

Then I'm afraid you're stuck and you're gonna have to pay those highway robbers . Sorry

Tbh I've read of no one recovering wiped data even from a functioning phone.
I get that your data isn't wiped but the phone is designed to wipe all data in any way you can potentially make it functional

Your best bet is to reflash it and HOPE that it doesn't wipe data. Definitely don't do a data wipe first..
I know from custom roms that a "dirty flash" doesn't wipe data but I don't know nexus tbh and I think you've said USB Debugging is off so you're kinda screwed..
Good luck

funkylogik · Jul 14, 2015

Is the voice recording maybe backed up to your carrier? (im determined to solve this lol)

ashyossi · Jul 15, 2015

thanks again for the help!
its nice to know your not alone in your fight against the Government!!! LOL......

nothing is backed up...
that is why i am so upset...

what are my chances with "dirty flash"?

funkylogik · Jul 15, 2015

On a stock rom I think it will wipe your device but you're pretty low on choices right now mate

ashyossi · Jul 17, 2015

i've looked again.
seems that the bootloader is unlocked!
so, should i flash a TWRP recovery?

jhawkkw · Jul 17, 2015

With an unlocked bootloader, there are many more options.

1. Flash twrp and use adb while connected to a computer to pull the file off the phone to the computer through a terminal/commend prompt

2. Flash a stock rom manually bit by bit(all partitions except the userdata partition) through fastboot.

3. Flash twrp and then use adb to push a rom and gapps onto the phone and dirty flash the rom and hope it boots.

ashyossi · Jul 17, 2015

soooooo.....
i flashed the TWRP Recovery.
very easy. no errors.
and it shows as the storage is completely empty! as if someone in all this time wiped everything...

so now, what recovery softare do you know/used/heard of?

funkylogik · Jul 17, 2015

I've heard of none that works, sorry.
Only user reviews by people who obviously work for the company and usually expensive

Help File recovery From Bootloop'ed Nexus 4

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