[Q] Huge problem recovering my Nexus 5

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tom_el_camino

Member
Oct 3, 2013
9
0
I'll try to keep it short and keep a clear overview.

I rooted my Nexus 5 with the Towelroot app. Everything went perfectly fine (I had to do a recovery, but after that, Nexus running smooth and it was rooted.

Then I decided to try something stupid. Alter the Nfcnci.apk so that the NFC TAG scanning app was silent instead of the end.ogg noise when scanning a NFC tag.

It all went wrong when I merged the unpacked .apk files back into a .rar and convert it to a .apk with "formatter" program.
When I tried to put the NfcNci.apk app back in the system/app folder with authorisation 664 it didn't work anymore. the stock app crashed.

The nfc part of my phone wasn't working anymore ! (when opening NFC tools, i got a NFC ERROR message... apparently, i did something wrong when trying to replace the app with my modded version)

So i did the most stupid thing I could have done: instead of putting the original NfcNci.apk file back into the system/app folder I did a hard reset recovery (go into Recovery mode, wipe data)............

Now, with my freshly recovered nexus 5..... I CAN'T GO INTO SETTINGS to turn on USB debugging (because I clearly wanted to put the original 4.4.3 image back on my phone)

so i'm stuck with a phone that :

1) is rooted.
2) doesn't go into settings so I can't turn on USB debugging
3) doesn't go onto the app store because i can't link my google account because i can't go into Settings.
4) is actualy a dumbphone now. The only thing I can do is use stock apps and call and text someone.

Could someone PLEASE put me out of my misery?

i'm litteraly crying here. I had this phone for 2 weeks.....

I want to unroot the damn thing and go back to the way it was....

Best regards,

Tom
 

varuntis1993

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2013
383
78
New Delhi
Fastboot doesn't need usb debugging on. Flash the stock files with fasboot. You will get back to stock but ur data will get erase.
or simply just flash the system.img which won't erase ur data

Code:
fastboot flash system system.img
 
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Citizen_Snips

Senior Member
Apr 23, 2012
4,022
2,553
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google Pixel Watch 2
Fastboot doesn't need usb debugging on. Flash the stock files with fasboot. You will get back to stock but ur data will get erase.
or simply just flash the system.img which won't erase ur data

Code:
fastboot flash system system.img

Yup, just pull the stock factory image from Google developers website and unpack it. Put system.img into your fastboot directory. Use CMD (assuming you're on Windows) and CD to that location and fastboot flash system system.img, like he said.

If you have trouble with fastboot follow the first link given to you. :)
 
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tom_el_camino

Member
Oct 3, 2013
9
0
thanks

Thank you all very much for your help.

I managed to put the stock img back to my phone.

the problem was that my phone wasn't unlocked, therefore I couldn't enter the fastboot command lines.

Phone is back to stock 4.4.3.
@Zepius you are right, you shouldn't mod stuff if you don't know what you are doing, but you do have to go through a learning process... you also had to do it for the first time once, right?

I think my big mistake was, not to follow the amazing guides here in XDA on how to root, change apk's etc etc...

one more question. IF you take a stock app (NfcNci.apk) do you have to sign it to be able to get it to work?

All i wanted to do was unpack the apk, change a sound file and repack it so that the darn NFC tag doesn't make that sound when I scan a tag, waking up my wife when i put it to sleep mode...

well, guess i'll hang the tag somewhere outside of our room ;)


again, thank you all for your help and not bashing me.

Tom
 

Elluel

Senior Member
Jan 14, 2014
5,168
3,057
26
えうれる
I think my big mistake was, not to follow the amazing guides here in XDA on how to root, change apk's etc etc...

one more question. IF you take a stock app (NfcNci.apk) do you have to sign it to be able to get it to work?

Don't sign system apps, just take the AndroidManifest.xml and META-INF folder out of the original .apk, open the modified one with 7zip or your alternative and paste it in.
 

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  • 1
    1) questions go into the Q&A forum.

    2) you shouldnt mod stuff when you're not sure what you are doing

    3) factory reset in recovery does not fix any mods you have made to /system, it only wipes data.

    4) follow this to go back to stock: http://xdaforums.com/google-nexus-5/general/tutorial-how-to-flash-factory-image-t2513701
    1
    Fastboot doesn't need usb debugging on. Flash the stock files with fasboot. You will get back to stock but ur data will get erase.
    or simply just flash the system.img which won't erase ur data

    Code:
    fastboot flash system system.img
    1
    Fastboot doesn't need usb debugging on. Flash the stock files with fasboot. You will get back to stock but ur data will get erase.
    or simply just flash the system.img which won't erase ur data

    Code:
    fastboot flash system system.img

    Yup, just pull the stock factory image from Google developers website and unpack it. Put system.img into your fastboot directory. Use CMD (assuming you're on Windows) and CD to that location and fastboot flash system system.img, like he said.

    If you have trouble with fastboot follow the first link given to you. :)