[Q] Galaxy Nexus (i515) - Broken Screen - USB Debugging Disabled

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buddy008

New member
Mar 4, 2010
3
0
Hello all!

Here's the situation: I dropped my phone yesterday (Samsung Galaxy Nexus - i515) and the screen is destroyed. I can still see the top left corner (maybe 1/4 of the screen), but the digitizer is also hosed and I have a pattern lock. I need to get the data off the phone. When I connect it to my computer, it shows up as an external drive, but there is no file structure. From what I've read... I apparently have to unlock my phone before I can see the files, which as I said before is not possible right now.

Bootloader is locked, not rooted and the best part... USB Debugging is disabled. I've read through tons of information, but most threads either fade away when they get almost to a solution, or they are never fully answered.

I got the Unified Android Toolkit (GNEX V12.1.1.) by SKIPSOFT (which is amazing btw), but since good ole' USB Debugging isn't enabled, I can't use adb commands. I've read you can install a custom recovery and use adb at that point, but my bootloader is locked and I don't want to wipe data to unlock it.

I can get into fastboot, the driver shows up in device manager, serial shows up under 'fastboot devices', etc. but it looks like the only thing I can really do at that point requires a data wipe. I hit recovery (which is stock), the screen goes blank for a few minutes and then boots as normal. I'm guessing I can't use adb with the stock recovery??

I believe my final option here is to use a USB otg cable and use a USB mouse (wired only here? can I use a USB dongle? can I even unlock a pattern lock with a mouse?) to navigate until I can get USB debugging enabled. Since I can see a bit of the screen, I don't think it should be too hard. Even if it does prove too difficult trying to do it blind, there appears to be plenty of small apps that give you the capability to view what's on your phone via your PC. I was initially trying to find something that I could control phone from PC (screencast appears to be the best I've found so far), but without USB Debugging enabled or root, it's a no go.

I would like to hear from some of the smart folks out there about my options. I used to mess around with custom ROMs and all that good stuff, but it's been a few years so I am a little rusty.

TL;DR

Phone: Samsung Galaxy Nexus (i515) - broken screen and digitizer
Bootloader - Locked
Root - No
USB Debugging - Disabled
Phone has pattern lock

What is the best option to get my data backed up/copied?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
 

Hakugin

Member
Sep 3, 2013
10
0
Hello all!

Here's the situation: I dropped my phone yesterday (Samsung Galaxy Nexus - i515) and the screen is destroyed. I can still see the top left corner (maybe 1/4 of the screen), but the digitizer is also hosed and I have a pattern lock. I need to get the data off the phone. When I connect it to my computer, it shows up as an external drive, but there is no file structure. From what I've read... I apparently have to unlock my phone before I can see the files, which as I said before is not possible right now.

Bootloader is locked, not rooted and the best part... USB Debugging is disabled. I've read through tons of information, but most threads either fade away when they get almost to a solution, or they are never fully answered.

I got the Unified Android Toolkit (GNEX V12.1.1.) by SKIPSOFT (which is amazing btw), but since good ole' USB Debugging isn't enabled, I can't use adb commands. I've read you can install a custom recovery and use adb at that point, but my bootloader is locked and I don't want to wipe data to unlock it.

I can get into fastboot, the driver shows up in device manager, serial shows up under 'fastboot devices', etc. but it looks like the only thing I can really do at that point requires a data wipe. I hit recovery (which is stock), the screen goes blank for a few minutes and then boots as normal. I'm guessing I can't use adb with the stock recovery??

I believe my final option here is to use a USB otg cable and use a USB mouse (wired only here? can I use a USB dongle? can I even unlock a pattern lock with a mouse?) to navigate until I can get USB debugging enabled. Since I can see a bit of the screen, I don't think it should be too hard. Even if it does prove too difficult trying to do it blind, there appears to be plenty of small apps that give you the capability to view what's on your phone via your PC. I was initially trying to find something that I could control phone from PC (screencast appears to be the best I've found so far), but without USB Debugging enabled or root, it's a no go.

I would like to hear from some of the smart folks out there about my options. I used to mess around with custom ROMs and all that good stuff, but it's been a few years so I am a little rusty.

TL;DR

Phone: Samsung Galaxy Nexus (i515) - broken screen and digitizer
Bootloader - Locked
Root - No
USB Debugging - Disabled
Phone has pattern lock

What is the best option to get my data backed up/copied?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can share!

Unfortunately without ADB I do not know of any way to retrieve your data, or even clear the pattern lock. I think the easiest route would be to try a corded usb mouse and an otg adapter. You could try a cordless mouse with dongle, as long as it is not Bluetooth as that would most likely require a pairing code, but a standard 2.4GHz wireless mouse may work.
 

buddy008

New member
Mar 4, 2010
3
0
Unfortunately without ADB I do not know of any way to retrieve your data, or even clear the pattern lock. I think the easiest route would be to try a corded usb mouse and an otg adapter. You could try a cordless mouse with dongle, as long as it is not Bluetooth as that would most likely require a pairing code, but a standard 2.4GHz wireless mouse may work.

Thanks Hakugin.

I wanted to give an update. The USB OTG thing definitely works on the phone, but without being able to see the screen, unlocking the pattern would be extremely difficult. I tried for a little while, but there was just no way of knowing if I was even close.

I ended up getting a new phone via insurance. I took both phones apart and plugged the screen on the new phone into the old phone's motherboard. I was able to get into the phone, disable the pattern lock, enable USB debugging, and everything else I needed to do.

I know it's not the greatest and most available solution, but it definitely allowed me to get where I needed to be. I used MyPhoneExplorer (I think that's what it's called) to backup call logs, texts, etc and then restored to the new phone (once I had them both back together of course).

The USB Debugging is the biggest hurdle to overcome. If someone can find a good answer to solving that problem, we'd be ok. Of course, that would be a huge security issue...