[TUTORIAL] How to flash a factory image | Return to stock | Unroot/SAVE your Nexus 5

[badral9]

You need to use fastboot commands to flash a stock image unless you find a stock MM zip file that can be flashed in TWRP.

Here's an example: http://xdaforums.com/google-nexus-5/development/rom-rooted-busybox-tweaks-t3072279

ok thank you

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

 

[tedrogers61]

So didn't you follow exactly?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[Soultaker226]

How to flash a factory image | Return to stock | Unroot your Nexus 5​

Hello Nexus 5 Users!

I see many users that don't know how to restore their Nexus 5 to stock. It may come in handy, either when you want to RMA your phone, or you want to fix your mistakes.

This process consists of wiping and flashing every partition on your phone.​

WARNING!!!

This process will wipe your phone completely. Backup your storage before you continue.
I am also not responsible if anything goes wrong.
You can backup apps and data using this app before you unlock the bootloader. No root required.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup

DO NOT USE TOOLKITS!!!
They have a high probability of something going wrong if you don't know how to use them (which, if you managed to ruin your phone, probably is true).
I don't mean to offend toolkit creators. They did a great job. But don't risk bricking your phone just because you're lazy.

FOLLOW EVERY SINGLE STEP
or you will end up in a bootloop, or with a bricked phone, and we don't want that

Let's get started!!

Setting up​

For this process, you will need to:

★Install adb and fastboot drivers. To do this, use this simple program:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2588979

For MAC users:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1917237
*Note: MAC users will have to write "./" before every command in this thread. For example : "./fastboot flash recovery recovery.img"

Linux users should know their stuff
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=921169

★Download the latest factory images from here:
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#hammerhead

★Extract the archive you downloaded (Use WinRAR). It should look like this:

★Unlock your bootloader (In case you haven't already)
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2507905

Flashing the factory images​

There is more than one way to flash these images. Each give the same results, but the first is for lazy users

Method 1. Easy method.

★Power off your phone.

★Boot it in fastboot by pressing and holding Power Button + Volume Down at the same time.

★Connect your phone to your PC through your USB cable.

★Execute the flash-all.bat script (for Windows) or flash-all.sh(for MAC and LINUX) in the folder where you extracted the factory images.
**!!** For MAC: You'll have to edit the flash-all.sh, and add "./" before every fastboot command.

★Wait for everything to flash.

★After everything finished, select "Recovery" using the volume buttons.

★When a small dead Android appears, press Power Button + Volume UP.

★Select "Wipe data/factory data reset"

★Reboot. Your phone should be stock. :good:


Method 2. Long method (Same thing actually, but I'll mention it, just in case)

★Extract the image-hammerhead-krt16m.zip somewhere easy to access (On C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m for example). You will have the following files:

★In the same folder, from the original archive, extract "bootloader-hammerhead-XXXXXX.img" (rename it to bootloader.img) and "radio-hammerhead-XXXXXX.img" (rename it to radio.img)

★Power off your phone.

★Boot it in fastboot by pressing and holding Power Button + Volume Down at the same time.

★Connect your phone to your PC through your USB cable.

★Open a CMD window.

★Type the following commands, in this order (If you have a different folder, change the path)

fastboot flash bootloader C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m\bootloader.img
fastboot reboot-bootloader
fastboot flash radio C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m\radio.img
fastboot reboot-bootloader
fastboot flash system C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m\system.img
fastboot flash userdata C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m\userdata.img 
[B](Note: this command will wipe your device (including \sdcard), EVEN if your bootloader is already unlocked.)[/B]

fastboot flash boot C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m\boot.img
fastboot flash recovery C:\image-hammerhead-krt16m\recovery.img
fastboot erase cache

fastboot flash cache C:\androidimage\cache.img
★After everything finished, select "Recovery" using the volume buttons.

★When a small Android appears, press Power Button + Volume UP.

★Select "Wipe data/factory data reset"

★Reboot. Your phone should be stock. :good:

For both methods:
Optional, but necessary for warranty purposes - Locking your bootloader+ Resetting the tamper flag

The Nexus 5 has a thing implemented in the bootloader called a tamper flag. This shows if the bootloader was ever unlocked, kind of like the flash counter with Samsung devices. You can check it out by using this command

fastboot oem device-info

. If the tamper flag value is "true", then you'll have to reset it. The following steps will reset this flag, and lock your bootloader.

•So, first, go here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2239421 (Thanks @osm0sis for the wonderful script)
Under "Flashable Zips", you will find the Nexus BootUnlocker script. Download it.

•Put the zip on your internal storage.

•Download the latest TWRP recovery image for the Nexus 5 from here: http://techerrata.com/browse/twrp2/hammerhead. Rename it to TWRP.img.
Now boot it. You do this by booting your phone in fastboot, and typing the following command:

fastboot boot path\to\TWRP.img

*Replace path\to\TWRP.img with the path to where you placed the TWRP.img. For example: C:\Users\X\Desktop\TWRP.img
TWRP recovery should boot.

•When TWRP finished booting, select "Install", then navigate to the Nexus Bootunlocker zip, select and install it. After it finished, use the back arrow at the bottom of the screen to go back, and reboot.

Now your bootloader should be locked, and your tamper flag should show "false".

And now you have a brand new Nexus 5 (software wise, at least)​

​

Video Guides​

Thanks @techfanatic9.


For Windows:

For Mac:

Another easy and fast tutorial made by @iTzGavin96

These don't contain the tamper flag reset step. Follow the steps above to reset your tamper flag value to "False" for warranty purposes.

i was wondering when i connect my nexus 5 to the adb it shows null/empty when i type " adb devices" however when i tried "adb devices" when i was in twrp/recovery mode the phone was recognize and my serial number pops up ,,, can i flash factory image if i connect the phone when it was in twrp/recovery mode ?? or should i only flash it when adb recognize my nexus 5 in bootloader mode ??

 

[abaaaabbbb63]

i was wondering when i connect my nexus 5 to the adb it shows null/empty when i type " adb devices" however when i tried "adb devices" when i was in twrp/recovery mode the phone was recognize and my serial number pops up ,,, can i flash factory image if i connect the phone when it was in twrp/recovery mode ?? or should i only flash it when adb recognize my nexus 5 in bootloader mode ??

You can only flash the factory images when your phone is in the bootloader.

 

[audit13]

You can only flash stock images with an unlocked bootloader using fastboot commands and with the phone in bootloader mode.

 

[efrant]

What do the version codes mean on the Google Developers Factory Images page here?

https://source.android.com/source/build-numbers.html


Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[GioVIP]

I don't really know what to suggest from here, but I would root it and perform the Emmc Check Memory next.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

hi bro i rooted my n5 and checked memory with Emmc like you suggested me test showed 29.1 GB of space, what to do next ?

 

[maRci002]

How can I root my Nexus 5 device

I have made it several times but when Marshmallow came out 6.0.0 (MRA58K) the SuperSu broke my phone (infinity bootloop) so I've reflashed my phone whithout rooting. I've read that I need to use a different kernel from the original one and then it might work.
So the question is: do I still need a differenet kernel to root my phone 6.0.1 (MMB29S)?

 

[GioVIP]

Here's what you should do if you want to flash the tamper reset zip file and still keep the stock recovery.

1. Download the tamper zip to your device
2. Google nexus 5 teamwin and download the twrp image file to your pc, we are not going to install it, only boot into it
3. Rename the twrp file you downloaded to twrp.img. This is for simplicity
4. Boot into the bootloader on your device and connect it to your pc
5. Open a command window in the same folder as twrp.img is in
6. In that command window type the command, fastboot boot twrp.img. This will boot you into twrp but not install it
7. When you're booted into twrp then install the tamper.zip you downloaded in step 1

Reboot and the tamper flag still be reset and you'll still have the stock recovery on your device.

Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app

helllo bro, i see yo are good at nexus 5 development. can you help me ? in bootloader my N5 shows D821e 32GB, but in storage only 16 is available. i flashed factory image several times them did #post 2 , but still got 16gb. what can i do to fix this issue ? i tied flashing kit-kat, lollopop and marshmallow but still got 16 GB, than rooted and tried custom roms but still 16

 

[demonr6]

Hey guys my wife's phone has been acting like crap since the update to MM with almost constant reboots. I wanted to go back to Lollipop because it never had issues with that flavor of the OS. Would I download the 5.1.1 from the factory images link and follow the same instructions in this OP? Thanks!

 

[audit13]

Yes, the methods described in the first post will work with stock 5.1.1 images.

 

[demonr6]

One small issue I ran into using method 1.. I extracted the file that I downloaded from the link provided then ran the flash-all.bat file and the image below is the result. I unlocked the bootloader in advance and the phone is in the ready state. Not sure what I boned any suggestions?

 

[GioVIP]

One small issue I ran into using method 1.. I extracted the file that I downloaded from the link provided then ran the flash-all.bat file and the image below is the result. I unlocked the bootloader in advance and the phone is in the ready state. Not sure what I boned any suggestions?

try second method, manually write commands in cmd

 

[audit13]

Could it be a bad download?

Does the bootloader remain unlocked at all times?

 

[demonr6]

I was able to get into it with the second method. Unfortunately flashing back to Lollipop did not fix the rebooting issue. To make matters worse after I attempted to lock the bootloader again the handset went into a constant bootloop so the phone has moved on to a better place. *hint tonight it will burn in a funeral pyre with a great big F* you to LG* Thanks for the help though, sucks this only lasted barely two years before taking a dump.

 

[Spud37]

Is there a way to flash the stock from TWRP? I don't care about changing the recovery I just want Stock ROM

 

[audit13]

Is this what you need: http://xdaforums.com/google-nexus-5/development/rom-android-m-preview-2-flashable-zip-t3157299 ?

 

[GioVIP]

Might be a nand issue? If you install EMMC Brickbug Check, do you get a SANE CHIP result?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.vinagre.android.emmc_check&hl=en

do you have any idea what to do ? see pics

 

[tedrogers61]

That is most peculiar! The OS is not recognising that you have a 32gb, yet a root level app (presumably root level) detects capacity correctly. If it is unrooted, then I'd be tempted to try re-rooting and un-rooting, then try whole process again.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[GioVIP]

Boot in recovery (Stock one), clear cache and factory reset.

If that didn't work, boot in fastboot and write the following commands:

fastboot erase boot
fastboot erase cache
fastboot erase recovery
fastboot erase system
fastboot erase userdata

Then proceed by using the "flash-all.bat" in the factory images again.

Edit: Added fix to post #2.

i did just like you said but got again 16 instead of 32