[GUIDE] EASY Axon 7 UNIVERSAL UNBRICK / FACTORY RESTORE

[Oki]

WARNING, THIS GUIDE WILL WIPE ALL THE DATA IN YOUR DEVICE.
!!! Whatever you do, it is at your own risk !!!
​

This procedure will unbrick any Axon 7, returning it to stock. It fixes any kind of brick as long as your hardware is not damaged. You can't damage your hardware using software so if you have a healthy unit, you can recover it from any flashing "accident".

1. GET THE SOFTWARE

You need a Windows PC, Windows 10 is highly recommended. Do this:

01. Install MiFlash in your PC. It includes the Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC drivers, nonetheless you can always install the latest drivers.
02. Download the EDL flashable stock firmware package for your model:

• A2017 (China): B14_MIFAVOR5 Android: 7.1.1
• A2017G (Europe): B10_NOUGAT Android: 7.1.1
• A2017U (Americas): B35_NOUGAT Android: 7.1.1

03. Unzip the firmware ZIP file to a folder in your hard drive.


2. ENTER EDL MODE

Option A: USING THE REBOOT COMMAND

If you still have access to your system but not to recovery or fastboot, then you just need to install any terminal app, open it and at the app's command prompt enter:

reboot edl

. You device will reboot into EDL mode. Now you can safely plug your Device to your computer. In your computer right click in the Windows Start Menu icon and select Device Manager. Under Ports (COM & LPT) your device should appear as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 using a virtual COM port. If you can see it, then you can continue to the flash section, step 14. Otherwise, if you do not see anything or a DFU device, then you'll need to explore the next option.

Option B: USING THE BUTTON COMBO

04. Press the VolUp and VolDn buttons in your device and keep them pressed.
05. Now press the power button until the red LED flashes, it does it really quick. Then release the buttons, starting by the power button.
06. Plug the device to your computer.

In your computer right click in the Windows Start Menu icon and select Device Manager. Under Ports (COM & LPT) your device should appear as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 using a virtual COM port. If you can see it, then you can continue to the flash section, step 14. Otherwise, if you do not see anything or a DFU device, then you need an EDL cable.


OPTION C: USING THE EDL CABLE

So, you need to get a Qualcomm EDL cable. With it you can recover from any situation. I use this one, DrakenFX uses this other model. There are cables out there not working properly so do not try to save 4 or 5 bucks and get yours from a reliable source. Alternatively you can solder your own by following this guide. If you are in an emergency (or your patience threshold is very low) and have a thin wire around you, then you can follow this DIY hack video.

Do you already have the EDL cable? then follow these steps:

07. Connect your bricked Axon 7 to your PC using the EDL cable.
08. Press the EDL cable button and keep it pressed.
09. Press the Power button of your bricked unit and keep it pressed too.
10. Wait 20 seconds.
11. Release the power button.
12. Wait 10 seconds.
13. Release the button of the EDL cable.

Voilà, your device is now in EDL mode. The device manager in your PC, under the ports category, should detect it as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008. Now you can proceed to the flash section. If this procedure doesn't work, then your unit could have a hardware problem. Your only hope is to dissemble it by following this last resort guide.


3. FLASH FIRMWARE

14. Open MiFlash in your computer.
15. Click Browse button and select the folder you created in step 03 with the stock firmware files.
16. Click Refresh button and your device will appear listed as virtual COM port.
17. Click Flash button and wait for a few minutes until it finishes. Note that the bottom options are not applicable.
18. Now you have a stock Axon 7. Your data partition will still have garbage data, so you should enter recovery by pressing VolUp while rebooting your device with the power button. Release VolUp only when you reach Recovery. Using Recovery do a Factory Reset of your device.

That was the last step. Hopefully now you have a fully functional stock Axon 7.

By the way, this guide can also be used to return to stock any working device for selling or service!!!!

Cheers!!!!

 

[Harmtan2]

Nice! I just disassembled mine and did it that way the other day.

 

[mb0]

thank you.
i will save the files and guide for rainy day.
i have A2017 that i converted into A2017U; which file do i need to download?

 

[raystef66]

@Oki
Thnx for this guide :good:
Find the latest A2017G N-B10 here

 

[Oki]

Nice! I just disassembled mine and did it that way the other day.

Glad to see you solved your issue.

thank you.
i will save the files and guide for rainy day.
i have A2017 that i converted into A2017U; which file do i need to download?

I don't know what you mean about converting an A2017 into an A2017U. They are the same device except for the radio, that that's a hardware difference. You should always use the right modem firmware for your radio hardware so you should use the A2017 modem firmware. After unbricking your unit, you can unlock it again and flash any universal firmware the same way you did before. It is a long but safe process.

 

[mb0]

yes, i meant to say that i flashed U radio over my A2017
so China version is for me.

 

[Oki]

yes, i meant to say that i flashed U radio over my A2017
so China version is for me.

If you flashed the A2017U radio in a A2017 hardware and worked fine for you, then you can use the A2017U B35 stock firmware.

 

[aLexzkter]

What will be the bootloader status after following this guide? I need my phone with a locked bootloader.

My phone shows up as Handset Diagnostic Interface (DFU) (COM3) but it doesn't get detected on Miflash program......

 

[Oki]

What will be the bootloader status after following this guide? I need my phone with a locked bootloader.

It should be locked. But in case you end up with an unlocked phone, then locking it is very easy. You only need to connect your phone, enter into fastboot mode, download the adb/fastboot tools and execute the command fastboot oem lock from your computer.

 

[aLexzkter]

It should be locked. But in case you end up with an unlocked phone, then locking it is very easy. You only need to connect your phone, enter into fastboot mode, download the adb/fastboot tools and execute the command fastboot oem lock from your computer.

I can't get into EDL mode. I hold down volume buttons, then power. When the red led lights up, I unpress power, then the volume buttons, connect the USB cable and nothing happens on my phone (black display) red led still on. On my computer I see ZTE Handset Diagnostic Interface(DFU) (COM3).

Edit: I managed to get into EDL mode thanks to Axon 7 EDL Tool but I got a "File analysis: error" "not important files found" so I went back to MiFlash and also got an error about the files. Will update the post when I get it to work.

 

[Oki]

I can't get into EDL mode. I hold down volume buttons, then power. When the red led lights up, I unpress power, then the volume buttons, connect the USB cable and nothing happens on my phone (black display) red led still on. On my computer I see ZTE Handset Diagnostic Interface(DFU) (COM3)

You can enter EDL mode from the system. Just install any terminal app, open it and enter the command reboot edl

 

[aLexzkter]

You can enter EDL mode from the system. Just install any terminal app, open it and enter the command reboot edl

xD My phone was bricked. I thought this tutorial was mainly targeted for bricked devices.
Anyway, my phone is working now. The downloaded EDL zip was corrupt so it only had a few files inside.
@Oki
Edit: I have a working phone on Nougat B10. But I can't lock the bootloader because I don't have access to fastboot. My phone's variant is A2017G

 

[Oki]

xD My phone was bricked. I thought this tutorial was mainly targeted for bricked devices.
Anyway, my phone is working now. The downloaded EDL zip was corrupt so it only had a few files inside.
@Oki
Edit: I have a working phone on Nougat B10. But I can't lock the bootloader because I don't have access to fastboot. My phone's variant is A2017G

Glad to see you solved your issue. I misunderstood your problem. I thought you had access to the system and not to recovery or fastboot. Anyway, this guide is for unbrick or return to stock. I'll investigate the relock problem. Usually clearing devinfo partition should be enough to relock any bootloader.

 

[aLexzkter]

Glad to see you solved your issue. I misunderstood your problem. I thought you had access to the system and not to recovery or fastboot. Anyway, this guide is for unbrick or return to stock. I'll investigate the relock problem. Usually clearing devinfo partition should be enough to relock any bootloader.

In order to get access to fastboot I had to use the tool Axon7Toolkit, select "unlock bootloader" option, make sure you have an old version of MiFlash installed (20161212) and then you can select "lock bootloader" on Axon7Toolkit.

Thanks for everything.

 

[Oki]

In order to get access to fastboot I had to use the tool Axon7Toolkit, select "unlock bootloader" option, make sure you have an old version of MiFlash installed (20161212) and then you can select "lock bootloader" on Axon7Toolkit.

Thanks for everything.

Well, I am considering to link the older Marshmallow ROMs since the Nougat ROMs have some issues with fastboot. Anyway. It is going to take some time to test the alternatives. Thanks for letting us know!

 

[privatedoodle]

Some of the most recent firmware for Axon 7 (@NFound's B12 bootstack, I think) doesn't support the EDL button combo. But if you have TWRP installed, you can boot to recovery, then reboot to EDL from there.

 

[AhmedHM]

I kept getting the device registering in device manager in DFU mode. But I noticed that it briefly registers as QUSB_BULK before reverting to DFU. So I installed zadig winUSB driver and now it registers as QUSB_BULK when I turn on the device pressing all 3 buttons.
How can I proceed now?

 

[Flogisto]

Hi there
Thanks for this guide. I have a 2017U, so I got A2017U_B35_NOUGAT_FULL_EDL.zip file. After unzipping and connecting the phone to the computer it gets properly recognized and i can start the process from the MiFlash program. After reaching somewhere between 30-40% of the flashing process, it goes suddenly to 100% and it says that is finished. When I reboot the phone, it appears as if I was still under an unlocked bootloader (warning message + TUX penguin image) and the phone starts but during the initial setup process, i chose to start as a new phone but it says that "This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google Account that was previously synced on this device" and obviously this is not what I am interested for.
How can I get rid of this message and get a full clean install, with bootloader relocked and all that??
Thank you for any help you can provide!

 

[Oki]

Hi there
Thanks for this guide. I have a 2017U, so I got A2017U_B35_NOUGAT_FULL_EDL.zip file. After unzipping and connecting the phone to the computer it gets properly recognized and i can start the process from the MiFlash program. After reaching somewhere between 30-40% of the flashing process, it goes suddenly to 100% and it says that is finished. When I reboot the phone, it appears as if I was still under an unlocked bootloader (warning message + TUX penguin image) and the phone starts but during the initial setup process, i chose to start as a new phone but it says that "This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google Account that was previously synced on this device" and obviously this is not what I am interested for.
How can I get rid of this message and get a full clean install, with bootloader relocked and all that??
Thank you for any help you can provide!

There ate several ways to remove that. One involves TWRP 3.2.1-7 and the other Axon 7 EDL tool, if you dont have TWRP then use the second . Jusy go to the unlock menu and apply the google unlock.

A third way would be to setup the phone with your old google account and do afactory reset from within Android, not from the bootloader. That would remove also the owner safety.

 

[dhammika71]

Thank you so much for your guide and software bundle.
I even had to make a EDL cable to restore my device.

After flashing, I do not see vendor as a partition but looks like it is a folder. Is it OK for future ROMs ?