Broken Screen & Digitizer, Can't Unlock Pattern or Allow ADB - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

Hello, I have a Galaxy S4 i337 running 4.4.4 Kitkat. It is stock rooted. I have broken the screen and digitizer, so I cannot see what is on the screen and there is no touch input. The phone has a pattern lock with a backup pin. I know the pattern and possibly the backup pin, but I can't input them due to no touch input and I can't see the display. I have an MHL connector that shows the display on my TV, but I can't provide any input. I also have a USB OTG cable and a mouse and keyboard, but input with these devices is essentially useless since I can't see what's on the screen at the same time.
I was going to try the "Android Control" Windows app that I found here at XDA, however, I am unable to unlock the phone and then allow the PC to connect to the phone using ADB. I am referring to the "Allow USB debugging?" prompt. I believe USB debugging is enabled. Wifi is turned off, and bluetooth is turned off. I was thinking that I may be able to connect a bluetooth mouse and use the MHL adapter at the same time, but I can't enable bluetooth. I do not have a Samsung account, so I can't use the find my phone or whatever it's called to unlock it. Does anyone have ANY ideas of what I can try to gain access to the device? :fingers-crossed:

I'm sorry to hear that. I did the same thing trying to replace the glass on my phone. I'm sorry to tell you but you're going to have to go on to Amazon and order one the cheapest I found was for $77. I don't think there is any external application to unlock the pin pattern on your phone without being able to use the touch screen
Sent from my SGH i337 on deadly venom

There has to be some kind of back door or something. Surely Google isn't so inept that they have locked down MY device to the point that I have lost ALL of my data due to the lcd and digitizer being broken. Samsung Kies says that it isn't compatible and says to use something called Smart Switch, which won't work with the phone locked. I can presumably install software via the Google Play website, but that's the only thing that I am aware that I can do without operating the phone directly. I read about an app that can supposedly unlock your device if you install it from Google Play. I have no idea if it works, and that would only solve half of my problem. I still need to disable or bypass secure adb. If not for secure adb, I'd likely have full access to my device. Thanks Google; secure adb is awesome!
Ideally there would be an app that could be installed via Google Play that would automatically enable an FTP server on the device without any configuration. It would be preconfigured with the options in the documentation and would enable on install or after reboot. I have Filezilla and have used FTP before with the device via ES File Explorer, but I can't enable it with a broken lcd and digitizer.
There is a product called Samsung Remote Client/Server that I believe is intended for carrier unlocking devices. It is a paid product, but a free function of the software is the ability to bypass pattern lock. I can't get it to work though. It says:
"Opening Modemport at COM3"
"Bypassing Pattern lock...Please Wait..."
"Bypass Failed"
"Make sure you have set the correct modem or uart port as modemport!"
I have no idea what it is talking about regarding the port.
I read something about possibly being able to manually add my PC's RSA fingerprint to the device to allow adb to connect, but I can't access the filesystem to do this. As much as I despise Apple, I'm wondering if my data would be forever lost if I was using an iPhone and my screen broke. I'm betting either iTunes or one of the Apple stores could recover my data. I guess with Android, you're hosed if your device malfunctions.

Try sending an email to Josh at Mobile Tech Videos or give him a call. He has a shop in texas, and is the most knowledgable person on Galaxy phones of anyone I know outside of Samsung. You might be lucky enough to talk to him in person. (He's very busy.) He can probably get your data for you, for a reasonable price, and will also probably be forthcoming with any way you can do it yourself, if you ask. He is somewhat active here on XDA-Developers as @connexion2005.
Edit: I hadn't looked at his web site for some time. That note about not taking new orders has been up there for the better part of a year now. Also, it looks like he is making good money fixing blacklisted phones with his jtag equipment. So, I'm not sure if this is good advice or not. But it can't hurt anything to ask.

Thanks for the information. I'll look into it. I may have found a broken Galaxy S4 with a working screen and digitizer. If that pans out, I think I can connect the screen and digitizer from that phone to my phone and at least unlock the pattern and authorize my PC. I also found a dock on Amazon for $16 that supposedly lets you connect an HDMI cable and mouse and keyboard simultaneously. I'll try that if the other phone doesn't come through.

OTG cable
Use a generic OTG cable, then connect a wireless Keyboard/Mouse combo. I use one of these: Logitech K400 for my customers, works for most phones.

tigueraje said:
Use a generic OTG cable, then connect a wireless Keyboard/Mouse combo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the input and suggestions, but as stated in the OP:
I also have a USB OTG cable and a mouse and keyboard, but input with these devices is essentially useless since I can't see what's on the screen at the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a semi-complex lock pattern. Using a mouse to input the pattern without being able to see the screen is virtually impossible. I have tried. Just getting it to accept the WRONG pattern 5x while hitting at least 4 points each time is very frustrating and nearly impossible. Unless the trackpad on the keyboard you linked works differently (touching the center of the pad centers the on-screen cursor), that method won't work. I doubt it works that way in my experience with laptop trackpads. The only solution that I know of regarding OTG would be to buy a dock that enables both HDMI and mouse input simultaneously.
Regardless, someone came through with a broken Galaxy S4 that I can possibly take the screen off of to at least unlock my phone, remove the pattern lock, and authorize my PC's connection via ADB. I'm about to tear into that now.

Related

Broken screen and digitizer.

Screen cracked and digitizer out. :thumbdown:
My phone is locked and not rooted, debugging is not on. I would like to access the phone and either set it up with a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and perhaps use as a media server small Google TV type device.
I can't access any part of the screen.
Are there instructions for doing this or perhaps someone could make a flashable ROM with the stuff I need enabled to do this remotely from the computer. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Q] HELP - Nexus 7 RSA Key check

Hey everyone,
Firstly my apologies if this is in the wrong section but it seemed most relavent although I've been pulling my hair out all day/night so I not at my sharpest.
My issue is this:
I have a Google Nexus 7 (pre-2013) that has a cracked screen. I had it rooted originally but I was using TWRP multi-rom loader for Android and Ubuntu. After the screen cracked I couldnt get past the boot loader (even with the OTG cable and mouse). So I restored it to stock awhile back but now I want to re-root it for various reasons, namely to be able to use certain applications that will make controlling it (without OTG cable) far easier and more practical.
I continually get stuck at the RSA Key Check for USB Debugging. (as I am unable to post links I've attached a picture I came accross on the net of the RSA key check I refer to)
This only prompts when I have the USB connected to my PC, but I cant control the Nexus as I have to take the OTG out to connect it to the computer.
I have tried vast array of VNC/Remote applications but still cannot seem to tick that freaking box (or at least just say 'OK' once in order to root the device).
Tablet Remote has gotten me the closest although it doesnt allow me to click "OK" when I pair it with my Samsung S4.
VMLite was promising however its the same deal : I'm required to push 'Start Server' with the USB connection to the PC (of which I cant do, otherwise I would just hit OK on the RSA key check)
Numerous other VNC Server apps or ones of similar nature require root access (of which I am trying to get!)
- I dont have any bluetooth devices in the house (except my old SixAxis controller from PS3 but SixAxis requires root privileges).
- Im not confident of whipping up a home made 'OTG Y Cable' so I can have both USB input to the computer and OTG mouse input
Short of buying either of these (a bluetooth mouse for example or a suitable OTG cable), is there anything I can do? Its so frustrating to not be able to proceed because of 1 stupid box.
Is there a way to disable this RSA check or is there an avenue I havnt explored yet that could solve this for me?
Many thanks in advance!!

Activating ADB with a broken screen

I've been reading various threads and tech posts for hours and feel like I'm going in circles and getting absolutely nowhere, so I'm really hopeful someone can help me out.
I broke the screen and digitizer on my AT&T SGH-I337 Galaxy S4 with stock Android 4.2.2 and ROM, though it is rooted. I was trying to control it via the computer with 'Ultimate Touchscreen Control for Android' or Screencast, but they require ADB which I'm pretty sure is not enabled. I did enable USB debugging before the screen broke, though I can't say with 100% certainty that I didn't later disable it, so I'm not entirely sure what the status of that is. I've been reading about sideloading a kernel with ADB enabled through recovery, or using CWM with Odin to enable it, but I have been absolutely unable to figure out how to do it with a broken screen. It doesn't help that it's been 3.5 years since I really messed with stuff like CWM and custom ROMs, and I've never used Odin, and my knowledge on this stuff is not great. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I think you're pretty much sol. You say you're on 4.2.2, do you know what bootloader you're on. Mdb, mdl or mf3. If you're on mf3 you won't be able to flash a kennel. Do you have a custom recovery, and if so, which one?
When booted into recovery and adb installed on your pc in a Windows command window type
adb devices
If you're devices serial number shows up you have adb debugging enabled. If it just shows waiting for device, you don't.
Your best bet is to get the screen/digitizer replaced.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Not sure what bootloader, but I got the device only a month or two after the S4 came out and immediately rooted it with Motochopper and it hasn't had any updates since, so it has to be an earlier one, probably the first.
After several attempts, 'adb devices' gave me:
"List of devices attached
da916528 unauthorized"
The first several times it would just say "List of devices attached" with nothing following.
'adb shell' resulted in "error: device unauthorized. Please check the confirmation dialog on your device."
Shortly after it does list the phone, the phone shows up in Windows, so I'm thinking it's not going into recovery. My timing must be off because I can't see the screen to know when to release the buttons.
vertigo_2_20 said:
Not sure what bootloader, but I got the device only a month or two after the S4 came out and immediately rooted it with Motochopper and it hasn't had any updates since, so it has to be an earlier one, probably the first.
After several attempts, 'adb devices' gave me:
"List of devices attached
da916528 unauthorized"
The first several times it would just say "List of devices attached" with nothing following.
'adb shell' resulted in "error: device unauthorized. Please check the confirmation dialog on your device."
Shortly after it does list the phone, the phone shows up in Windows, so I'm thinking it's not going into recovery. My timing must be off because I can't see the screen to know when to release the buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're close but unfortunately no cigar. You have usb debugging enabled but it's waiting for you to authorize the device by clicking accept on the touch screen. Which you obviously can't do. If you used motochopper you are on mdb or mdl bootloader which means you could flash a kernel but you'd have to do it in a custom recovery and use the touch screen. I don't have an i337 so I'm not going to be much more help. Sorry.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
Kinda figured it was something like that. Thanks anyways, at least I know exactly where I stand now. I'm going to try using an MHL and OTG adapter to see if I can click it that way. In the meantime, hopefully somebody with the same phone as me will come along and be able to provide further guidance.
So I was finally able to gain remote access with some crazy wiring and a lot of patience. I'm putting this here so others in my situation might have an easier time at doing it.
First I installed TeamViewer QuickSupport (TVQS) via the Play Store online, then connected a PS/2 mouse to the phone through a OTC cable and a USB to PS/2 adapter (only USB mouse I have is wireless, but good to know you can use such an adapter for this). I blindly swiped the screen to unlock the phone, then connected it to my TV with an MHL adapter and the 5 to 11 pin Samsung-specific adapter. I long-pressed the menu button to activate voice search and said "launch TeamViewer QuickSupport," then when the app opened it showed me the ID to connect to the phone which I entered into my desktop TeamViewer application. I then had to switch back to the mouse to do some more blind clicking to authorize the connection, then again to authorize the remote control, which took several frustrating minutes of switching back and forth between the mouse and the TV. One mistake I made was not installing the remote addon at first, so after I first authorized the connection, I didn't have that option, so I had to install it again through the Play Store online then close and relaunch TeamViewer on the phone and reauthorize the connection before I could start a remote session. Once I was FINALLY in I had full control and was able to get the Ultimate Touchscreen (UTCA) program authorized (which in retrospect would have required the same thing only it would have been significantly easier, since I would have only had to do one blind click) and Mobizen (which I'm currently using to control it as it's the best and fastest of the three, and oddly it's faster through the web interface than the desktop program).
In the end, what would have made this significantly easier (in fact, very easy), would have been to use a combination OTG/MHL adapter that would allow using the mouse and TV at the same time, or possibly a micro-USB OTG Y-cable so I could plug one connector into the phone and one into a power supply, then plugged the MHL Samsung adapter into that so it could get power that way, allowing me to plug the mouse in to it instead of a USB cable for power. Not sure if that would actually work, but it seems like it would. Hopefully somebody finds this info helpful. From now on, I'll be installing and authorizing TVQS, Mobizen, and UTCA on my phones when I get them.
I have the same problem. I cannot access ADB in anyway, even in in Clockworkmod recovery. USB Debugging is off. I am on the original firmware that came with the device, (Pre Knox) and the device is rooted.
My lock screen is just the simple lock, with no password required, but I have an app installed that switches the USB mode to Mass Storage for the external SD only so I cannot see internal storage.
MHL does work, but the touchscreen is not working, so all I can see is the lock screen.
When in recovery, ADB Devices shows the device as unauthorized. If i go to option # 3, (which apparently is Factory Reset) the status changes to "Sideload." But I still cannot do anything.
If no one has any suggestions. I think i'm going to have to purchase one of the Samsung Smart Docks.
I can't post links or pictures until I get 10 posts, but this works;
goo.gl/PR7TCK
Other than getting the dock, the only other way to do it that I know of is how I described above, switching back and forth between video and mouse, which sucks because you're flying blind. It requires a lot of patience.

Can't access files due to broken screen and pattern lock!

Hello xda!
This forum has helped me a lot in the past time with all kind of problems i enocountered and I hope you guys can help me once more time with this big problem i have!
So basically 2 weeks ago i broke my screen on my old s4 pretty bad and it doesnt display anything anymore and the touch is not working. I have a lot of files and photos on it and I've een struggling to access it from my windows PC but i pretty much can't figure it out since it is locked with a pattern and can't unlock it!
I can't unlock it from my samsung account cause the account doesn't display the phone anymore for some unknown reason..and i really dont know what to try anymore I know the pattern and the backup PIN, google account etc, etc but still i couldn't find anything on google aout what could I do.
I have tried ADB but i cant manage to get it working tho, i have read that it wont work if my debugging is not thicked and its not..so the adb didn't detect it when i tried...maybe i did somethig wrong tho cause im not familiar with adb. Followed a guide on youtube and my [adb shell] command in platform-tools cmd didn't seem to work.
Please guys, help me access my files i dont know what to try anymore
If you need any more information about anything else regarding the phone, please ask and I will try anything just to recover my files ^^
Thank you!
without debugging activated ADB won't work. long shot (and quite expensive option) would be MHL adaptor plugged into TV and USB hub and wired mouse also in the hub...
I've never tried it, but in principle it should work
Even if the mhl cable will display an image on a monitor, you can't unlock the phone or enable debugging if the digitizer is busted.
audit13 said:
Even if the mhl cable will display an image on a monitor, you can't unlock the phone or enable debugging if the digitizer is busted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's where the mouse is supposed to come in, I understood maybe incorrectly that android has native support for a mouse...
How would the mouse connect to the phone? Do all ROMs support a mouse?
Well,Long story short,Nothings gonna work had the same issue with my phone back in the day,I've tried everything possible but was of no luck,you need to the change the screen and digitalizer to use it again (sadly) that's the only way out or you can borrow screen from repair shop get it unlocked. Goodluck
audit13 said:
How would the mouse connect to the phone? Do all ROMs support a mouse?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mentioned a hub, if a mouse is supported it'll work fine through a USB hub, the question is will the MHL adaptor work thru one at the same time. I know some do not, and that's why I called it a long shot...
I flashed custom recovery and tried to mount usb storage blindly following guides but it doesn't seem to work...i wonder if there is any way to flash with odin a stock rom or custom rom without losing pictures and personal data such as documents just to get rid of the pattern..

Enable USB Debugging on S7 Edge (SM-G935F)??

Hi,
My brothers phone screen is basically unusable.
When I connect the phone to the PC it recognises it in Windows but the phone contains no folders. At first I assumed it was because his screen was locked so I connected a OTG and keyboard and using commands managed to get his phone "unlocked" to the home screen.
However this didnt fix the issue.
Reading around it seems I may need USB Debugging enabled (if he hasn't already) but due to not being able to use the screen how would I do that?
Do I need a MICRO USB to HDMI & USB adapter to use a mouse and TV output?
Or is there a way I can fix this through windows using ADB?
At this point we are willing to try anything as all we are looking for is some family photos off of it then binning the phone and I don't want to put £100-200 into the screen replacement just to attempt this data recovery.
All help is greatly appreciated,
Cheers
ADB is the door to any Android device. As long as ADB has not been activated on the device - and the related RSA keys got created - you have no chance to pull out data from device, IMO.
Ok,
Well see the fact when I connect it to windows it shows the phone but not the folders inside, and I can only assume there will be a popup on the screen mentioning to ALLOW/DECLINE transfer etc..
If I use the OTG adapter I can plug my keyboard in and use the sequence SPACE, SPACE, BKSPACE, BKSPACE, then my PIN and ENTER and it unlocks to the home screen.
But because I would need the phone connected by both PC and KEYBOARD at the same time is it possible to get a splitter on the OTG adapter and this would hopefully let me press RIGHT and ENTER to accept the message?
If not then can the phone be connected via HDMI to see if any message is infact popping up??
Rowan88 said:
Hi,
My brothers phone screen is basically unusable.
When I connect the phone to the PC it recognises it in Windows but the phone contains no folders. At first I assumed it was because his screen was locked so I connected a OTG and keyboard and using commands managed to get his phone "unlocked" to the home screen.
However this didnt fix the issue.
Reading around it seems I may need USB Debugging enabled (if he hasn't already) but due to not being able to use the screen how would I do that?
Do I need a MICRO USB to HDMI & USB adapter to use a mouse and TV output?
Or is there a way I can fix this through windows using ADB?
At this point we are willing to try anything as all we are looking for is some family photos off of it then binning the phone and I don't want to put £100-200 into the screen replacement just to attempt this data recovery.
All help is greatly appreciated,
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, new to this. To get usb debugging on, click system. About phone, Software information, build number. Click that several times. (AT least 10). You will see a message that you are in developer mode. Go back to home screen. Click settings icon. Scroll to bottom you should now see { } Developers optiions. Click that. Find the section for ADB, enable ADB. Once ADB is up and running you should be able to pull the files. The screen for an android is the desktop, mouse, and keyboard. (PC analogy). You need something to see your icons, something to click, and a keyboard. If OTG acts as a mouse, and you can see the basic display, and have an external keyboard. I think you can do this. I am not sure what OTG is .
wdtr2002 said:
OK, new to this. To get usb debugging on, click system. About phone, Software information, build number. Click that several times. (AT least 10). You will see a message that you are in developer mode. Go back to home screen. Click settings icon. Scroll to bottom you should now see { } Developers optiions. Click that. Find the section for ADB, enable ADB. Once ADB is up and running you should be able to pull the files. The screen for an android is the desktop, mouse, and keyboard. (PC analogy). You need something to see your icons, something to click, and a keyboard. If OTG acts as a mouse, and you can see the basic display, and have an external keyboard. I think you can do this. I am not sure what OTG is .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I cant follow that process as the screen is completely destroyed (no display/no touch), thats why I have been blindly using a keyboard to try and find the setting
2. OTG is ON THE GO , its a small adapter that lets you connect USB devices to your phone.
Sorry about that. I think you are stuck. without some visual clues I think you can not put the phone in developer mode. Did you try just a plugin (via usb) into windows and seeing if there is a pictures folder?
It find the phone in Windows, but wont display the folders.
The OTG splitter I purchased to be able to connect it to the PC and KEYBOARD at same time didnt work as it doesnt supply power (should have checked reviews).
Any other solutions? Or is this a new screen for £200 just to get data?
I purchased another OTG splitter that has a OTG/CHARGE switch so this should let me connect it to the PC and KEYBOARD.
Can anyone give me shortcut keys or step by step on how many times I need to press certain buttons to get down to the USB DEBUGGING section please?

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