Database Users

Broken Screen & Digitizer, Can't Unlock Pattern or Allow ADB

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.

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?

Broken display - How to do a backup?

The situation here I think is common, but I have not found any other content that could help me.
In short, the phone's display is broken, you can't see anything. But the touch works, as does the whole phone.
I would like to know if there is a way to control the phone from my PC. So that I can backup everything and buy a new phone.
Considering that I have available:
- adb and USB debugging: but not enabled on my PC. Basically I see the code of the connected phone but next to it it says "unauthorized".
- The phone has an initial unlocking PIN which I can't get past because I can't remember the position of the keys.
- I have Cerberus installed, which allows me to run shell commands, but only if I can unlock the display.
How can I solve this?
Thank you very much
Phone info:
- Model: Xiaomi K20 / Mi9T
- OS: Lineage OS 17.1

Get an image of the keypad positions and make a template. You'll need to do that for every page or popup you need to access.
Or...
Replace the display.
In the future backup critic data regularly to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC. Otherwise it's only a matter of time until something like this happens.

Install vlc player. Then put android to PC on you computer and click run both bat will display the screen on the computer. You can control the phone with the mouse on the computer and it will also play sound

Ok guys, I did solve my problem in the following:
Using this branch of Scrcpy I turned my PC into a OTG kb. So with the computer I inserted the PIN of the lock screen
Once unlocked the screen, i random clicked on the screen to authorize the PC with adb. It was easy since the popup will last over everything.
With the PC authorized, using scrcpy I was able to cast the screen of the phone on the PC and control the phone either
This way a backup was possible!
Thank you for your help

Recovering data with no screen?

Hello.
I've got my mother's Samsung A20. And i need to recover data, but the screen doesn't work.
When power button is pressed, display flashes the lock screen (wallpaper, current time and so on). And then it turns black (backlight stays on for 30 seconds, and then turns off). Pressing the button doesn't guarantee flashing the display, sometimes it goes black immediately. Touch screen gives no input as far as i know (can't hear anything when trying to type pin). Problem still occurs during and after reboots.
I managed to connect a mouse and keyboard with USB OTG, and i was able to unlock. But the phone has no MHL support, so i can't get any image through USB. I'd try pressing the power button repeatedly to get some image and inch my way through the interface, but the lockscreen interferes.
The USB port is set to Charging Only mode, so i can't copy files to my computer. USB Debugging is disabled, bootloader is locked.
Does anybody have a clue, how to get image? Some way to get data? Maybe some keyboard shortcuts, so i can disable lockscreen and make my way easier? And maybe disable 20 alarms in the morning?

damiandbcz said:
I'd try pressing the power button repeatedly to get some image and inch my way through the interface, but the lockscreen interferes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like to be helpful so I'll try to give you some suggestions but I hope others pitch in who know far more than I do.
I never use the USB cable anymore to operate my phone from my PC (but my screen isn't broken so your situation will be much harder).
I connect to my phone from Windows over Wi-Fi without USB all the time, and I can unlock my screen from the PC, and I can mount my entire Android device as a drive letter on Windows over Wi-Fi, etc., so "maybe" (just maybe though), you can consider using either a WebDav server on Android to access your files and/or adb to bring up and manipulate activities on Android....
damiandbcz said:
The USB port is set to Charging Only mode, so i can't copy files to my computer. USB Debugging is disabled, bootloader is locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However, I don't know if adb will work for you if you can't turn on USB debugging in the first place... but as of Android 12, adb now works completely over Wi-Fi (see screenshots below) without needing the USB cable to establish the initial connection like it used to be prior to Android 12.
damiandbcz said:
Does anybody have a clue, how to get image? Some way to get data? Maybe some keyboard shortcuts, so i can disable lockscreen and make my way easier? And maybe disable 20 alarms in the morning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the screen problem is "just" hardware and not software, and if you can turn on Wireless Debugging, you might be able to display your phone over scrcpy or vysor (both of which use adb over Wi-Fi) as shown in the screenshots below on my phone - which never needs the USB cable connection.
Hope this helps, but you seem to need folks who know more than I do as adb/vysor/scrcpy all work for me because I can set up USB Debugging & Wireless Debugging as shown below.
Note that you might have an FTP server or a WebDav Server on your Android phone, and if you do, you might be able to at least transfer important files since they each can mount your entire Android phone as a drive letter on Windows over Wi-Fi (without needing the USB cable).

GalaxyA325G said:
I like to be helpful so I'll try to give you some suggestions but I hope others pitch in who know far more than I do.
I never use the USB cable anymore to operate my phone from my PC (but my screen isn't broken so your situation will be much harder).
I connect to my phone from Windows over Wi-Fi without USB all the time, and I can unlock my screen from the PC, and I can mount my entire Android device as a drive letter on Windows over Wi-Fi, etc., so "maybe" (just maybe though), you can consider using either a WebDav server on Android to access your files and/or adb to bring up and manipulate activities on Android....
However, I don't know if adb will work for you if you can't turn on USB debugging in the first place... but as of Android 12, adb now works completely over Wi-Fi (see screenshots below) without needing the USB cable to establish the initial connection like it used to be prior to Android 12.
If the screen problem is "just" hardware and not software, and if you can turn on Wireless Debugging, you might be able to display your phone over scrcpy or vysor (both of which use adb over Wi-Fi) as shown in the screenshots below on my phone - which never needs the USB cable connection.
Hope this helps, but you seem to need folks who know more than I do as adb/vysor/scrcpy all work for me because I can set up USB Debugging & Wireless Debugging as shown below.
Note that you might have an FTP server or a WebDav Server on your Android phone, and if you do, you might be able to at least transfer important files since they each can mount your entire Android phone as a drive letter on Windows over Wi-Fi (without needing the USB cable).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A20 can have only Android 9, 10 or 11, but thanks for ideas anyway.
I didn't even know adb can work over WiFi, I'll look into it. Hopefully this version can do it too.
Now trying blindly to turn on the screen reader…

damiandbcz said:
A20 can have only Android 9, 10 or 11, but thanks for ideas anyway.
I didn't even know adb can work over WiFi, I'll look into it. Hopefully this version can do it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ooops. My bad. I apologize. You'll need the USB cable in Android 11 for a moment to establish the connection first. Then you can switch over to Wi-Fi after that (or you can stay on USB).
damiandbcz said:
Now trying blindly to turn on the screen reader…
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel for you. I really do. It hurts me when people can't access their phone remotely to get their data back. I am searching all over the XDA site for a solution for you, where I just moments ago opened this thread to help (I'm still searching for you though).
What is the best XDA solution to control Android on the PC & recover data over Wi-Fi when the user suddenly has an unresponsive broken screen?