Root Can't unlock bootloader

[MichaelB85]

I'm trying to rescue a soft-bricked Google (Asus) Nexus 7 2013, which was stuck in a bootloop trying to install an OS update. I'm unable to restart in recovery mode or reach the factory reset menu on the device - it just re-enters the boot loop.

I'm now trying to use fastboot to flash a factory image, but I'm getting stuck at the stage of unlocking the bootloader. When I reach the 'Unlock bootloader?' screen on the Nexus 7, I press 'volume up' then 'power' to select 'Yes Unlock bootloader', but the device fails to unlock it or wipe the data.

I'm plugged into a MacBook Pro via USB, so in Terminal I just get 'erasing userdata...' on screen perpetually. If I interrupt it and power off the device, I get:

ERROR: usb_read failed with status e00002ed
FAILED (status read failed (No such file or directory))

Is there a way to force-unlock the bootloader, or to get back to recovery mode in some other way?

I'm seeing a lot of references to Wugfresh's toolkit, although it only works on Windows. Anyone know if it would make a difference if I went on to a PC to try it, or if there's a similar toolkit for Mac OS X that would do the job?

 

[scary alien]

Hey MichaelB85, welcome to our AndroidForums and sorry I didn't see your thread until now.

I've moved your thread to the root are for the 2nd gen N7 for you.

Unfortunately, I don't have any magic answers to give you .

We've seen similar issues (and error messages) on 2012 N7s where the bootloader would not unlock and I don't recall seeing any method for getting past this (regardless of where the fastboot oem unlock comes from (Windows or Mac or Linux box, etc.)).

Maybe some of the other 2nd gen N7 guys will have an idea or heard of something...crossing fingers for!

 

[scary alien]

Hey, just for grins (and to try some things that haven't been explicitly mentioned), try this:

- different USB cable

- different USB port (preferably a USB 2.0 one over a USB 3.0 one--I've seen erratic behavior using USB 3.0 with fastboot)

- after you've issued the "fastboot oem unlock" and you get the prompt to Press Power to actually unlock the bootloader, try unplugging the USB cable before pressing power (I know that sounds crazy, but I'm guessing everyone else has left their USB cable plugged-in; it won't be able to report back to the fastboot client on your PC, but perhaps this may help? dunno)

It may very well be that you have some memory that's gone bad that would account for all the issues you've reported (I have a water-damaged N5 that takes several attempts sometimes to flash a factory image--getting write errors instead of the read errors that you reported, though).