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Possible Duplicate:
How do I backup data (sms/contacts) from a device with a broken screen?

My Nexus 4 fell and cracked its screen:

enter image description here

One of the caveats in its design is the glass on the back makes it slide down and fall from pretty much any surface.

Another caveat is the curved unprotected glass on the front. If it falls down, it'll most likely crack.

Given

After it fell, the phone "lost its touch" i.e. it does not respond to any "touching".

It is not rooted, the screen is (pattern) locked, hence I can neither see the files via MTP nor can do:

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key

since permission is denied. I am also unable to 

adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases

to save my messages, configs, etc.. for the same reason.

The only thing I have backed up is pictures (which of course is "something"):

adb pull /sdcard/ /destination

Question(s)

I need to back up and reset it before shipping it back.

  • How do I go about backing up the "databases" (e.g. SMS, configs, etc)?
  • How do I wipe it clean, so whoever gets it can't get my data?

EDIT

Since this is closed as duplicate, which it's really not, here is the solution to this problem in case somebody else is looking for it.

Community
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tolitius
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  • Also see some of the answers to Broken screen while debug mode was disabled. How can I re-enable adb? which mention options like installing remote control/screencasting software. – GAThrawn Jan 15 '13 at 15:22
  • There are 2 options: a) remotely install software via Google Play, as suggested by GAThrawn or b) repair the screen (or temporarily connect a screen from another N4) c) fastboot unlock is not an option, it does a secure erase first – ce4 Jan 15 '13 at 15:36
  • Also, that is a real bummer. I have a Nexus 4, I will now be very careful with it. :) – Josiah Jan 15 '13 at 15:36
  • Question: is it already unlocked (bootloader)? – ce4 Jan 15 '13 at 15:39
  • no, not unlocked. everything is original, the only cruel additions are cracks on the screen. Debug is enabled, screencastign won't work since "su" is needed to 777 "/data/dalvik-cache". – tolitius Jan 15 '13 at 16:24
  • Try an app like android screencast. It only updates like 4-5 fps, but you should be able to control the phone. The caveat is that you have to have usb debugging on and the android SDK. – Ryan Conrad Jan 15 '13 at 19:10
  • I did try it, but for the comp keyboard to work it needs to "chmod 777 /data/dalvik-cache" which requires "su" permissions. this phone is not rooted. – tolitius Jan 15 '13 at 22:18
  • @GAThrawn ... grrr this is so much NOT a duplicate of http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/25646/how-do-i-backup-data-sms-contacts-from-a-device-with-a-broken-screen or http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12834/broken-screen-while-debug-mode-was-disabled-how-can-i-re-enable-adb. Common now, it is not my first day on SO. Reopen it please, I can still use the help. – tolitius Jan 15 '13 at 22:22
  • @tolitius I'm confused, you say it's not a dupe, but then your blog post spends most of its time talking about screencasting software and ADB PULLs, exactly as in the linked questions? You then start talking about doing a factory reset of your device using ADB, which is a separate question (data recovery, and data wiping are not the same thing at all), and something you only really mentioned on the last line of your question. Feel free to open a question about secure wiping unrooted devices with a broken touchscreen, I can't see any proper dupe to that, and you have a good answer. – GAThrawn Jan 16 '13 at 11:19
  • @GAThrawn, the problem is solved now. The question is not about "how to get data from the phone with a broken screen", but "how to get data from a phone with a broken and locked screen". Also the factory reset is really important. I could name the question "how to prepare the phone for shipping it out" to include "backup" and "factory reset" into a single question, but that would make the title confusing and not helpful. Another subtle difference, I need(ed) to backup everything, not just SMS/Contacs. I value specifics, so does SO community. So no, it's not a dup. – tolitius Jan 18 '13 at 22:52

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