Infinite initial setup loop

[aoriol]

Hello,

My 4K Sony (model KD-55X8005C) is stuck on the initial setup screen and goes back to the Welcome (the screen where you're asked to pick a language) screen in an infinite loop after choosing any of the two options on the Location (the screen where it asks you whether you want to share the location with Google) screen after I did a settings reset.

I've googled this issue and found many people who have experienced the same exact issue (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf9JFNk_ju0 & https://community.sony.com/t5/4K-Ultra-HD-TV/Stuck-with-initial-setup-screens-on-my-Sony-Bravia-4k-A... & https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidTV/comments/45sw8t/sony_android_tv_saferecovery_mode/).

I have tried factory resetting the device (holding down the power button on the TV together with the up arrow on the remote control), installing a fresh firmware via a USB drive (it told me the firmware is already up to date and I couldn't find a way to force it to continue) but nothing seemed to work!

Is there a solution to this bug?

[angelacr]

@aoriol

Now why didn't I think of this before? I've just adb connected to my TV without a USB cable.

adb connect 192.168.1.115  (my local machine address remember to use yours)

gave me adb wirelessly. Check if you really don't have adb access.

The scatter file is a list of partitons http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2151251 shows how to get a scatter file from a phone. On MY Sony 49-W776C there is no /proc/mtd but 

cat /proc/mounts

does produce the list to make the info file....

The rest up to others with the same TV model as you. to help get the scatter file if needed. It may be possible to just use SP Tools just to boot into the bootloader?

@Anonymous Good man, thanks. It really is about time full access was sorted; at least for 2015 Androids.

[aoriol]

@angelacr I tried "adb connect" wirelessly but am getting "unable to connect to 192.168.10.249:5555: Connection refused" no matter what port I use (except :80 of course, but it doesn't do anything). Tried all sorts of "adb kill-server", "adb tcip" - nada 😞 I think it's because ADB Debugging simply isn't turned on in the settings...

Will get a Windows PC from a friend and will try using the SP Tools later today. Will report back.

[angelacr]

OK, thats useful. We now know that adb needs to setup in developer mode for certain.

if someone with the same model TV as aoriol ( what was it?), and used to using adb on a phone could issue

adb connect (IP of their TV) Agree permission if needed

adb shell

cat /proc/mounts > /sdcard/firmware.info

 exit (to come out of shell) 

then

adb pull /sdcard/firmware.info .

and post it here, it would help enormously, 

[aoriol]

@angelacr I think it was @pikachu2 who has a KD-55X8005C as well, just PM-ed him.

[angelacr]

@aoriol

There is a version of SP Tools for linux. http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/rooting-roms/tutorial-how-to-setup-spflashtoollinux-t3160802 link to sp flash tools broken.

http://spflashtool.com has both windows and linux (64 bit) versions

[angelacr]

Would this old trick of forcing an update work?

https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/televisions/2015-bravia-android-tv-issues/m-p/1974762#M24590

[Anonymous]

That trick i very much doubt would work - the existing fw much be older than the one being installed.

[aoriol]

@angelacr, yeah, I've started my "journey" with this method - no love, the old firmware remains in place even after the "update is successful".

[angelacr]

It's looking grim then. I explored getting the scatter file using my machine;  firmware.info came off with no problems but getting MTK Studio to accept it as input proved impossible. Common problem around the web from what I could see.

@Anonymous when you speak to Sony just suggest there is no securityd risk from their point of view. Access to the bootloader is locked and would remain so. All a good number of people, from what I see by readinig around today, would have been in the past, and will be in the future, greatly benefitted by being able to get into fastboot and issue 'fastboot -w' to wipe the data cache partitions. It might also keep people away from calling Sony no-support.

Sorry, couldn't resist that last bit

[aoriol]

Just a quick update, I fiddled around with a Windows PC and SP Flash Tool but had no luck. I need the scatter file, which I can't get. Even if I had it, my gut feeling tells me this tool was specifically designed for mobile phones, because "MTK Studio issue".

All in all, if Sony Support doesn't help me run a "fastboot -w" command, I'm £900 out of the pocket (nevermind the days trying to fix it, which have proven to be wasted) and really, really disappointed in the brand. I can't ship it back to UK (or replace the main board locally) because it doesn't make any economic sense. It's cheaper to just accept the loss and move on. It's just so stupid to throw away an otherwise great telly because of a software "cache glitch" which can be fixed easily with just a few instructions from Sony. I guess no more Sony and/or Android TV for me, ever again.

Thank you so much for your continued support @angelacr, @Anonymous, @MiCal1967 - at least now I full-heartedly know that I've tried every option available to a simple user. Take care!