Android devices not showing in Windows (MTP)

This has bugged me for a few generations of devices now and stumped me a few times...

Nexus 4, HTC One and Nexus 6 that I recall have had similar quirks - especially with later Windows versions (i.e. 8 and later)!

I've moved files off my Nexus 6 a few times since I got it late last year, and this time... it decides to not appear - but I could see it in device manager as an ADB device...

Found this article which explains a simple fix:

http://www.howtogeek.com/195607/how-to-get-your-android-device-to-show-up-in-file-explorer-if-it-isnt/

Basically device manager > Android ADB device > update driver > let me choose > USB MTP device > fixed

Motorola Xoom Jellybean 4.1.2 OTA (WiFi)

The latest OTA for the Motorola Xoom GED is here: http://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/motorola_tervigon/75baa1719d30.signed-tervigon-JZO54K-from-JRO03H.75baa171.zip

Minus seems to have blocked uploads from non-image files so I can't post a minus mirror sadly.

It applies via OTG cable with stock recovery too as per honeycomb OTAs

Flashing the Xoom JB OTA

If you get an error manually flashing the Xoom JB OTA for GED WiFi then a solution has been found if you don't want to wait...

Note: This article assumes you have basic knowledge of fastboot and/or have already unlocked.

1. Download OTA and custom recovery

- OTA : http://android.clients.google.com/packages/data/ota/motorola_tervigon/f85d815e2b75.signed-tervigon-JRO03H-from-IMM76.f85d815e.zip

- Custom Recovery : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1604014  Mirror : http://minus.com/lbv0kMHgdyAHRk

2. Unlock the bootloader (For more info look here: http://developer.motorola.com/products/software/)

- Turn off device

- Connect to laptop using USB cable

- Turn on and when the Motorola splash screen comes up press vol-down till you see FASTBOOT

- Run this command from pc/laptop:

- fastboot oem unlock

3. Flash custom recovery

- Boot into bootloader again with FASTBOOT displayed

- flash custom recovery using the following command from:

- fastboot flash recovery eos-recovery-r6.img

4. Install OTA

- Enter Recovery by powering on, press vol-down till RECOVERY is shown and then press vol-up to enter recovery

- You may need to press power+vol up to enter recovery * if you still appear to have stock repeat step 3.

- Select through the recovery menus, and find 'install from sdcard'

- Select the OTA .zip file from the sdcard and install.

- Reboot device

- Alternatively with the custom recovery you can store the OTA .zip  file on the internal storage on the Xoom and flash it that way without an sdcard or USB with OTG cable.

Custom recovery will be returned to stock on boot up.

Motorola Xoom WiFi Jellybean

The Motorola Xoom WiFi (GED / US) Jellybean OTA is here!

http://android.clients.google.com/packages/data/ota/motorola_tervigon/f85d815e2b75.signed-tervigon-JRO03H-from-IMM76.f85d815e.zip

S-Off the HTC Evo 3D GSM

I recently purchased a new phone - from Asda Direct - the HTC Evo 3D - for the price, £207, it was a bargain - decent spec phone still to today's standard, it is coming up to a year old soon, but still dual core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, removable MicroSD and removable battery.
It is slightly better spec than the HTC Sensation (more RAM, better graphics)...

oh and it has 3D!

Anyhow, there seems to be a lot of fuss over getting s-off with it and I just wanted to detail the way I did it...

The following two threads are probably the most useful:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1495657

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1535987


Check what hboot you have... I had 1.49.0018 - read the threads above - the process doesn't work with many versisons and also if it is SIM-free/unlocked handset (CID versions... mine was HTC__001)

The basics are:

1. You'll need to UNLOCK the bootloader (note: not s-off) using htcdev.com tools
2. Flash custom recovery using fastboot
3. Flash a pre-rooted rom (possibly flash a new boot.img)
4. Run the step1.exe tool (or copy over the mmcblk0p31 file to /system/dev/block)
5. Run the step2.exe tool to reflash a stock rom with lower hboot version
6. Run revolutionary.io tool to gain s-off

Xoom WiFi (Non-US, i.e. UK/CAN) 3.0.1 -> 3.2 in a Few Easy Steps

To get from 3.0.1 Non-US image to a US image (GED) - I followed the following steps... please note - it is highly recommended you do some Google searches, and/or search XDA for if this will work on your region if you are not on a UK based Xoom...


1. Back up any stuff you want to a PC, make notes of apps you might want to re-install etc. This will wipe and factory reset the Xoom including storage on the Xoom


2. Unlock the device via Fastboot:
 2a. Download the Motorola USB Drivers from here: http://developer.motorola.com/docstools/USB_Drivers/   (you may need to sign up, but can probably find these elsewhere via Google if need be.)
 2b. Download the Android SDK from here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html  (you only really need fastboot so might be best to grab the zip version), else you may need the Java SDK too.
 2c. Power off your Xoom
 2d. Press and hold Volume Down while pressing (and holding) the power button to turn on the device (you can let go of power when the device comes on)
 2e. Open a command prompt window (cmd)
 2f. browse to your sdk\tools folder, i.e. c:   ->  cd sdk\tools    etc.
 2g. type:  fastboot oem unlock
 2h. Read the warning on the Xoom screen, Volume Down button to change selection, Volume Up to select.


After 2. you will be unlocked, but have no warranty from Motorola unless you lock again (fastboot oem lock) with your region's image.


3. Flash the Official, complete US 3.0.1 HWI69 Image
 3a. Download the Image files here: http://developer.motorola.com/products/software/
 3b. You will probably want to grab a copy of your region's image if available, as well as 'Build HWI69 for US Retail' image: http://developer.motorola.com/products/software/MZ604_HWI69.zip/
 3c. Extract the .img files from the zip, boot.img, system.img, recovery.img, userdata.img and put them in the same location as fastboot.exe (for ease)
 3d. You should still be in fastboot mode (from 2), enter these commands one at a time followed by enter/return (waiting for them to complete before running the next command):
  fastboot flash boot boot.img
  fastboot flash system system.img
  fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
  fastboot flash userdata userdata.img
  fastboot erase cache
  fastboot erase userdata
(DO NOT RUN fastboot oem lock as written on the motorola developer site)
 3e. Reboot device either with hold Volume Up and Power, or fastboot reboot
 3f. Run through and set up the device as new.


4. OTA Update to 3.1
 4a. Either let the system update itself OTA (took me about 5 minutes for it to come down) and follow on screen instructions to update to Honeycomb 3.1
 4b. OTA file is available here: http://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/motorola_tervigon/e379f0b9bcd0.signed-tervigon-HMJ37-from-HWI69.e379f0b9.zip
 4c. If you are interested in Rooting, custom kernel etc. read this post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=14237506&postcount=7


5. OTA update to 3.2
 5a. Either let the system update itself OTA and follow on screen instructions to update to Honeycomb 3.2 ... or... my OTA had not come down after about 2 days, so found the next method to work (you will need a USB flash stick, and an OTG USB Host Cable)...
 5b. Download the OTA from here: http://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/motorola_tervigon/db223b6ed7c4.signed-tervigon-HTJ85B-from-HMJ37.db223b6e.zip
 5c. Put the .zip above on to the USB flash stick.
 5d. Power off the Xoom
 5e. Plug in the USB flash stick to the OTG Cable and into the Xoom
 5f. Power on Xoom and tap Volume Up when Motorola splash screen is on and it should have a bit of text at the top left showing 'Recovery'
 5g. When you see the Android logo with the exclamation mark, hold Power button and tap Volume Up to enter Recovery
 5h. Volume Down, to select 'Apply update from USB drive'
 5i. Press Power to select, and let it apply the update. If it fails try re-downloading the .zip
 5j. Reboot and you should now be running Honeycomb 3.2, stock, US image.


6. Real English (UK)... and other languages.
 6a. If you want to set yourself up with English (United Kingdom) not English (American), then you can download an apk from the market to help,
 6b. Look for MoreLocale2 from the Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=jp.co.c_lis.ccl.morelocale
 6c. Open the App,
 6d. Click Options (grid icon)
 6c. Add Locale
 6d. Label - English (United Kingdom)
 6e. Language -en
 6f. Country - GB
 6g. Click Add and set this as your language.


I don't think this helps with the 'Using an external keyboard still uses the US layout' issue, but if I find a solution to that I'll update/post an update with that.

ROOT (Optional)
If you want to root - see here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1170760


Thanks go to XDA Developers, masterslacker, poisike and iammodo (all from XDA) for various parts of this.






Random Rambling/History behind the above:



Having had a Motorola Xoom from launch (in the UK), one thing that fairly quickly started to annoy me was the soon apparent fact that Google's Experience Devices (GEDs) like the Nexus range, didn't seem to apply to the Tablet world, apart from the US Xoom's. (Verizon's 3G and US WiFi models it seems).


Motorola have to modify/develop/push out the updates to anyone else in the world, including Canada and the UK.
If I had realised that at the time I might have thought twice about letting Motorola look after the needs of the Android tablet community, and chosen a different tablet.
Also that they took ages to release the original images for the non-US devices which meant any tweaking or playing could result in non-recoverable bricks...


Luckily - the hardware in the US WiFi, and the Non-US WiFi are identical so the images happily go straight on top - although I, as well as others, were reluctant to flash US Images to the Non-US models because there was no return... until the day after I gave up, flashed the US image on to my UK Xoom and then they released the images - hurray - now we can go back when/if we want to!

Google Music Beta on Android Device

I think I found a way to speed up the process of getting an Android device...
I read a few posts on the internet about factory reset, restarting, etc. but one I think products the most results is resetting your google account password, sync up with device (it will error and ask for new password) - then change back (if you want).
Wait awhile and/or reboot a few times - I had no joy this morning, but changing password and back again and waiting about 15 minutes has now activated the Xoom music :)

Google Music Beta

I registered for a Music Beta invite yesterday morning, and got the invite by the evening when I got home - so that was pretty quick, as I heard people waited a few days sometimes for an invite.
It took about 24 hours though before Music Beta authorization appeared on my Desire with the 3.0.1 Music app installed which was a bit frustrating as there didn't seem to be any way of speeding this up!
It still isn't activated on my Xoom either... :(

Other than the slow activation on actual Android handsets, I'm fairly impressed.
When driving home from work - I tested it out in the car and using the Data connection there appeared to be only one hiccup from the music and 14 songs downloaded to the cache folder.
As we seem to have rubbish signals around these parts, especially if on a call (with bluetooth headset, obviously) it can lose the signal and cut me off - I was expecting it to fail at some point.

I think my only grief with it at the moment is you need a PC/MAC to be able to upload music in the first place - I would have thought there'd be a way of uploading from an Android device in some way (even if it was an upload option from the browser...)