You could flash tons of custom ROMs, install a custom recovery like TWRP, or even gain administrative privileges. The last one is also known as rooting the device. You could do so via two different methods: with TWRP (using Magisk Installer ZIP) or without TWRP (Magisk patched boot.img). This then allows you to flash a custom kernel, install Magisk Modules, Xposed Framework, install Substratum Theme Engine, among others. However, carrying out these tweaks might sometimes bring in uninvited risks. This in turn might result in your device going to the Boot-loop state, stuck in Fastboot Mode or a soft-brick. And if anyone of these things has happened with your device as well, then you have come to the right place to rectify this issue. In this guide, we will show you how to restore Pixel 2/XL to stock firmware via Fastboot Commands and hence unbrick it. Follow along for the detailed instructions.
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Restore Pixel 2/XL to Stock Firmware via Fastboot | Unbrick it
Before we list out the instructions steps, there are a few prerequisites that you need to go through. Make sure to tick-mark all these requirements before proceeding ahead. Droidwin and its members wouldn’t be held responsible in case of a thermonuclear war, your alarm doesn’t wake you up, or if anything happens to your device and data by performing the below steps.
STEP 1: Prerequisites
To begin with, you need to have an unlocked bootloader. This is something that all our readers might already have done, otherwise, they might not have landed here.Next up, download and install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This will provide you with the necessary ADB and Fastboot binaries.Finally, download the stock firmware for your device (these are the complete factory images and not the OTA file because OTAs wouldn’t work in this current scenario)Pixel 2 (walleye): 11.0.0 (RP1A.201005.004, Oct 2020)Pixel 2 XL (taimen): 11.0.0 (RP1A.201005.004, Oct 2020)
That’s it. You may now proceed with the steps to restore Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL to stock firmware via Fastboot and unbrick it.
STEP 2: Extract Pixel 2/XL Stock Firmware
To begin with, extract the contents of the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL ZIP firmware. Once you do so, you should get a bootloader.img file, three flash files, a radio.img file and a compressed folder. This second compressed folder will have other image files such as the modem, system, vendor, boot, etc. You should not extract this ZIP file. This is because we would be flashing this ZIP file as it is.
Now there are two different approaches that you take while flashing the firmware. You could either use the flash-all script that will automatically flash all the files. If that doesn’t work out, then you could manually flash the IMG files to its partition. We have shared both these methods in-depth, refer to the one that meets your requirements.
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STEP 3A: Restore Pixel 2/XL to Stock Firmware via Flash-All Script
I inspected this Fastboot Firmware and the flashing file consists of a command that will wipe off all the data on your device. As of now, your device is stuck in Fastboot (kind of), hence a device backup is not possible. Fret Not. I will show you how to modify that flash file and remove the command responsible for device formatting. This way you will be able to flash the stock ROM on your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL device, without losing any data! That’s it. These were the steps to restore Pixel 2/XL to Stock Firmware via Flash-All Script. This was the automated method and should do its job most of the time. And if it worked out for you, then you may skip the below STEP 3B and move over to STEP 4. However, if you are facing any issue or two, then you could manually flash these files as well. Here are the required fastboot commands for the same.
STEP 3B: Restore Pixel 2/XL to Stock Firmware via Fastboot Commands
That’s it. With this, you have successfully restored Pixel 2/XL to Stock Firmware via Fastboot Commands and unbricked it. Let’s now move onto the final step.
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STEP 4: Relock Bootloader
The fourth and final step requires you to relock the bootloader on your Pixel 2/XL device. Here are the steps for the same: With this, we conclude the guide on how to restore your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL device to stock firmware via Fastboot and unbrick it. If you still have any queries, do let us know in the comments section below.
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