yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
Copy everything off your internal storage that you don't want to lose.

Get all of the files you need from the steps below and put them on your microSD card.

Flash TWRP (recovery) using the method in the OP (B27 file is fine). You don't need to flash the boot image.

Unlock the bootloader (B27 is fine): http://xdaforums.com/axon-7/how-to/guide-how-to-unlock-bootloader-stay-t3461165

Flash B29: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=68873482&postcount=2

Boot phone, set it up, whatever

*Reboot to TWRP, go to Advanced > Terminal and type: reboot disemmcwp

This will leave you with an unlocked bootloader, a fully functioning TWRP (no data encryption issue), and rooted B29. You will not be able to receive OTAs.

*This disables write protection and allows your changes (such as AdAway) to stick with reboot. You need to run this before your changes will stick. You don't have to use TWRP (you could also use a terminal emulator or ADB), but I find that since you have to reboot anyway, it's just as easy to do it in TWRP.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tasar:
Many thanx! But i have now flashed the bootimage from B27 tool, is this a problem? And must i flash both files from 5.), so bootstack B29 also?

Edit : Iam frustrated.... make the steps from you and after flash supersu 2.65 the phone show for a second the ZTE logo and then goes off :( What iam doing wrong? Was the problem, that i flashed before the boot.img from the B27 tool?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
Yes, you need [MENTION=3044858]DrakenFX[/MENTION]'s bootstack. I honestly don't know flashing [MENTION=540283]tenfar[/MENTION]'s modified boot and then the bootstack will cause problems. I don't think so, since the bootstack should overwrite the modified boot, but I can only tell you what worked for me (and at least some others). I tried so many things and left my phone soft-bricked so many times that I don't know combination doesn't work (just that a lot of them didn't) :p
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tasar:
Iam the greatest idiot here.... the problem was sitting for the monitor. I have in mind the guide with the unlocked bootloader and dont realize that unlock bootloader is neccesary here . So sorry for my stupid posts... after unlock the bootloader all went fine. Iam think, iam to old for this ;)
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] razorsbk:
Hello guys, can someone with the US version (rooted) post here the entire theme folder from /system/media/ ? Thank you.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tasar:
HERE it is.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] razorsbk:
Thank you very much. It looks like i get the same resource error after i apply the stock android theme present only in the US version.

Can anyone with the A2017G with root confirm this issue ? I'm not able to apply any US version themes.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] malditos:
I currently have root through tenfar's method on b27. Is there any way to update to b29 without losing root and without unlocking bootloader? I simply must get rid of that bell...
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] xtermmin:
Why not unlock your bootloader? You can always reflash stock and lock the bootloader (fastboot doesn't display it as "relocked", just "locked") if you ever need to send it in for warranty repair.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] polar2792:
Tenfar's dev host folder for the Axon 7 is empty. Little help here? Got all the files except the backup tool. Windows defender marked as a Trojan. I'll just disable it and download it.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] ace.infinity:
Are you sure about this?

I've read somewhere that the manufacturer will look at the hardware of the phone to check whether the bootloader was unlocked by the customer.

If it was purely a digital thing it would be too easy to fool ZTE, don't you think?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
I, for one, am sure that some folks on XDA who have unlocked their phones have been able to re-lock and successfully exchange for a new unit.

Of course, that doesn't prove anything. But as far as I know, Samsung is the only manufacturer that uses a tiny, physical fuse to signal unauthorized changes (it's called Knox). There is no reason whatsoever to think that ZTE wasted time and resources to do the same thing, especially since no one else does (or if someone else does something similar, I don't know about it).

You worry too much. If you're scared to do it, you might as well leave XDA because the vast majority (if not all) future development is going to require an unlocked bootloader.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] malditos:
Well... no guts no glory right? I'ma unlock bootloader using drakenfx's method and let the chips fall where they may. The above comment of others unlocking and relocking and successfully returning phone for warranty puts me more at ease. I mean, there's no guarantee or proof of this right.... but if 'Merica could do it yesterday then what the hell right!?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] ace.infinity:
I'm not scared to unlock my bl. I've done it many times before. It's just nice to know that you have the option to make use of the warranty if you have to.

I thank you for your answer.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] StoneTrapper:
There's still those of us who used the method by [MENTION=540283]tenfar[/MENTION] (which is part of this guide) and ended up with a brick and have no warranty to speak of nor is any place willing to fix it. The chips fall where they do. If anyone knows of a place that would do a repair please let me know. At the moment I don't even have the option to pay for a repair, just a shiny lump.

Ultimately most people will deal with their retailers rather than ZTE and they wouldn't know what to look for in a bootloader unlock in the first place.

For the record I certainly don't think it tenfar's fault.I have a sneaking suspicion he has all the files I need to unbrick it myself - but then again an NDA is an NDA. (tenfar - I sure hope there is an NDA!) It's just silly that ZTE release those files themselves for most of their phones but not this one.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] peramikic:
Maybe I could have wrote "So you can run TWRP from /boot" . but it is pretty much what I said both times. You can flash TWRP to /boot, reboot to TWRP to back up stock recovery. That way you can flash it back to phone when you wan't to flash the stock image. Or you can also flash it to /recovery to get the stock boot img. In either case one phone can get only one stock file But currently there is no way to just boot to TWRP without modifying one of the partitions. There is a way to run images from ram without flashing them first via fastboot boot cmd, but AFAIK it is missing from fastboot images or maybe even from aboot. That would be the -d option which is under development
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tenfar:
Your wifi won't work because you are flashed with B20 boot,but your system is older than that.you can download the system from idlekernel then flash it trough twrp. As for get pass the boot password you will need to format data.in twrp or stock recovery.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tenfar:
Thanks for the explanation,you know me!:)
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] peramikic:
Glad to help. Just a point or 2 of clarification, the US boot.img from OP says B20 (new version). Is that vanilla B20 or B20_boot. Like you said above boot and system have to match for the wifi (nfc most likely as well) so if that's the case, we still don't have /system dump for vanilla B20 AFAIK

Also the TWRP image is considerably smaller then the other one here. Is there functionality difference?

http://xdaforums.com/axon-7/development/a2017u-twrp-3-0-2-0-touch-recovery-zte-t3439603
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tdgillihan:
Ok, thank you. What I'm wondering is if we can use this to get a copy of a backup of stock recovery since we have everything else but this.

Always thank those who are helpful...and just ignore those who aren't.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tenfar:
you can，lets say you are in stock firmware now，1 download zip files，extract to local disk

2 rename boot.img to boot2.img and rename recovery.img to boot.img ，then rename boot2.img to recovery.img

3 run program with -b options will flash boot.img to boot，

4 boot the phone，and you will enter twrp，

5backup recovery partition in twrp

ps：if i have the device ，i havebackupthat already：（
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] r3xx3r:
How do I flash system.img inside of TWRP? I have it on my microsd card and when I go to Install and select Install Image and click system.img it asks Select Partition to Flash Image and only gives options for Boot and Recovery. Do I select one of those or is there another way to flash system.img?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tdgillihan:
Are you trying to restore a backup or flash a whole new image?

EDIT: Sorry, I got my boxcar on the wrong train. I lost track of what you were doing. You're trying to get the dl'd b20 on your phone or get back to b18?

Always thank those who are helpful...and just ignore those who aren't.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] r3xx3r:
I am trying to flash a whole new image. I downloaded the system.img file from idlekernal and am trying to flash it to my phone. Can I flash it through TWRP or is there another way to flash it?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] Recon Freak:
You should flash that using fastboot.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] r3xx3r:
Okay. The command is fastboot flash system system.img right???
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tdgillihan:
That's what I was just going to say next lol! [MENTION=540283]tenfar[/MENTION] did say to flash it from twrp though.

Always thank those who are helpful...and just ignore those who aren't.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] r3xx3r:
sorry for all the nooby questions. how do I flash the system.img using fastboot?

when I try to run "fastboot flash system system.img" I get this error: target reported max download size of 536870912 bytes and than fastboot.exe stops responding
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tenfar:
if your are bootloader unlocked .you can flash it using fastboot.

fastboot flash system system.img

if your are not bootloader unlocked . you can only flash it using twrp root access from adb shell

let's say you put the system.img in /sdcard/

adb shell
dd if=/sdcard/system.img of=/dev/block/sde13

it will take a little long time.since the system.img file is big.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] Recon Freak:
Stop using Windows, lol. May need to use sudo, not sure.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tdgillihan:
Yes, you got it. Might want to erase it first. Fastboot erase system. Here's a nice guide if you're new to adb and fastboot: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=40047959

EDIT: SORRY YOU HAD IT RIGHT. fastboot flash system system.img. I fixed my reply.

Always thank those who are helpful...and just ignore those who aren't.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] r3xx3r:
This is the result I got from running this command dd if=/sdcard/system.img of=/dev/block/sde13

dd if=/sdcard/system.img of=/dev/block/sde13

7769098+1 records in

7769098+1 records out

3977778336 bytes (3.7GB) copied, 192.084297 seconds, 19.7MB/s

But now my phone won't boot and when I click Reboot System in TWRP it says No OS Installed. What did I do wrong?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tdgillihan:
So, [MENTION=540283]tenfar[/MENTION], looks like this doesn't work for the US variant? Is there anything you need to help get it working on it? I don't have the device yet but I can help chase things down if possible.

Always thank those who are helpful...and just ignore those who aren't.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tenfar:
it's woking. what r3xx3r encounter is that ,he has a B18 system ,and what i provide is for b20......when i test this on a2017 with a friend in china. he also encounter the wifi and passwd problem. and now ,his phone is rooted and works as it should. the only thing we need to do is wait for zip that can flash from twrp. if you encounter the passwd problem you need to format data.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tenfar:
flash the boot i provide for b20. and and let me check the system.img .it seems the system.img is a sparse image? we need a ext4 raw system.img
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
I cannot imagine how using tenfar's tool hard-bricked your phone. I agree, you likely have everything you need to set it back to right. While certainly not impossible, this phone is very difficult to hard brick if you follow the guides. You have to go way out on your own and mess with things you shouldn't be in order to do it.

That said, having a locked bootloader makes it more likely. Another reason to just unlock it and call it a day.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] StoneTrapper:
Quite a few of us posted about it here in this thread, I imagine more didn't speak out and simply returned their phones.

Here's

a

few

examples.

Because of the design of the tool if for any reason there's a slightly different partition table or slight variance in the ROM. The tool itself has full access to the file storage. It doesn't go by partition names so much as defines them, hence needing zte_partition.mbn and partition.mbn in order to make a start on a recovery tool.

Unfortunately I don't have everything to set it back right.

Tenfar has the firehose.elf (and has responsibly obfuscated it within axon7root.exe - see the discussion of page 35 of this thread) so presumably he has the entire OS in that format but naturally it would be under NDA. Like I said I hold no grudge, he offered no warranties!

And no I "didn't go out on my own and mess with things I shouldn't".

I downloaded the tool, and followed the instructions that were given like everyone else.

Agreed, unlocked bootloaders a crucial, or if you're going to lock them give people the tools to flash properly like Xiaomi do with their "fastboot images"
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
Weird that there would be "a slightly different partition table or slight variance in the ROM" among phones of the same variant. You'd think they'd have set up all of their phones of the same variant the same way.

I guess I'll just count myself lucky that I have a "normal" phone instead of one of these random, unexplained phones with catastrophic "variances". I suppose the lesson here is to try to do this within the retailer's return period in case you get one of these outliers. Then you can just exchange for a phone that wasn't randomly programmed differently for no apparent reason.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] peramikic:
There is something on G models that is different. This DFU vs EDL mode is obvious, the bootloader for G units has in priority it while U model doesn't it seams, so there is difference there. Is it possible that certain batch had different emmc chips that had to be binned differently because of mfg or such....maybe? But where you can access the EDL via HW keys on U model, the G models go to DFU and that makes one hard brick since no recovery is possible at the moment. So it might be just a bad flash but without EDL access you are done unless DFU recovery gets released. The repair centers in G markets should have it but will someone leak it ...
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] StoneTrapper:
Not weird at all, there were manufacturing shortages at the time. You might remember the phone launched in the UK in June (I think) and was pulled quickly due to those shortages and is now being slated for a Q4 release. It seems reasonable to think that a manufacturer like Qualcomm might have multiple supply sources for some components, particularly since they can be in short supply.

Since the Axon 7 was one the first phone to have UFS 2.0 they probably used chips from more than one company when their main supplier couldn't meet demand and as long as they meet spec it's not an issue for the average consumer. When you're manipulating the storage at an offset level it can make a difference though.

Think of it this way, a whole OS would be the numbers 1 -5 in order.

ZTE writes it at the beginning of where the storage says it beings so it's placed 0 -4.

This other supplier has storage that starts at 1 so it's placed at 1 - 5.

If you rewrite what is in the 3rd position you end up re-writing different parts of the system and the whole thing is busted.

Plenty of phones have slight variances in the same model, lots of company source the same component from multiple suppliers, the only time you hear about it is when it makes a significant enough difference, for example like with displays having different panel manufacturers in the same model and people liking the colour reproduction more on one display than the other.

Tenfar has done great work on his tool between the modifications to the boot.img and even the obfuscation of the firehose within it.

For the record I did do it within the return period however I was lied to about an international warranty and have no recourse there. I wasn't complaining, I was asking if there was a solution and recommending people with an A2017G buy it somewhere that has a better policy than my retailer.

[MENTION=1340661]peramikic[/MENTION] completely agree, I just wanted to address the reason it seems to work on some A2017G models but not all.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] shirakani:
Rooting via this method will not give you full access in TWRP no matter what you do as the bootloader is still locked. However disemmcwp will give full root access while booted into the phone OS properly which will allow Titanium Backup, Busybox, etc to install correctly.

If you're after FULL unfettered access via TWRP then you have to unlock the bootloader, no two ways about it.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] borijess:
Can you use this root method for B29?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
That's why I was specific about the variances among the same variant. While it doesn't quite make sense to me, it at least follows that different variants could be set up differently. I had just never heard about such variances among phones of the same configuration.

First, thanks for the clarification. Second, I didn't realize you have the G variant. I hadn't heard of the issues you described in the U variant (and maybe there are). It definitely sounds like the EU model has been quite a hassle by comparison.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] StoneTrapper:
My mistake, I should have clarified I was referring to the G variant, I'm not sure why I thought it was that implied, I think I got my threads confused there. Unfortunately the G is not the the EU model but all of Asia as well (Excluding China)!

This is the first phone I've bought in quite a few years, I was genuinely excited for it and now I have nothing to show to for it.

It's just a shame really that at present there's quite simply no options than to replace the entire unit for retail price. None of those small dodgy phone shops will be of any help, ZTE themselves don't seem to care and the people here either don't have the resources (though they certainly have the capabilities) or are under NDA.

Next time I'll stick with a phone that can be hard flashed regardless of it's situation. Xiaomi are very good for that and I do like the look of the Mi Note 2.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] xboxbr:
what's the differences between locked and unlocked bootloader in this phone?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] deseandr:
OP , what about file archive for b05 a2017g version ? In the head post there's only b03. Having b05 i need to downgrade to b03 or it is possible to add b05 root archive?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] DeJe63:
I personally don't expect any more action from tenfar. I did send a message 2 weeks ago and did not get any responds.

Also, tenfar is not active in this thread anymore despite the fact he is active at xda...

I don't want to blame tenfar in fact. May he switched to a different device and lose interest. But it is like it is. End of road it seems. :(
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tasar:
One gone , another will come , hopefully soon ;)
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] Kul_dood:
I'm having the same issue. Did you figure out a solution?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] Ruttix:
Try and disabling your anti virus, see if it's midst a scan perhaps.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] borijess:
Nice tutorial
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] tasar:
For two words a full quote?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] IamPro:
I was ripping my hair out trying to get write access, thank you.. worked perfectly.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] meier2009:
Hi guys.

I'm on 2017g b05.

It's there known way to get ONLY ROOT?

Don't need twrp or something, only root.

Need root to be able to change file date as I copied all my old pictures to new phone and now the order is completely wrong because it uses the creation time and not file name for sorting.

Or did someone had solution for this problem?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] XblackdemonX:
use the axonroot.exe from the B20 package with the IMG files from the B27.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] DeJe63:
Plain simple: No!
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] machetie:
Tried everything stuck on a2017g b06, any solution?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] Androidluv:
I'm running B29 on my A2017U. Is there a way to roll back to either B27 or B20,

in order to be able to root the darn thing? I've failed at every attempt thus far.

thanks
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] Androidluv:
I'm running B29 on my A2017U. Is there a way to roll back to either B27 or B20,

in order to be able to root the darn thing? I've failed at every attempt thus far.

thanks

---------- Post added at 01:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:32 AM ----------

I'm running B29 on my A2017U. Is there a way to roll back to either B27 or B20,

in order to be able to root the darn thing? I've failed at every attempt thus far.

thanks
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] shia786:
What you could do is install twrp via this method

And then unlock the booyloader and run super su zip but you have to unlock bootloader for that, there is a brilliant guide in the guides section
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] rczrider:
http://xdaforums.com/axon-7/how-to/newbies-guide-to-unlocking-rooting-axon-t3496234
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] ((RayDar)):
Who wrote axon7root.exe? Is the source code available?
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] razorsbk:
No source for firehose and its better this way.
[ZTE Axon 7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Other Deve] ultramag69:
I'm thinking the person on post 1...

Was hoping to get updated boot.img for B11or better yet B13 for the Chinese A2017 but it's been a while. and nothing forthhcoming.

Don't like to be a **** by bothering someone too much but it seems like no-one else can do it (I know I can't)...