[Nexus 6P Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Phylum:
Problem

I've got a stock Nexus 6P (unrooted, locked bootloader, stock recovery, Orero, ADB disabled) with a damaged screen but the phone seems to work otherwise: calls come in, I hear notifications, when I try to unlock via fingerprint I feel it vibrate.

A screen replacement is at least a week away but I'm also considering just getting a new device altogether. Either way, access to the data is key.

The real issue is I need to access some data within apps (mostly token/Authenticator type apps) before then and I might as well pull raw data while I'm at it.

Given the above variables, I'm not entirely certain if this is possible which is why I'm here.

Objectives

Enable ADB

Remote control device (e.g.: VNC over ADB)

Backup raw data

Backup apps via Helium

Wipe the phone (possibly)

Proposed Plan of Action

Boot to bootloader

When off: Hold VOL-DN+PWR for about 4-5 seconds

When on: Hold VOL-DN+PWR for about 10 seconds

Connect phone to PC & fastboot devices should return something - which it does

In the bootloader, the default option should be 'Reboot bootloader' and the menu should be laid out as such:

Reboot bootloader

Recovery mode

Power off

Factory

???

Barcodes

Start

So assuming the above is correct, to get into recovery mode from the bootloader: Press VOL-DN to select Recovery mode & press PWR to confirm it

From what I've in video's & read in descriptions, it can take anywhere from 7, 13 to 23 seconds for the phone to display the 'no command' screen. Erring on the side of caution, I wait 30.

Assuming the 'no command' screen is up, I should be able to hold PWR and press VOL-UP to enter Recovery mode.

Once in Recovery mode, the menu should look something like this with the default being 'Reboot system now':

Reboot system now

Reboot to bootloader

Apply update from ADB

Apply update from SD card

Wipe data/factory reset

Wipe cache partition

Mount /system

View recovery logs

Power off

I'm expecting fastboot to work here but I'm not sure about that.

More importantly, I'm expecting/hoping that adb would work here too.

If adb works here great! But if not maybe I need to select 'Apply update from ADB' first ... ?

Assuming adb devices works, I'd go right into it:

Start an adb shell:

adb.exe shell

Once in ADB shell run the following:

su
mount -o remount,rw /system
echo "persist.service.adb.enable=1" >> /default.prop
echo "persist.service.debuggable=1" >> /default.prop
echo "persist.sys.usb.config=mtp,adb" >> /default.prop
echo "persist.service.adb.enable=1" >> /system/build.prop
echo "persist.service.debuggable=1" >> /system/build.prop
echo "persist.sys.usb.config=mtp,adb" >> /system/build.prop

Where I'm Getting Stuck: I can't seem to get into Recovery mode.

I can boot into the bootloader evidenced by fastboot devices returning data.

I then press VOL-DN to [hopefully] select 'Recovery mode' then press PWR to enter 'Recovery mode'.

After waiting N seconds (I tried 7, 13 and 30) I hold PWR and press VOL-UP and release

At this point I should be at the recovery menu but fastboot devices doesn't return anything and neither does ADB.

When I try to blindly navigate to 'Apply update from ADB', the phone restarts evidenced by notifications etc.

This suggests a different menu layout than what I'm expecting or I'm waiting too long or I'm not waiting long enough or I'm doing it wrong or ... ?

Also from a driver perspective, I should be set since I manually loaded Oreo on this machine around 8/21.

Either way, your advice and guidance sought and as always is greatly appreciated..