[Google Pixel 3a Questions & Answers] sysuicrash0511:
hey there,

(new account since i can't access or recover my old one right now :( )

first of all, i'm on stock android 10, C3 update i think (the latest before yesterday's nov. update), neither rooted nor bootloader unlocked. here's my issue:

Final edit (smaller edits below):

No attempt worked, device had to be factory reset. Now Google can deal with the original issue of the screen behaving weirdly. (Seriously though, the display issues weren't even consistently present. Imagine a slightly greenish tint across the whole system, affecting and muddying the darker tones the most. Black was okay, because it's off on OLEDs anyway, but the launcher adds a brighter gradient with low color depth on top of black, ridiculing the desire of the pixels to be off. Weirdest thing ever, because it's not even visible on screenshots, but is following screen orientation. Now imagine not realizing that and sending a non-existing issue on a screenshot to Google support chat, then making a photo of it with another phone.)

edit: tldr version, because lots of text below: (edit: this didn't age well)

- stock android 10 (latest before nov.), bootloader locked

- sudden systemui crash loop (after changing wallpaper, green tint days before) on lock screen even in safe mode

- adb probably not enabled; fastboot lists device, no luck with adb (edit: adb sideload in recovery works)

- no backups; wanting to rescue my data;

additional attempts:

- safe mode also ended in sysui loop

- can get the loop at least stuck with its dialog box in emergency call ui, as well as with work profile switcher pattern prompt

- google's "find my device" inconsistently connects, seemingly by getting system stuck like above. could make it ring though, locking function reports success sometimes, but no further feedback

- adb sideloading . same version ota in recovery (is always enabled? system adb seemed disabled, so i wonder) didn't seem to change anything, sideloading nov. update processed at the G logo loading for a while, but systemui looped again afterwards.

edit: maybe incomplete? terminal ended both times at 94% and recovery at "...completed with status 0, so I thought is was normal (edit: it looks like it is, my Redmi reports even less percentage and status 0 with a successful flash)

Final edit:

- "fastboot continue", as well as parameters to switch boot slots didn't help in this case, both slots were affected and these commands aren't allowed on this locked bootloader

- "fastboot boot recovery.img" isn't either

- recovering data after a wipe is also a no; device is encrypted and therefore wipes the key to decrypt

- ADB sideloading already switches boot slots, no point in forcing it afterwards

- Getting the crash loop stuck by enabling the work profile seemingly provides enough time to input the pattern, but the system still prompted me to put it in before re-enabling fingerprints. Strangely enough, the profile successfully triggers, but that particular pattern has no effect on the regular lock screen (which essentially seem to trigger the exact same function. For God's sake if they had accepted that pattern to also unlock my fingerprints, I would have been able to recover all data.)

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a couple of days ago i noticed my 3a was suddenly having a slight green display tint, which i was planning to fix or get fixed (haven't factory reset yet since i couldn't backup yet).

i recently started using cf lumen again to further dim the screen at night, so i assumed it was fixable misbehavior. i always disabled it in the morning.

occasionally i switched to a solid black wallpaper, because of the shadows/tints systemui uses to easily verify it is still there (the gradient shadow at the top of the launcher, which expands/darkens when you swipe the apps up, showed harsh steps, kinda like an image when lowering color depth).

Edit: Screenshots don't capture it, but it's following screen orientation and isn't present on settings in dark mode, maybe higher software layer that screenshots don't capture (looked silly, telling Google about it and sending a screenshot with no visible problem, 7/10 comedy).

Anyway, second troubleshooting with Google concluded with repair under warranty.

fast forward to today, i changed the wallpaper again (using an old quickpic version for an accurate portrait ratio, which has worked fine for months, and even longer on my phone before) and right after successfully applying it, systemui started its crash loop.

i could still temporarily unlock with my fingerprint, but it obviously locked again after crashing.

what made things worse, i rebooted and now i can't even temporarily unlock, because it asks for my pattern (which is default behavior), but i have barely a second to swipe up and enter it.

leaving the screen on and letting it loop now also reboots it into recovery mode after a while, prompting me with a notification that android couldn't boot and if i wanted to factory reset or try again, however, the booted ui looks functional and even quickly toggling the quick settings does work. i guess the failsafe triggers early, only because of systemui crashing.

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so, i am now asking you helpful folks, what are my options to recover from this state?

i can't really afford deleting all of my files by factory resetting.

i don't have a google drive backup or a backup of my media. and correct me if i'm wrong, but i can only access the storage via usb by unlocking lock screen first, right?

i think i haven't used adb on it yet, if there's something i need to have enabled.

fwiw, i can also confirm that it shouldn't have any mechanical damage, since i used a spigen tough armor almost since i have my 3a and never did it drop with or without.

edit: i also booted into safe mode already, but the crash loop persists.

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as of now, i'm gathering my options, so i apologize for not trying anything yet. i'm in the process of catching up to todays standards (e.g. a/b devices and stuff) and my time as a power user came to a stop late into the lifespan of my beloved nexus 5.

i'll probably update this post in case i have anything to report or forgot to add any details.

anyway, thank you for reading and for hopefully providing some directions in advance. :)