In this guide, we will show you the steps that should help you fix the bricked Super partition and hence unbrick your Android device. Ever since the introduction of logical partitions, things have become quite challenging when it comes to fixing partitions. Earlier, one just needed to flash all partitions in the Fastboot mode but things have drastically changed since then.
You’ll first have to delete the logical partitions [both the permanent and the temporary ‘cow’ ones], then re-create them, and finally flash them in the FastbootD Mode [and not the Fastboot Mode]. For instance, if we talk about the Product partition, then here’s what you need to do:
fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_product_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_product_b 1 fastboot flash my_product my_product.img
And that’s just for one partition, you will probably have to do so for around 20-25 partitions, rest like the Bluetooth and DSP can directly be flashed without the need to delete and recreate partition, whereas the likes of boot and recovery are to be flashed in the Fastboot Mode.
This complete chaos is sure to lead to issues if you end up executing one incorrect command or end up flashing a file in Bootloader instead of FastbootD [or vice versa]. And more often than not, the super partition is on the receiving end. If you are also in a similar situation and are unable to boot the device to the OS due to the bricked super partition, then this guide will help you out. Follow along for the fix.
Table of Contents
How to Fix Bricked Super Partition and Unbrick Android
Do note that the below process will wipe off all the data from your device and might also lead to unforeseen consequences. So proceed ahead with caution and at your own risk.
Wipe Super Partition
Your first course of action should be to wipe the Super partition by flashing an empty super_empty.img file. For that, you’ll first have to get hold of this file. You may do so from any ROM developer’s site [such as LineageOS] as they usually upload this file along with their ROM. So download this file and then proceed with the below steps:
- Download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
- Then place the super_empty.img file inside this folder.
- Now boot your device to the Fastboot Mode using hardware keys.
- Then open Command Prompt inside this folder and type in:
fastboot wipe-super super_empty.img
- Then download the stock firmware and extract vbmeta.img file:
- Transfer the file to the platform-tools folder and disable verity via:
fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
- Now do a format data via the below command:
fastboot -w
- Finally, check if you can boot to the OS via the below command:
fastboot reboot
Flash Super.img
Your next course of action should be to reflash the entire super.img file. Here’s how it can be done:
- Reboot your device to Fastboot Mode via hardware key combinations.
- Then extract the super.img from the firmware and place it in the platform-tools folder.
- Now boot your device to the FastbootD Mode via the below command
fastboot reboot fastboot
- Then, type in the below command to flash the super.img
fastboot flash super super.img
- Now disable verity via the below command
fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
- Now do a format data via the below command:
fastboot -w
- Finally, check if you can boot to the OS via the below command:
fastboot reboot
Delete and Re-Create Logical Partitions
If none of the aforementioned methods worked out for you, then you’ll have to delete and re-create logical partitions on your device and then flash it via Fastboot. In this regard, it is highly recommended that you use the Fastboot Firmware Flasher Tool and get the job done accordingly.
But if you are among the daring souls and wish to try it out manually, then the below commands should help you out [do not simply copy paste all the commands, make sure to verify the partition that your firmware has and only use these commands from below]:
fastboot --set-active=a fastboot flash boot boot.img fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img fastboot flash init_boot init_boot.img fastboot flash modem modem.img fastboot flash recovery recovery.img fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img fastboot flash vbmeta_system vbmeta_system.img fastboot flash vbmeta_vendor vbmeta_vendor.img fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot.img fastboot reboot fastboot fastboot flash --slot=all abl abl.img fastboot flash --slot=all aop aop.img fastboot flash --slot=all aop_config aop_config.img fastboot flash --slot=all bluetooth bluetooth.img fastboot flash --slot=all cpucp cpucp.img fastboot flash --slot=all cpucp_dtb cpucp_dtb.img fastboot flash --slot=all devcfg devcfg.img fastboot flash --slot=all dsp dsp.img fastboot flash --slot=all engineering_cdt engineering_cdt.img fastboot flash --slot=all featenabler featenabler.img fastboot flash --slot=all hyp hyp.img fastboot flash --slot=all imagefv imagefv.img fastboot flash --slot=all keymaster keymaster.img fastboot flash --slot=all oplus_sec oplus_sec.img fastboot flash --slot=all oplusstanvbk oplusstanvbk.img fastboot flash --slot=all qupfw qupfw.img fastboot flash --slot=all shrm shrm.img fastboot flash --slot=all splash splash.img fastboot flash --slot=all tz tz.img fastboot flash --slot=all uefi uefi.img fastboot flash --slot=all uefisecapp uefisecapp.img fastboot flash --slot=all xbl xbl.img fastboot flash --slot=all xbl_config xbl_config.img fastboot flash --slot=all xbl_ramdump xbl_ramdump.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_bigball_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_bigball_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_bigball_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_bigball_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_bigball_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_bigball_b 1 fastboot flash my_bigball my_bigball.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_carrier_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_carrier_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_carrier_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_carrier_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_carrier_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_carrier_b 1 fastboot flash my_carrier my_carrier.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_engineering_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_engineering_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_engineering_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_engineering_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_engineering_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_engineering_b 1 fastboot flash my_engineering my_engineering.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_heytap_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_heytap_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_heytap_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_heytap_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_heytap_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_heytap_b 1 fastboot flash my_heytap my_heytap.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_manifest_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_manifest_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_manifest_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_manifest_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_manifest_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_manifest_b 1 fastboot flash my_manifest my_manifest.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_product_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_product_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_product_b 1 fastboot flash my_product my_product.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_region_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_region_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_region_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_region_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_region_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_region_b 1 fastboot flash my_region my_region.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_stock_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_stock_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_stock_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_stock_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_stock_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_stock_b 1 fastboot flash my_stock my_stock.img fastboot delete-logical-partition odm_a fastboot delete-logical-partition odm_b fastboot delete-logical-partition odm_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition odm_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition odm_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition odm_b 1 fastboot flash odm odm.img fastboot delete-logical-partition product_a fastboot delete-logical-partition product_b fastboot delete-logical-partition product_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition product_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition product_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition product_b 1 fastboot flash product product.img fastboot delete-logical-partition system_a fastboot delete-logical-partition system_b fastboot delete-logical-partition system_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition system_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition system_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition system_b 1 fastboot flash system system.img fastboot delete-logical-partition system_dlkm_a fastboot delete-logical-partition system_dlkm_b fastboot delete-logical-partition system_dlkm_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition system_dlkm_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition system_dlkm_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition system_dlkm_b 1 fastboot flash system_dlkm system_dlkm.img fastboot delete-logical-partition system_ext_a fastboot delete-logical-partition system_ext_b fastboot delete-logical-partition system_ext_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition system_ext_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition system_ext_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition system_ext_b 1 fastboot flash system_ext system_ext.img fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_a fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_b fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition vendor_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition vendor_b 1 fastboot flash vendor vendor.img fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_dlkm_a fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_dlkm_b fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_dlkm_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition vendor_dlkm_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition vendor_dlkm_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition vendor_dlkm_b 1 fastboot flash vendor_dlkm vendor_dlkm.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_company_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_company_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_company_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_company_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_company_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_company_b 1 fastboot flash my_company my_company.img fastboot delete-logical-partition my_preload_a fastboot delete-logical-partition my_preload_b fastboot delete-logical-partition my_preload_a-cow fastboot delete-logical-partition my_preload_b-cow fastboot create-logical-partition my_preload_a 1 fastboot create-logical-partition my_preload_b 1 fastboot flash my_preload my_preload.img fastboot -w fastboot reboot
That’s it. These were the various methods to fix the bricked super partition and hence unbrick your Android device. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution as soon as possible.
