Why fastboot doesn't work for XE12 under windows 7

Question

I tried the instructions from https://developers.google.com/glass/tools-downloads/system

1. $ adb reboot bootloader
2. $ fastboot oem unlock
3. $ fastboot flash boot boot.img
4. $ fastboot reboot
5. $ adb root

After step one, the glass either cannot boot up, or boot up normally, but not in fastboot mode. Basically, nothing shownup if I type "fastboot devices".

I am using a Win 7 machine, with usb cable connects to Google Glass. (XE12 firmware).

By the way, $adb devices works fine. I can see my glass got listed.

Dose anyone know the problem?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I found the problem myself and would like to share with the community.

For Win 7, the USB drivers from google don't have the Google Glass drivers listed. After installing the SDK, I couldn't find Google Glass as a valid device although Win 7 does recognize Google Glass as an external storage. Basically, the adb.exe stuff won't work.

I googled around, and some folk posted this issue, and posted the solution. I summarized here:

1. Go to "sdk/extras/google/usb_driver", open adnroid_winusb.inf (using notepad)
2. You will find Google Nexus 7, Nexus Q, ... but no google glass. Add the following:

%SingleAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_9001&REV_0216&MI_00 %CompositeAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_9001&MI_00

You can find the VID_18D1... by opening the "Control Panel", "Hardware Sound", "Device Manager", click on the unknown device, then click on the "Details" tab, then click the Property description drop list, find the hardware id: You will get this information.

You have to put the above lines in two places, one for Intel, one for AMD. After this, the adb.exe will work. (Use "adb devices" command to check).

But fastboot still won't work. Then I found out there's one line missing. SingleBootLoaderInterface is not set for google glass as fastboot has a different USB\VID.

To summarize, you should put the following in:

;Google Glass %SingleAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_9001&REV_0216&MI_00 %CompositeAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_9001&MI_00 %SingleBootLoaderInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_0451&PID_D022&REV_0100

I am very disappointed to Google glass's support, and released SDK QA.

Happy Explore!

XD