Set up ADB/Drivers for android Device and Some important Commands

Most people won’t have to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) ever, but if you want to learn how or want to get a little more technical with your Android phone, here’s how to get it set up.

I. Setting Up The SDK

1. Download the Latest Android SDK from Google

Android SDK (Select the exe version)

2. Once downloaded, double click the exe file to open it. (MAKE SURE you change the directory that it is installing everything to to c:\android-sdk\)

3. Click on the SDK Manager and it will ask you to install packages. Select the following and leave all others unchecked:

Android SDK Tools

Android SDK Platform Tools

Google USB Driver Package, Revision XX (XX being the highest number available)

4. Then click continue and follow the on screen prompts until all of the packages are installed and it finishes.

5a. On your phone, click Settings > Applications > Development and make sure USB Debugging is on.

5b. If using Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), click on Settings > Developer Options and make sure USB Debugging is on.

6. Plug your phone into your computer via USB cable (it needs to be on). It should say installing drivers if using Windows.

7. Open Windows File Explorer and look for the android-sdk folder inside of the C drive. Then open the platform-tools folder inside that. Now, hold the shift key down on your keyboard and right click in any blank area inside that folder. This will give you the option to open a command window here. Select that and a command prompt will open saying c:\android-sdk\platform-tools\      *if using windows XP, this won’t work. So instead open command prompt first by going to Start > Run > then typing in cmd and hitting enter. Then type cd c:\android-sdk\platform-tools\ and hit enter, then continue.

8. Type the following into the command prompt window (hitting enter at the end of every line):

adb devices

You should see a serial number pop up, it’s the serial number of your phone. This means you are all set!

If you do NOT see a serial number, then we need to reinstall the drivers manually in Section II below.

II. IF DRIVERS JUST WON’T AUTOMATICALLY INSTALL, DO IT MANUALLY HERE

1. A program called PDANet (used normally to allow you to wired tether your phone’s internet to your computer) can be used to install the ADB drivers for a lot of phones. Download it and follow it’s instructions to install it then go back to step 8 in Section I above and see if that gets you the serial number (if you do, you are all done). If not, then use one of the device specific programs below in step 2.

PDANet

2. Download your phone’s driver’s below then goto your Device Manager on your computer, look for the phone and click on it. Then click Properties > Update Driver > Browse > Let me pick > Computer > Have Disk > Browse > Then select the driver you downloaded below:

Universal Motorola Drivers (unzip the file once you download it, and run the program inside to install the drivers)(Updated 09.27.10)

Motorola Droid Drivers (unzip the file once you download it).

Motorola Milestone Drivers (follow the instructions on the page).

Motorola CLIQ Drivers (follow the instructions on the page).

Samsung Behold 2 Drivers (unzip the file, run the setup.exe) (If you have Windows 64Bit, you CANNOT install the Behold Drivers. Find someone with a 32Bit system to to any Behold 2 procedures involving ADB).

Samsung Galaxy Drivers (unzip the file, do NOT run setup.exe. Instead follow step 1 in Section II and install manually.)

If using a Samsung device, try downloading Samsung Kies and installing that then plugging in your device and trying again.

V. Some Common ADB/Fastboot Commands

ADB Commands

adb devices – lists which devices are currently attached to your computer

adb install <packagename.apk> – lets you install an Android application on your phone

adb remount – Remounts your system in write mode – this lets you alter system files on your phone using ADB

adb push <localfile> <location on your phone> – lets you upload files to your phones filesystem

adb pull <location on your phone> <localfile> – lets you download files off your phones filesystem

adb logcat – starts dumping debugging information from your handset to the console – useful for debugging your apps

adb shell <command> – drops you into a basic linux command shell on your phone with no parameters, or lets you run commands directly

adb devices – lists which devices are currently attached to your computer

adb install <packagename.apk> – lets you install an Android application on your phone

adb remount – Remounts your system in write mode – this lets you alter system files on your phone using ADB

adb push <localfile> <location on your phone> – lets you upload files to your phones filesystem

adb pull <location on your phone> <localfile> – lets you download files off your phones filesystem

adb logcat – starts dumping debugging information from your handset to the console – useful for debugging your apps

adb shell <command> – drops you into a basic linux command shell on your phone with no parameters, or lets you run commands directly

Fastboot Commands

fastboot devices – lists which devices in fastboot mode are currently attached to your computer

fastboot boot <filename> – boots a rom stored on your pc specified by the filename

fastboot flash <partition> <filename> – flashes a rom stored on your pc, partition can be one of 

{boot, recovery, system, userdata}

For farther information you can visit Android Debug Bridge.