2fa From The Dead

I'm NOT storing my critical 2fa keyring in your cloud service!

Okay, you are now responsible for backing it up and testing restores to validate your 2fa keyring is functional. Setup a sync job and your done right? When was the last time you checked on that sync job?

We use blueprints on mobile devices at work since their are constant revised changes from the developer. My phone sits in the side pocket of my pouch and every so often 🔨BANG-SMASH-CRUNCH🪚

I can feel my phone vibrating, and receiving messages so I guess just a screen is needed. Plug my phone in to use ADB to pull my current data off....DAMN new ADB keys on this laptop😡 I need a screen fast! I need that 2fa keyring to login to everything haha.

WAIT! You have a backup 😇

🤬 backup is outdated by almost a year!!! How did I not notice a failed sync job for that long? heavy sigh 😭

$50 fix

I found a broken Pixel5 used in town for $50 with a working screen, but the touch layer is damaged and it doesn't recognize touch input.

🤔 Type-C -> USB and maybe a wireless mouse? ✨ Like a dream!

There was one more hurdle to clear. How do you plug a USB OTG cable from your laptop into your device, accept the request to allow debugging from your device, when you need the mouse input at the same time? The obvious answer is a USB hub but the ones I had here allowed the mouse to work but wouldn't recognize the OTG cables I have.

Note: This experience showed me a hole in my ability to treat my ADB keys with the same respect as my SSH keys. I'm lacking hardware that helps me interface with failed devices.

How to resolve this? I ended up using a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse app on a separate Android device, used the USB mouse to add a new Bluetooth device on my phone with the 1/2 working screen, and ✨ voila! I had a working Bluetooth mouse.

Display Swap

Delam Screen

In a pinch a FULLY SEALED hot water bottle applies even pressure and heat across a display.

Let There Be Light

The screen is a bit more damaged then what the ad said, but I'm happy. With my USB mouse plugged into the device, I added a new Bluetooth device, paired it to my Android phone running Appground io Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse, it was trivial to accept my new ADB keys on my old device and I snagged all my lost data.