Follow these basic steps to fix the Error Device Null issue with ADB when you’re trying to sideload an OTA update on any Android smartphone or tablet.
I go through step by step instructions for how to perform a number of tasks, hacks, mods, etc on Android. Lately, I’ve been doing video guides of these as well because I feel that having both visual and textual instructions are a great way to learn. Still, it’s virtually impossible to test this things out on every single device, every single app combination, every single settings configuration and every single laptop or desktop that’s available.
Every now and then, a tutorial I write simply doesn’t work for some people and it’s generally something small that will fix it.
Today I’m going to show you how to fix the Error Device Null bug that can appear when you’re trying to sideload an OTA update onto a smartphone or tablet. Just like with guides, this tip might not work for everyone, but it has been shown to help fix the issue for a number of people so I’d like to share it with you today.
Error Device Null Fix
The error pops up after you try to execute the “adb sideload otaupdate.zip” line within the command prompt. As an example, it would happen on step #23 of this tutorial. If you’re following that tutorial, or any other tutorial that walks you through how to sideload an update, you should try this and see if it fixes the issue. After you select the “Apply Update from ADB” option from within Recovery Mode, unplug the USB cable and then plug it back into the device.
If this trick fixes the issue you’re having, then you’ll hear the sound your computer makes when you connect a USB device to it. After this happens, you should then see your computer installing a USB driver for your device. I have been told this worked when a reader was having trouble sideloading the OTA update for the Android N Developer Preview 5 on the Nexus 6P, and it should work on any other device that you’re trying to sideload an OTA update to.
Explanation
The reason why some people are getting this error has to do with a USB driver issue. Even if you have installed the proper USB drivers as indicated in the tutorials, this Error Device Null issue can still crop up. I’m sure there is some technical reason as to what is going on here, and maybe someone can fill in the details in the comments section below. I just know that the error can pop up for some people and these steps have been known to fix it.
