Database Users

How to get into Download Mode

Samsung Vibrant Download Mode
Method 1 (without ADB):
1. Take out battery, put it back in. (to turn the phone fully off)
2. Don't turn it the phone on!
3. Plug the phone into your PC, do not hit the power button!
4. See if the phone shows anything on the screen (screen turns on when plugged in) EX: Shows a battery, shows error messages if bricked, etc. Shows anything.
IF the phone screen does 'turn on' after being plugged in without you hitting the power button, so far so good.
5. Now while it's on like this, hold both the volume up and volume down buttons.
6. Hold the power button as well as the volume buttons until the screen goes black.
7. As soon as the screen goes black, let go of the power button! But DON'T let go of the volume buttons!
This is how I got into download mode to fix my 'odd' brick.
Method 2 (with ADB):
1. Turn your phone on
2. Go to Settings -> Application Settings
3. Enable Debug Mode
4. Plug your phone into your PC
5. Install Android SDK
6. Open Command Prompt
7. Type: cd C:\android-sdk-windows\tools
8. Type: adb reboot download
Either of these methods *should* get you into Download mode. After that you should be able to use Odin to revert to stock, tar and instructions here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=734475
Or flash anything with Odin.

I am in a situation where I rooted my phone but never made a recovery and now I did a factory reset and I only get a force close loop when booting and cannot do anything. I am not able to get into debugging mode to use ADB and the hardware buttons are not working any suggestions on how I can fix this
The only thing i did was remove some bloatware which is why I did not do a recovery since I wasnt removing anything important. Phone worked fine until I tried to do the factory reset now everything just force closes and cannot do anything

I turned my phone on then removed battey. hold vol up and down together then plug the phone in via usb to pc, should enter download mode after a few seconds (don't press the power button at all)I use odin to flash back to stock.

THANKS!
This saved my ass lol I was lookin at it like wtf? cuz odin failed and then when i reloaded and tried again nothing happened so i unplugged. I don't know what I was thinking when I did it, but I did lol.
Thanks again bro

sparks.calvin said:
I am in a situation where I rooted my phone but never made a recovery and now I did a factory reset and I only get a force close loop when booting and cannot do anything. I am not able to get into debugging mode to use ADB and the hardware buttons are not working any suggestions on how I can fix this
The only thing i did was remove some bloatware which is why I did not do a recovery since I wasnt removing anything important. Phone worked fine until I tried to do the factory reset now everything just force closes and cannot do anything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just Odin back to stock and start over there is realy no other way to fix fc

OP: what youre doing in your hardware button combinajtion method is lettinf it boot, then pressing the up+down vol and doing a hardware reset (by holding power key). You can cut oout a step by holding tthe up down keys when you plug in. It should boot to download automatically.
Also, you should mention in your post that the button combination is different for people who flashed gingerbread bootloaders..
Another thing, i believe the newer android sdk moved the adb package to C:/android-sdk/platform-tools/ ..
To tthe person with the force close issue, read the OP, go into download mode and use odin to flash to stock.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Grrrr, Why Me! Help

Well I've had my Vibrant for about a month now but have not been in a rush to root because there aren't really any ROMS available yet. I've donated so I'm excited to see what comes about. Any way I decided to go ahead and root today because frankly the bloatware was getting on my nerves. So I rooted the phone basically just flashing the upsate.zip and then flashing recovery via rom manager. Now I'm a bit frustrated because immediately after rooting:
1. My Vibrant is laggy as all hell!
2. Google apps crashes repeatedly
3. My damn market no longer works! Can't download apps via market anymore
4. My Sync is now broken, it says synced but definitely does not sync anything any time anymore.
What gives? Others have obviously had no problems and I'm certain I didn't do anything wrong, I've been rooting and flashing since the days of G1 and have had a Mytouch and most recently a Nexus One. I'm not fantastically versed but I'm no n00b all the same.
Also what's up with the radio? My phone rings and the ringer is low then a few seconds later gets loud also the delay between the time I dial a number and the number rings is pretty big, I've taken two phones and called one to check.
Any way I'm frustrated and unroot is not working, I attempted to unroot but yet remain rooted with all the same headaches.
Some help would be appreciated.

Go ahead and use odin to get back to stock. Yes you will lose your data.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=734475
You should be back to stock at this point. Then use this file to get root.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=723479
There really isnt much else to do. You dont even need the recovery, yet, but use clockwork through market to get it. Choosing Vibrant as the recovery option. Download the busybox app from market to get the newest one.

unfortunately my phone does not boot into download mode. I've tried holding volume down and power, no dice it just boots up normally. ive also tried holding volume up and power to the same result....And I don't know of any other way to use Odin without download mode. After rooting my phone nothing works properly.

justanothergirl said:
unfortunately my phone does not boot into download mode. I've tried holding volume down and power, no dice it just boots up normally. ive also tried holding volume up and power to the same result....And I don't know of any other way to use Odin without download mode. After rooting my phone nothing works properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to hold volume up and down while holding power. Once the screen goes black release power and continue holding volume up and volume down.
Your other option is with adb to do "adb reboot download" and it will reboot into download mode.
Once you get the hang of holding the volume up and down it's a piece of cake.

try installing one of eugene's ROMs through Clockwork, and see if that fix's anything.
Make sure you have the samsung drivers installed on your computer.
Odin can be tricky, here's my sure fire way that i get into Odin every single time.
DO NOT HAVE YOUR USB PLUGGED IN YET
1) Start odin load your .pit file and rom into PDA
2) Go into stock recovery
3) Now plug in the USB cable, Odin should recognize a phone is connected
4) In recovery select Reboot System
5) Immediately press the Volume Up/Down Button all the way in, (2 clicks)
6) should load the yellow triangle and say download mode plus Odin should recognize it immediately

Okie doke, thanks guys, I went ahead and used Odin to return to get back to stock so I'm going to just root again, I have no idea why things got so screwed up when I rooted and flashed before. Getting into download mode was annoying but this is what worked for me:
1. Turn off phone
2. Plug USB in
3. Wait for green charging screen
3. Hold Volume Up, Volume down, and Power.
5. Let go of power as soon as the screen goes black.
Open Odin and load files then hit start....and back to stock I went.
Thanks again!

F'd up my vibrant i could use some help!!

hi guys... so i don't know how i got this vibrant soooooo far gone .. im afraid i have gotten it too far...
i was doing a odin back up and odin froze!... i did nothing for hours!!!! finally i shut off the program.... the phone rebooted into a screen with a picture of a phone with a triangle then dots to a computer!!!
omg!!! so im freaking out.. anyone know if there is a way back from this?? i can't even get back into recovery mode!!
please any help will do......

there was a thread about that issue, turn off your phone, unplug the usb cord, plug the usb cord. hold vol up and vol down and the power button. it will come on but when it goes off release the power button and keep holding down the vol up and vol down. should go into auto download mode. then u can reload it via odin.

xsilvercivicx said:
hi guys... so i don't know how i got this vibrant soooooo far gone .. im afraid i have gotten it too far...
i was doing a odin back up and odin froze!... i did nothing for hours!!!! finally i shut off the program.... the phone rebooted into a screen with a picture of a phone with a triangle then dots to a computer!!!
omg!!! so im freaking out.. anyone know if there is a way back from this?? i can't even get back into recovery mode!!
please any help will do......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is normal just continue to download mode as normal.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=741027

you can save your device through odin, plug your phone in to your computer and try to go into download mode may take a couple tries, and flash the stock ROM you can find on these forums

i have already tried the sequence to get it into download mode... it doesnt work... tried adb and nothing registers....
anymore ideas? looks like im going to have to do a warranty exchange.

The only way I can reliably get to download mode is: power off, remove battery, replace battery, hold both vol buttons, plug in usb. works every time though.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

update
ok so that actually worked!!!! i pulled the battery ... pluged the usb cable in and while holding volume up and down buttons i forced the battery in.. and now its in download mode!!!!
now here is my next road block.. whenever i tried to use odin i cant get pass that file analysis part and nothing happens..
any ideas? i looked it a thread and it said to reboot my computer into safe mode and disable digital driver sig.. still not working..
ideas on how to get pass the file analysis part?

Best way for us to help you, is for you to help yourself first, educate yourself and post this in the right forum please and we would all be more than gracious to help you out

sorry
hey guys thanks for all the help and suggestions... at first i just thought i would post in a development sections for some reason that made sense to me.. and im sorry if i posted in the wrong section....

xsilvercivicx said:
ok so that actually worked!!!! i pulled the battery ... pluged the usb cable in and while holding volume up and down buttons i forced the battery in.. and now its in download mode!!!!
now here is my next road block.. whenever i tried to use odin i cant get pass that file analysis part and nothing happens..
any ideas? i looked it a thread and it said to reboot my computer into safe mode and disable digital driver sig.. still not working..
ideas on how to get pass the file analysis part?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you using a .pit file? and if so is it the right 512 .pit file?
if both those are yes, delete the one on your system and re-download it.
I had this same exact problem a few weeks back Odin would hang on the pit file, just redownloaded and it worked like a charm.
and just a quick reminder of everything out for the Vibrant right now
Only stock firmware use the 'PDA' option a pit file, and re-partition
froyo firmware use the 'PDA' option and a pit file, no re-partition
JACs kernels use the 'CSC' option and no pit file, no-repartition

i have a Bell Vibrant and all the methods don't work. i tried the 3 button (remove batt,place in batt, plug USB, wait for the the ''star" to appear, hold VOL+/- and POWER and wait for the screen to turn off, release POWER, but it just goes back to recharging screen. tried it 40 times
tried the power off, remove battery, replace battery, hold both vol buttons, plug in usb. no go as well.
ANything else? I'm stuck at the boot screen (the 'S' glowing part).

This is what always works for me.
Unplug your USB from your phone
Makes sure ODIN is ready to go on your PC
Hold down the Down Volume and Power until the download screen comes on
Then plug your USB back into the phone

fire up odin
pull your battery
connect phone to pc WITH THE BATTERY OUT
hold volume up+down and power
put battery in while still holding those buttons
the screen will light up with....something. Wait for the screen to blink and then release the buttons.
You are now in download mode!

i will try those methods. Thanks.
crap, still no. just keeps showing the battery charging. i remember rescuing my htc magic so many times, but no go on this guy.....
Odin all fired up when doing this......

Deliximus said:
i will try those methods. Thanks.
crap, still no. just keeps showing the battery charging. i remember rescuing my htc magic so many times, but no go on this guy.....
Odin all fired up when doing this......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you make sure that the USB was unplugged when you used my method of holding down the volume down button and power button together until the download screen came up?
If you are familiar with ADB. You can also power your phone on and then plug in the USB and then type in the command line:
adb reboot download
to get it to reboot into download mode.
You can also use this command from the recovery console if you are able to get to it.

mesajoejoe said:
Best way for us to help you, is for you to help yourself first, educate yourself and post this in the right forum please and we would all be more than gracious to help you out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, the Vibrant is new to us all. None like it. So dev wise its harder to explain and understand when we are used to coming from a one press method, now were using Odin, and Thor's hammer to flash our phones, which is god awful, no pun intended.
Dont flame your fellow Vibrant user cause he doesent understand the 613 steps it involves, and every other way to do so. Help the kid.
I am also in this position, just using a finger in the socket method, if its on it'l shock me, know what i mean. Just try it all. I have a feeling its getting harder and harder to brick phones because the manufacture is not retarded, they fix them right back, and ship them back out to customers who need replacements. I know this as a friend works at an AT&T shipping warehouse.
So cant we all just hit a bong, or get a long? And help?
If someone could explain all this 512PIT, PDA, and CSC, and Phone. It would help so much, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Just sayin.

"Oh man, I am so high right now, i have no idea whats going on."
-Towelie

aloxotls said:
Did you make sure that the USB was unplugged when you used my method of holding down the volume down button and power button together until the download screen came up?
If you are familiar with ADB. You can also power your phone on and then plug in the USB and then type in the command line:
adb reboot download
to get it to reboot into download mode.
You can also use this command from the recovery console if you are able to get to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah man, i'll try it again!! And when do I start typing (sending out the adb command) when the power turns on? Thanks.
Question is: when i press power+vol Down, the boot splashscreen comes on (Galaxy S etc etc).....

I am sorry you have a Bell Vibrant, it is a little different than my phone. I found this hope this helps
HOWTO GET INTO DOWNLOAD-MODE:
- Turn off your Phone
- Hold VOLUME DOWN + HOME Buttons
- While holding VOLUME DOWN + HOME Buttons press POWER Button until you reach Download-Mode
- Release all Buttons
I also read that some of the Bell Vibrants had their Download/Recovery mode disabled.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=754673&highlight=bell
As far as the adb command I would start as soon as it powers on. It will say "error:device not found" at first, but just keep on hitting arrow up and hitting the enter in the command window until it accepts the command.
Good Luck

Please helpppppp don't boot!!!

Pleaseee helppp meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, my vibrant it's stucked on Vibrant screen (when you press on button). I've enter in clockwork recovery mode and format system, data, cache. When I try rebooted the phone diden't work. Please helppp meeeeeee

I don't know if this helps, but I was in your situation and I flashed using Odin.

i can't enter in downloading mode and i don't know whyyyyyyyyyyy, i never can. I touch volume+, volume -, connect the usb and nothing happends, just try to chargeeee. Whyyyyyyyyyy

just hit volume down+power and let go of power when you see the vibrant logo

To enter download mode do this.. step by step
1: - Remove your cover and remove your battery and SIM card
2: - insert back your battery and replace cover. (leave SIM card out)
3:- Do not turn on the phone
4:- connect your phone to the usb cable
5:- You will see a battery in the phone screen ( phone is charging)
6: - Press and hold Vol +, Vol - and Power and as soon the battery image fade away release the Power but leave Vol+ and Vol - pressed until you see the phone goes into download.
7: Release Vol+ Vol -
8: Open Odin
9: Select your Pit file
10: Select your PDA file
11: unplug phone from USB
12: plug again and you'll see in Odin that is recognized
13: Click Start and wait until finish

Loooookkkkkkksssss likeeewe you might beeeee pressing too manyyyyyy keys and now it no workieeeeeeeee
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

its looks like that new vibrant models that you cant enter to download mode with hw keys...

nothing happens... when battery image fade away it just return again... i keep the vol+ and vol- and release power... T_T

takato23 said:
nothing happens... when battery image fade away it just return again... i keep the vol+ and vol- and release power... T_T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have the same problem as M5devil:
My problem is even worse as I explained in a different thread before. I don't even see the charging battery when I plug in the USB cable. All I see is the depleted looking grey color battery that doesn't charge. ADB commands don't work - device is not found. So it's a brick and none of the methods worked.
I heard from someone who has 3 different Vibrants, was always able to get into download mode on one of them and never on the other 2. Sounds like some phones got this feature internally blocked and some did not. I guess those that easily enter into the recovery/download modes are the lucky ones.

takato23 said:
nothing happens... when battery image fade away it just return again... i keep the vol+ and vol- and release power... T_T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ur vibrant is locked man.. there is nothing you can do. its hardware locked just as mine.

so? what i have to do? i'm from ****in* argentinaaaaaaaaa. T-mobile will change me the phone? or it's all lost?

takato23 said:
so? what i have to do? i'm from ****in* argentinaaaaaaaaa. T-mobile will change me the phone? or it's all lost?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
call tmobile they will exchange it

Do you need the $6/month insurance to get a new phone under these circumstances?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

and i will have to send it from argentina? mmm i beg to god

Try this, remove battery, while holding the volume up and volume down only, pop the battery back in, that's the only way I can get into download mode on mine
Sent from my (rooted + clockwork, adw, bloatware demolished, gps fixed, wireless tethering) SGH-T959 using XDA App

i've already tried all kind of combinations :s

When i connect with last kies says "don't work with ext2 partition, connection terminated"... but shows the J disk, so recognize it.. There's something i can do with this?

When i connect with last kies says "don't work with ext2 partition, connection terminated"... but shows the J disk, so recognize it.. There's something i can do with this?

Have you tried using ADB to get into download mode?
Code:
adb shell
su
reboot download
-Make sure you have debugging mode enabled on your phone.
-Make sure your screen is awake so you can grant adb super user permissions after entering the "su" command.

Alkaloid said:
Have you tried using ADB to get into download mode?
Code:
adb shell
su
reboot download
-Make sure you have debugging mode enabled on your phone.
-Make sure your screen is awake so you can grant adb super user permissions after entering the "su" command.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how can he get an awake screen when his phone dont even start...

F**king vibrant

Ok I've looked everywhere, maybe not well enough but I have and I can't find the answer to my question. I installed the new official 2.2 on the 10th when it came out in canada here. My phone has worked "ok" for the past 2 days. (lots of new force closes and some major lag in some spots that didn't happen in 2.1) but that's besides the point. Today i was trying to set up a new wallpaper and all of a sudden the screen started flashing on and off. I couldn't do anything to stop it except pull the battery. Now when I turn on the phone it just flashes the opening screen that says "Galaxy S blah blah". and the only way I can stop that is pull the batt. I've tried hard resetting and all that but it always gets stuck at the openning screen. Now I'm still noobish to android stuff. Was too scared to flash anything before the official so if you have any advice that involves other programs/pc i'd appreciate a point in the direction of a walkthrough.
I'd hate to have to send it in and wait the 2 months it takes samsung canada to get it back to me.
Thanks.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732458

tried that, can't get into download mode. as soon as i plug it in it starts looping the boot screen.

canadianrider said:
tried that, can't get into download mode. as soon as i plug it in it starts looping the boot screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look up the "jig" solution. That will be guaranteed to set your device on Download Mode.

It was the same problem with my Vibrant. Solved with JTAG controller. But you'll waste your warranty in that way. Try jig solution first

Adb?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

ok i have android sdk/adb from when i pulled screen shots with 2.1 ... how could i use that to try and boot my phone

canadianrider said:
ok i have android sdk/adb from when i pulled screen shots with 2.1 ... how could i use that to try and boot my phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
option 1
METHOD 2: STUCK AT VIBRANT SCREEN:
(and are not able to use vol+ vol- methods to access downloader/recovery)
You will need the samsung ADB drivers installed for your phone as well as ADB...
ACCESS DOWNLOAD MODE
1) remove back cover and take our sim card and sd-card.
2) take out the battery
3) hold ALL 3 buttons down at the same time. (Vol +, Vol -, Power)
4) while holding down those 3 buttons put the battery back in
5) continue holding all 3 buttons until the vibrant disappears and reappears... once it reappears, release all 3 buttons
6) Setup ODIN and get it all setup and ready... (if you are flashing your phone via odin)
6) now connect your phone to your pc via USB cable
7) open a cmd prompt and navigate to the folder with ADB and type ADB REBOOT DOWNLOAD
8) Your phone will reboot into the download screen... go back to ODIN - A com port should now appear for your phone...
9) Click start and wait for your phone to do its thing
Option 2
***First you must have ROOT***
Download Terminal Emulator from the Market
open terminal emulator
**you may need to change to default android keyboard for proper inputting
1.) type "su" and press enter
a dialog box will appear asking for root access and say yes (obviously)
2.) type "reboot recovery" and press enter
at that moment, ur phone should reboot into Download Mode to load Alternate firmwares for like Eugene's Vibrant4 ROM etc......
this it what it should look like...
#su
#reboot download
Option 3
or you can download and install quick boot from the market which you then can make a shortcut to reboot into recovery with just one click

Sometimes it takes more than one try to get into download mode. I just take the battery out for a little while. Put it back in and hold only the volume up and down buttons while it is off and plug in the USB cable.
One thing though, when holding down the up and down volume buttons, it is very easy to mistakenly press the power button because it is exactly opposite of it.