Database Users

Soft brick trying to get into CWM Recovery?

I was wondering how it was possible to brick your phone (which somehow happened to me..) just by trying to get into CWM Recovery by doing the 3 button press.. As it is possible because it happened to me earlier today I was just wondering if it was a step that I did wrong.. Also I had nothing installed except flashing the Froyo EB01 modem which flashed successfully and than reflashed cwm recovery all which worked though I forgot I had to reboot fast or else samsung would replace cwm. So when I flashed a second time and than tried rebooting into cwm that's when it got stuck and bricked..
I got it solved earlier thanks to Adranalyne.
If anybody needs his thread for the all in one odin:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=9711053

Ensure it's not simply blank screen...hit search soft key when it ' should' go into cwm
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Shadowchasr said:
Ensure it's not simply blank screen...hit search soft key when it ' should' go into cwm
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Naw, it was stuck on the samsung logo screen for an hour-got bricked. But i fixed it .

Can someone explain how exactly you fix it? I am having that problem as we speak...

sengokubattosai said:
Can someone explain how exactly you fix it? I am having that problem as we speak...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin it back to stock. Either Dl01 or Eb01. Both files include everything for you to recover your phone ans be able to boot back up past the samsung logo.

Taking it back to EB01 every time can be a bit extreme. There are CWM tar files that you can use to just flash CWM with Odin. I've used them when my phone would not boot into recovery. Remember the best way to get to "Download" mode is to pull the battery and while holding the down vol button plug it into your PC. I know thats common knowledge but it's always good to put it out there. Other techniques can prevent Odin from establishing a connection.
I've even seen complete Super Clean tars up to 2.6. I don't remember where but when 2.7.1 bricked my phone I just used Odin to flash a 2.6 tar and my phone was back to normal. Now I use that ROM image instead of EB01 when an update fails.
I would stress that any ROM compiled by someone else is not going to be endorsed by the Dev that created the update. I just took a chance because I was already down and it worked great.

[Q] MyTouch 4g: Multiple problems... PLEASE help.

Okay, I've searched and searched and no one seems to have the specific problem that I'm having with my phone, so I'm taking to the forums myself. I've been rooting since the G1, I know how to adb push things, I have used google and multiple forums to try to fix this problem. So here goes, anyone that can help I thank you in advance.
1-My phone, like some other MT4G users, reboots itself each time it's plugged in. Initially I thought this was because I was using a Kindle cord to plug it into the pc, so I bought an MT4G usb cable from tmobile, and still it boot loops (just the first white screen for maybe 4 seconds, then black then again and again). The only way to charge it is to let it start boot looping, take the battery out, turn it on, and if I'm lucky enough that it begins to boot up correctly I plug it in mid boot. If I wait til it's fulled loaded it just starts rebooting again.
2-It will not at all from any angle go into Recovery mode. If I try to go to recovery from Rom Manager, or from the screen you get when holding power and lower volume key or by flashing a rom through Rom Manager, it just boot loops just like mentioned above, until I pull the battery for a while (it is currently sitting next to me with the battery out) and then put it back in.
3-If by chance it's on, and plugged into the computer, it is not at all recognized. Ever. While it's booting up my computer finds something, but doesn't know what it is, and doesn't allow me to view any folders on the SD card. Yes I've installed the HTC drivers file. I've adb'ed things to this phone before, now it says device not found. I don't know when it stopped being recognized...
4-I've even tried to fastboot something over to it, but to no avail, still not found.
If I try to do a factory reset, it boot loops. If I sneeze it boot loops.... I don't know what to do, and if I trade it in under warranty, I have to reset it to stock rom, or they're going to charge me for a new phone. Any ideas!?
I have Cyanogen mod 7 on here.

have you tried a fastboot wipe? or have you tried to reboot to recovery from adb?

First, I don't trust using the actual ROM Manager app to do the flashing/installing.
Since you've been flashing since the G1 days why not use Clockwork Recovery? Just go into recovery and do the necessary wipes.
So I suggest to do a complete full wipe in Clockwork, meaning wipe data, cache, and dalvik cache. Install the newest CM nightly (Which is working wonderfully BTW) and see if your problems still persists.
Edit: I didn't realize you tried to enter recovery, oops. But yeah try what the buy above me said. Try re-installing the latest CWM recovery, if that still fails then try heading into there via ADB.

mackster248 said:
First, I don't trust using the actual ROM Manager app to do the flashing/installing.
Since you've been flashing since the G1 days why not use Clockwork Recovery? Just go into recovery and do the necessary wipes.
So I suggest to do a complete full wipe in Clockwork, meaning wipe data, cache, and dalvik cache. Install the newest CM nightly (Which is working wonderfully BTW) and see if your problems still persists.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second that, flashing ROMs from ROM Manager a terrible idea.

Well...if all else fails and if you are really thinking about returning it and still under warranty...few seconds in the microwave method should work just fine. They wont be able to see that its rooted if the phone wouldn't turn on, would they???

glimmer of hope...
So by the grace of god I did get it flashed back to unrooted, stock 2.2 by putting it as pd15img.zip on my sd card and going into bootloader. Once that was done I thought I would be out of the woods... I even plugged it in last night and no boot loop!! but this morning I unpllugged it (and I'm using a tmobile cable for the phone attached to my pc) and here it sits, next to me again with the battery out of it because everytime I try to turn it on (for over 40 minutes now) it boot loops to that stupid white screen (that is honestly driving me insane at this point). I know that it isn't rooted (because I dl'ed rom manager and it won't let me do anything without being rooted) so do we think that I'm safe to go to the store today to request a new one be sent? Thoughts? And thanks for the help thus far!

yeah I would send that back

Bad emmc chip? I'm sorry man, that's a terrible story.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

Unbrick this phone. ( This is a good one )

So I was mucking about installing ICS on my fascinate and I've managed to thoroughly brick the device. It will not power on in any form from my perspective. No Download mode, no recovery nothing.
The steps that I took to get myself here
Installed Teamhacksung ICS Build 2 (Everything was wokring fine except calenders so I had to do a reinstall)
Did a Full wipe of all mount point via CWR and fresh reinstall including Google Apps v.5.
Booted fine went through initial setup.
Downloaded Glitch kernel 14 preview 2 for the i9000 ( Yes I know in retrospect it is the obvious wrong kernel )
Flashed Wrong kernel via CWR
Booted phone ( It started up just fine. But I had no Wifi and no 3G not panel buttons only physical worked. This is when I looked at the kernel filename again and discovered my mistake.)
Booted to CWR via power button menu
CWR was modified along with th glitch kernel install. ( It is unable to mount sdcard of any local resource.
I figure okay my bad lets odin
I put the phone in download mode
I flash the atlas_2.2.pit and the CWM4 tar designed to work with CM7 with the following options.
----Odin 1.83
Re-partition
F Reset Time
Atlas_2,2.pit in PIT section
CWM4_for_cm7.tar in PDA Section
-----
Flash is successful I power down phone by pulling battery and unpluging from usb
I put the battery back in to boot into recovery and the phone will not power on.
It will not enter download mode via volume-down method or via 301k jig
This phone is dead as far as I'm concerned.
Any help / ideas are appreciated.

I would try a new cable. If that doesnt work i think your only option is the Unbrickable mod.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1288093&highlight=unbrickable+mod

Not that it will help but I believe your mistake was in using the pit file without flashing a rom. You repartitioned your device and then did not install an os essentialy.
Edit: you should also pull the battery while flashing with Odin.
On a possibly helpful note, have you tried connecting to Odin since then. I know on the Charge people have reported entering download mode but having no visual conformation of it (ie: blank screen but Odin recognizes the phone). Might be worth a shot.
We all make mistakes, I hard bricked my wifes Charge because I keep all my Odin files together, clicked through to quickly and ended up flashing stock i500 files to it instead of i510 files.../facepalm
Sent from my SCH-I500 using xda premium

Ya I've tried connecting to Odin even though not visual representation for Download Mode is there. The Fascinates do that as well from time to time. The thing that gets me is that even if the partition structure is totally hosed the phone "should" be able to get into download mode. I disassembled it last night and will be attempting the Unbrickable mod once a new tip comes for my soldering iron.

I have no clue why you used Odin and repartition v2.2 pit without flashing a stock ROM. where you got the idea to flash a cwm file instead of a .tar ROM file is beyond me.
Now that i have given you some scolding. unless one of fascinates geniuses comes to your rescue. You're only option is to use unbrickable mod on you're phone. And you best follow directions on that mod a lot better than you have on this past endeavor. It does involve soldering your processor pins, so i wish you luck.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using xda premium

Have you tried making/buying a jig to trick the phone into Download Mode.
I found these 2 threads:
Jig 1
&
Jig 2
I found these on the captivate forums when I needed it and it works pretty well, but buying one is much easier.
If you arent familiar with what I'm talking about, putting 301k of resistance on the 4 & 5 pins on our phones will put the phone in Download mode, which is what a jig will do for you.
They are also sold on Ebay, and on MobileTech Videos.
Hope this helps!

hesh.monster said:
Edit: you should also pull the battery while flashing with Odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing with the battery in is no different than flashing with it out really. The reason all Fascinate tutorials say to flash with the battery out is to prevent recovery from getting over-written should the phone reset and boot normally after flashing.
Also, I would say try a download mode jig. Since you flashed the i9000 kernel, it could be doing something odd that a Fascinate wouldn't normally do. If it was a MTD i9000 kernel, hopefully it didn't re-partition and wipe out or corrupt the bootloader/secondary bootloader.

imnuts said:
Flashing with the battery in is no different than flashing with it out really. The reason all Fascinate tutorials say to flash with the battery out is to prevent recovery from getting over-written
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am aware of that, just saying it doesn't hurt to follow directions.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using xda premium

Phone stuck on "Samsung - Custom" screen after creating TWRP backup. Help please?

Phone stuck on "Samsung - Custom" screen after creating TWRP backup. Help please?
I have an ATT S4, that has had CM 10.1 on it running flawlessly pretty much since nightlies started to get released. Decided to try going back to some TW based ROMs. Running the latest nightly, loaded up TWRP, created a backup, as I usually do before swapping roms. Created the backup fine, now it won't boot, it just sits at the Samsung screen with the lock and Custom message. Wiped cache\dalvic, even tried restoring from the backup I just created. Nothing. Tried it with the phone plugged into the computer and without being plugged in (I think I recall it being plugged into USB could cause issues in the past), and still nada. Tried pulling the battery and rebooting about 10 times. Can get into recovery and odin mode perfectly fine still. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks

Simonzi said:
I have an ATT S4, that has had CM 10.1 on it running flawlessly pretty much since nightlies started to get released. Decided to try going back to some TW based ROMs. Running the latest nightly, loaded up TWRP, created a backup, as I usually do before swapping roms. Created the backup fine, now it won't boot, it just sits at the Samsung screen with the lock and Custom message. Wiped cache\dalvic, even tried restoring from the backup I just created. Nothing. Tried it with the phone plugged into the computer and without being plugged in (I think I recall it being plugged into USB could cause issues in the past), and still nada. Tried pulling the battery and rebooting about 10 times. Can get into recovery and odin mode perfectly fine still. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are no less than a dozen similar threads about similar problems already. Have you looked at those threads for a possible solution yet? You can find them by using the search function or better yet just doing a visual search of the first few pages of the "General" and "Q&A" sections. Good luck.

Sounds like a ROM and kernel issue. Try flashing a ROM with a loki'd kernel.
Tylorw1
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

Tylorw1 said:
Sounds like a ROM and kernel issue. Try flashing a ROM with a loki'd kernel.
Tylorw1
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see how that could be the case. I didn't flash anything. I just loaded TWRP, created a backup, and rebooted my phone. No ROM\kernel change. Nothing more than creating a backup in TWRP.
scott14719 said:
There are no less than a dozen similar threads about similar problems already. Have you looked at those threads for a possible solution yet? You can find them by using the search function or better yet just doing a visual search of the first few pages of the "General" and "Q&A" sections. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried searching, the closest one I could find on the first few pages was this one. I just didn't see any specific to my situation because nothing was flashed. Like my response to Tylorw1, all I did was boot into recovery, create a backup, and reboot my phone. Didn't flash a ROM, change a kernel, format anything, etc...

I has this same problem... It happened after every single reboot after flashing various ROMs or anything.. I gave up and went back to CWM and haven't had the problem since :good:
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

Simonzi said:
I have an ATT S4, that has had CM 10.1 on it running flawlessly pretty much since nightlies started to get released. Decided to try going back to some TW based ROMs. Running the latest nightly, loaded up TWRP, created a backup, as I usually do before swapping roms. Created the backup fine, now it won't boot, it just sits at the Samsung screen with the lock and Custom message. Wiped cache\dalvic, even tried restoring from the backup I just created. Nothing. Tried it with the phone plugged into the computer and without being plugged in (I think I recall it being plugged into USB could cause issues in the past), and still nada. Tried pulling the battery and rebooting about 10 times. Can get into recovery and odin mode perfectly fine still. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what version of twrp? if it is 2.6.?.? then get off of it, also, what I did was pull battery for 3min, it booted fine....go back to early version of twrp...

STVERDI said:
I has this same problem... It happened after every single reboot after flashing various ROMs or anything.. I gave up and went back to CWM and haven't had the problem since :good:
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've wanted to go back to CWM. That's what I had on my S3. Only thing stopping me, is all my nandroid backups for my S4 are done with TWRP, and I don't want to run into a situation where I need them, and them not being compatible
TheAxman said:
what version of twrp? if it is 2.6.?.? then get off of it, also, what I did was pull battery for 3min, it booted fine....go back to early version of twrp...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, still on 2.5.0.2. Finally, after a third complete wipe/format and restore from the back I had created (the one that started the whole issue), it works fine. Such a huge pain in the ass.

a user had to boot back into twrp and wipe data/factory reset yesterday to fix this issue.

Simonzi said:
I've wanted to go back to CWM. That's what I had on my S3. Only thing stopping me, is all my nandroid backups for my S4 are done with TWRP, and I don't want to run into a situation where I need them, and them not being compatible
Nope, still on 2.5.0.2. Finally, after a third complete wipe/format and restore from the back I had created (the one that started the whole issue), it works fine. Such a huge pain in the ass.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you have to be ****ing kidding me. I rebooted into recovery while typing my initial response, just to verify I was still on the 2.5.x.x TWRP. Booted up TWRP, verified that, choose "Reboot System", and same thing. Back to sitting at the Samsung screen. Nandroid backups or not, ditching TWRP as soon as I get it able to boot back up.

Even worse off now than when I started. After my last post, where my phone was doing the same "stuck on Samsung logo" thing, just from booting into TWRP, I decided to swap to a different recovery. Searched for "switch from TWRP to CWM", and found my own post I had made a few months ago, but never went through.
Following those instructions now, I decided on the PhilZ CWM. Head over to that thread, grab the loki'd zip, load up TWRP, and flash the zip. Now I can't even boot into recovery!! It just freezes on the Samsung screen with the blue "recovery booting" text.
Can still get into download mode, so I tried using ODIN to flash PhilZ jflteatt.tar.md5 file, and it fails.
At this point, waiting for the stock 1.6 firmware package to download, so I can just ODIN that.
If anyone has any other suggestions though, they'd be great. Have an hour to try while waiting for that to download

somebody had mentioned this...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=44629460&postcount=8
make sure you have the correct firmware and proceed as you are. likely your best bet.

Simonzi said:
Even worse off now than when I started. After my last post, where my phone was doing the same "stuck on Samsung logo" thing, just from booting into TWRP, I decided to swap to a different recovery. Searched for "switch from TWRP to CWM", and found my own post I had made a few months ago, but never went through.
Following those instructions now, I decided on the PhilZ CWM. Head over to that thread, grab the loki'd zip, load up TWRP, and flash the zip. Now I can't even boot into recovery!! It just freezes on the Samsung screen with the blue "recovery booting" text.
Can still get into download mode, so I tried using ODIN to flash PhilZ jflteatt.tar.md5 file, and it fails.
At this point, waiting for the stock 1.6 firmware package to download, so I can just ODIN that.
If anyone has any other suggestions though, they'd be great. Have an hour to try while waiting for that to download
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock 1.6 firmware package?
Make sure you get the correct firmware? Go to SamMobile and get the stock firmware from there or go to Adam Outlers "Stock firmware ODIN" thread in the General section (the AMDL firmware link is in that thread you just have to look for it).

scott14719 said:
Stock 1.6 firmware package?
Make sure you get the correct firmware? Go to SamMobile and get the stock firmware from there or go to Adam Outlers "Stock firmware ODIN" thread in the General section (the AMDL firmware link is in that thread you just have to look for it).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I meant 1.6gb firmware package. Just forgot the "gb". That's what I'm currently downloading, but trying to recover it with Kies while waiting.

I would like to report I had the same problem.
After changing roms and making a nandroid, and then deciding to switch roms again, I ran into the stuck at Samsung Custom with a lock boot screen. Most roms would boot up once, but a restart or power down would lead to being stuck. I was flashing through TWRP.
I went into TWRP and flashed OUDHS recovery which overrode TWRP and wiped/flashed through OUDHS a new rom.
Problem solved.

S3 at&t stuck in TWRP booting screen.
xBeerdroiDx said:
a user had to boot back into twrp and wipe data/factory reset yesterday to fix this issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im new to custom roms, I pressed ok for an update on my phone, after the update was complete my phone shut off and booted into TWRP and now I can't get back to my android screen nor make calls etc. HELPPPPPPPP PLEASSSSSEE I have been trying to fix my phone since july and I have been using this cheap phone that don't even get internet. I have an S3 1747 at&t

Lnjames said:
Im new to custom roms, I pressed ok for an update on my phone, after the update was complete my phone shut off and booted into TWRP and now I can't get back to my android screen nor make calls etc. HELPPPPPPPP PLEASSSSSEE I have been trying to fix my phone since july and I have been using this cheap phone that don't even get internet. I have an S3 1747 at&t
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong forum. Please go to the s3 section with your question.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Had this problem just now, solved it by fixing permissions.

I am running an MDL based S4, and screwed the pooch. I was going to wipe the internal storage and made the mistake of doing it through TWRP 2.5. Now, I have the same problem of being stuck on the custom boot screen. I have tried to change from TWRP to OUDHS Recovery, but still boot loops to Custom screen. I have tried fresh installs of 4.2 ROMs and 4.4.2 Google Editions. Do I need to flash via ODIN?
Flame away....I know better than this!!!!
Help would be greatly appreciated.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 4

[Q] Trying to backup an encrypted RAZR M

Ok, I'm new at this, here's what I've got, hopefully someone can shed some light:
-My RAZR M is fully encrypted
-It is successfully rooted
-I have installed Rom Manager with CWM 6 as the custom recovery
-I want to make a NANDROID backup (to eventually install Carbon), but whenever I try to reboot into the backup/recovery mode, it won't, it goes to what I think is the ADB screen? Not sure tho, this screen says "Connect data USB." Then, when I do, it just changes state and says USB connected, nothing else happens. Then I just reboot the phone normally and everything still works.
So after googling and researching a lot, I'm assuming since my phone is encrypted it won't access the CWM because it never asks me for my password to decrypt the internal storage. Ok cool, but here's my question now tho; if I perform a Factory Reset from the settings menu, will it actually do the reset and reinstall itself since I have CWM installed??
Thanks for any help.

Anyone got any ideas??

Is your bootloader unlocked?
Sent from my XT907 using xda app-developers app

Hmm. Is this screen where it says "Device is LOCKED" mean that my bootloader is locked? Btw, this is the screen that I referred to in my first post. It comes up whenever I try to select "Recovery"

Your bootloader is locked and on that version it can not be unlocked... So... unfortunately you can not install a custom recovery... Well you can use safestrap but the ROM selection is very limited...
Sent from my XT907 using xda app-developers app

So you say I cannot install a custom recovery, do you mean a different ROM that I would "recover" to install it? Or do you mean ClockworkMod (and its various counterparts)? Because in the ROM Manager app, it says I have CWM 6.0.4.4 as my "current recovery" (see attached screenshot)
Please forgive me if this is a dumb question lol but like I said, I'm new at this whole thing

It does say that huh unsure as to why... i do have a locked M around here somewhere ill see if it does the same thing to it...When I say custom recovery I do refer to cmw n twrp... With a locked bootloader you can not install those... we have for safestrap as a recovery for locked bootloaders it's been a year since I used it but I believe you can make backups on it... I would just sit tight and.wait on kit kat it shouldn't be to much longer... till then just freeze all the bloat and use xpossed to your liking... When kk comes out I'm sure development will pick up for locked bootloaders again..anyone else with more experience care to provide more in depth assistance..
Sent from my XT907 using xda app-developers app

So any further advice on what I can or can't do?
I would like to perform a factory reset on my device to get rid of this stupid encryption (it slows everything down), but with CWM installed (supposedly?), can I still do a factory reset? I guess what I'm trying to get at is what does the factory reset option use to re-flash everything from? The recovery partition where CWM is now supposedly installed? Will that affect the factory reset?
I hope this makes sense, I don't want to brick my phone...

Alrighty, for anyone interested:
I never tried the factory reset. What I did do is try the OTA KitKat update just like 2 hours ago. That was a mistake; upon downloading and automatically rebooting to start the upgrade, my phone would not reboot, it got stuck at the AP Fastboot screen with the error code 0x56 (see attached picture).
So, I powered off and powered on my phone, at which point it powered up normally, until after about 2 minutes on the home screen, it automatically rebooted itself (to presumably "continue" trying to install the OTA). Then it got stuck again on the AP Fastboot screen. This continued over and over and I soon realized I soft bricked my phone.
Did some further research, found the House of Moto program (http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/topic/28162-house-of-moto-22/) which saved my life. If anyone is having any issues similar to the situation I was having, or just issues with the KitKat OTA, this House of Moto program will restore your phone to completely stock. Just follow the instructions on that web page exactly. Kudos to the dude who developed that.