Database Users

[Q] Is this what they call a soft brick?

Hello ladies and gents,
So I'm a total noob and I think I bricked my phone.
I got root by using the motochopper tool
then I went for custom recovery, but I think I flashed the verizon version instead of the ATT version (I was trying to install the Google Wallet fix with a custom rom)
Rebooted the phone, I get an unlock symbol and samsung custom
I can boot into recovery mode and I still have root access / command line.
The phone either boots to black screen with a oscillating blue light or if I go into the other mode it says 'downloading'
Anything I can do to get my phone back working? Did I totally brick it?

Yes, if you see anything on the screen, that would be a soft brick, you are getting the unauthorized screen, then you need another kernel for sure, lets start there...
You really should either put your device in your information screen or tell us what type of device you have, that is very important.
I can not tell you what kernel, not knowing what device has the problem.
I see you mentioned att, is it US or Canadian version?
These are a must when you are seeking help.

I have the AT&T US Version of the S4, 1337
And now it seems I've made it worse, I reinstalled a new Rom, now I can't boot into recovery at all. It goes blank after the Samsung custom screen. Still can ADB into it though.
TheAxman said:
Yes, if you see anything on the screen, that would be a soft brick, you are getting the unauthorized screen, then you need another kernel for sure, lets start there...
You really should either put your device in your information screen or tell us what type of device you have, that is very important.
I can not tell you what kernel, not knowing what device has the problem.
I see you mentioned att, is it US or Canadian version?
These are a must when you are seeking help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Do you have any type backup? Have you tried, power off phone. hold down power button and volume up at same time, when it vibrates, let go of the power button, it should go into recovery, and lets try restoring your backup.
Your problem is you have the wrong kernel loading, flash a ATT kernel once in the recovery, it will boot.

willenglishiv said:
I have the AT&T US Version of the S4, 1337
And now it seems I've made it worse, I reinstalled a new Rom, now I can't boot into recovery at all. It goes blank after the Samsung custom screen. Still can ADB into it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just ODIN flash the stock firmware for ATT I337 and re-root? That's what I would try.

blyndfyre said:
Just ODIN flash the stock firmware for ATT I337 and re-root? That's what I would try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually Ax has the best solution if he can get to recovery... your way will work but by far to many steps for something that simple...
just saying!!

sloanster said:
Actually Ax has the best solution if he can get to recovery... your way will work but by far to many steps for something that simple...
just saying!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree Ax's solution is simpler, but OP said that he cannot boot to recovery.
And now it seems I've made it worse, I reinstalled a new Rom, now I can't boot into recovery at all. It goes blank after the Samsung custom screen. Still can ADB into it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

blyndfyre said:
I agree Ax's solution is simpler, but OP said that he cannot boot to recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But he can adb so he can push the kernel onto his phone and flash in recovery
Edit: my bad, he did say he can't boot into recovery. Odin is his best bet.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

he hasn't answered the get into recovery yet, nor has he said he has a backup. I was trying a simple solution. Then we can move on to the odin back.

TheAxman said:
he hasn't answered the get into recovery yet, nor has he said he has a backup. I was trying a simple solution. Then we can move on to the odin back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope it gets it worked out!!!
The main thing is he's got options...:angel:

[Q] Needed: MF3 odin flasable rom?

I have a bricked I337 that fails on every odin flash I've tried. It will go into download mode. When you cut the phone on from inserting battery, there is a big yellow triangle that says non at&t software found. I've tried MDB and MDL with odin. Both fail. In real small letters it says fail kernel. Any thoughts or help is much appreciated. :crying::crying::crying:

Need more info. How did you brick it. What rom was it on prior to bricking. Can you get Into recovery. What recovery did you have prior to brick. Anything relevant.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app

All good questions. I got it this way. I'm not sure of rom , recovery or kernel. I bought it in this condition at a really good price. That is as long as it can be restored in some form or fashion. I know that really makes it more difficult not knowing what it had. I'm ok with total recovery back to original state, it just won't load.

Well if odin is not working there may not be away to revive it. I've seen posts where even mobiletechvideos has not been able to jtag it back to life. The boot loader is locked down pretty tight.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app

jd1639 said:
Well if odin is not working there may not be away to revive it. I've seen posts where even mobiletechvideos has not been able to jtag it back to life. The boot loader is locked down pretty tight.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your help. Yeah. I'm going to try a local phone repair shop and it that doesn't work, sell it for parts.
If anyone has any advice, I'm open to it. Thanks a lot.

Sounds like there is a custom ROM on there that was not loki'd after installing. If you can get into recovery, use ADB to send the Loki doki patch and flash it, that should get passed the non authorized software message
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

j3ffyyy said:
Sounds like there is a custom ROM on there that was not loki'd after installing. If you can get into recovery, use ADB to send the Loki doki patch and flash it, that should get passed the non authorized software message
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like it has an MF3 update possibly, locked bootloader.
You'll have to wait until the samsung stock mf3 odin file leaks and you can recover it.

brojoe11 said:
I have a bricked I337 that fails on every odin flash I've tried. It will go into download mode. When you cut the phone on from inserting battery, there is a big yellow triangle that says non at&t software found. I've tried MDB and MDL with odin. Both fail. In real small letters it says fail kernel. Any thoughts or help is much appreciated. :crying::crying::crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"I can provide you with everything you need to know."
(emphasis on the quotes...)
The previous owner of this device managed to flash a kernel that was either not official, or not Loki'd.
It sounds like this device is likely stuck on MF3 firmware.
There's no telling whether the /system partition is still in-tact or not.
This was likely caused by someone with MF3 and root access, trying to drop a new kernel and/or recovery on it. There is no known way to do this once a device has been upgraded to MF3 - only the original MF3 recovery or kernel will boot at this time (not even Loki will work, because the exploit was patched).
It might be possible to flash a new boot.img (kernel) to the device. If the /system partition is still fine, this would rescue your device.
What your device REALLY needs is the MF3 Odin package (from Kies) which does not exist yet, last I checked. This would restore the kernel/recovery/system just fine.
Your bootloaders are fine. The point of JTAG would normally be to restore these. If any part of the bootloader chain has been upgraded to MF3, the bootloader is no longer repairable with JTAG at this time (might be possible after we get our hands on the MF3 Odin package, not clear at this time).
It might be possible to just load up a new kernel and recovery via JTAG. I have a riffbox (and a handy no-solder PCB attachment for the I337) and could try this, but this would require putting trust in someone you've never met.
I propose that you try to build an odin-flashable tarball that contains only boot.img.
Check out my thread here.
Download File #4. (boot.img).
Follow the instructions I posted under File #5, but exclude the "system.img.ext4" part only.
Flash that with Odin and see if it will take it. Odin should accept the file just fine, but it's a matter of whether the phone will accept the signature on boot.img or not.
Good luck. Keep us posted.

Man. Thanks. I've got it at a local cpr repair shop right now. If those tech guys can't figure it out, I'll try this and definitely keep you up to date. I'm just waiting on them to see what and if they can help. Thanks again. :highfive:

Please close thread
Thanks everybody who replied and tried to help with this issue. I finally just sold this phone for parts. Got an Aurora Red one coming. Let's move on to bigger and better things. Thanks again. :highfive:

Closed as per op request....

[Q] Stuck in boot loop with no recovery Please Help

Hi guys long time lurker, first time poster.
Here's the story:
Was running CM 10.2 on my Galaxy S4 AT&T. Everything ran great etc. I decided to flash a new kernel. Upon flashing the kernel I received an error (I must have not done such great research before I did this) but figured nothing had changed since the flash did not go successfully. I proceeded to reboot my phone and lo and behold I'm stuck with a black screen and a constant vibration as if the phone is going to boot up but it doesn't. I immediately went to Odin as I have done when things go awry. After flashing stock firmware Odin says that everything went successful and my phone reboots. However it does not reboot to any screen (no splash screen, no Samsung logo absolutely nothing) just constant vibration and I'm back to square one I cannot boot into recovery I have tried the button combo many, many times but the phone just keeps on fake vibrate booting. The only screen I can get to is the download menu. The things I have tried so far:
1. Flashing back to stock firmware with Odin.
2. Flashing stock kernel by itself with Odin.
3. Tried to flash a custom recovery but since my phone is no longer rooted Odin was giving me a failed message.
4. Tried flashing stock recovery by itself with Odin.
5. Tried Kies but no success either.
I assume no files from a custom ROM will flash successfully as my phone is not rooted. So I guess my question here is am I bricked forever? Odin recognizes my phone and I have read that there is some hope if this happens but I have come to many dead ends searching for a solution to this problem. Have I exhausted my resources on this one or are there a few more things to try? If I left out any information I'll be more than happy to provide what I missed. Thank you in advance.

You flashed a kernel not for your device and have hard bricked your phone. Look up jtag and mobiletechvideos.com

jd1639 said:
You flashed a kernel not for your device and have hard bricked your phone. Look up jtag and mobiletechvideos.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. That is exactly correct.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Thanks guys. I actually went to AT&T and played dumb. Since the phone was still under warranty they just replaced it on site.

dmesserr said:
Thanks guys. I actually went to AT&T and played dumb. Since the phone was still under warranty they just replaced it on site.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Replaced it with MDL or MF3? If MDL, you better block the OTA quickly, If MF3, you better do some reading.

Problem after using goomanager

I have the att s4 with the mf3 build which I received via an ota update. I recently did the root for this build which worked perfectly, afterwards I read through 47 pages of forums and was trying to do the work around djrbliss put out, around page 40 someone says if your phone is rooted just download goomanager and installscriptrecovery. then reboot recovery. I downloaded goomanager then installed script, after this I hit the reboot recovery and the phone went into download mode. and it will stay there. If i restart it returns to download mode. Any Ideas?

Im not 100% but u may hve read wrong. This has happened to everyone who has tryed to flash a recovery on mf3. You can only have root there is no custom recovery for this build. Ok now this is wat you do take your phone to bestbuy tell them kies f'd ur phone up nd they can reflash mf3.at this moment mf3 isnt available to general public
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

Yeah, read the forums. I mean seriously, almost every other post, including the one you read, tells you that drjbliss's exploit was patched in mf3, and can brick your device if you attempt to install a custom recovery. It is, quite literally, the biggest topic in the S4 forums. Also, there is no odin flashable image for mf3, so you cannot return to stock without taking it to bestbuy. Read more in the q&a section, as this same mistake has been made and asked about at least a hundred times. Literally.
In conclusion, you have a paperweight till you take it to get it flashed back to normal.

ok thanks for the help

cooljg said:
ok thanks for the help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read this thread. Best buy can flash the stock mf3 firmware and get your recovery back. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=45457012

Either that or J-Tag.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Hey guys thanks for chiming in. I want to give a thank you to those who have gave me a serious answer. I will go back to best buy and try again, but I sent my wife up there and she said the cell phone department told her they do not flash firmware there. She said she asked them if the service section did and the lady told her no again. I am fairly familiar with flashing the firmware on an s3 I just haven't messed with the s4 that much,and obviously I didn't read as well as I thought I did or it wouldn't be bricked. I do have one other question tho if Best Buy can flash it back to stock firmware, is it safe to assume at some point I should be able to flash it back via odin when the mf3 build is released by sammobile? Either way if best buy doesn't flash it back i'm screwed on this one and i'll just have to pick up another s4 tomorrow. I just want to know if this one can be fixed i'd really hate to waste a perfectly good phone.

If and when mf3 firmware is available you should be able to flash with odin. Best buy seems to be using a new software package other than Odin so who knows if an odin package will be available.

I believe at best buy they have to have a "Samsung Experience" booth or area to do the flashing. The normal best buy service counter can't do it.

~wolverine~ said:
I believe at best buy they have to have a "Samsung Experience" booth or area to do the flashing. The normal best buy service counter can't do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct

Question on brick fix
Hey guys thanks for the helpful info. I took it to the samsung experience part of best buy and the guy fixed it. He didn't have to flash the firmware tho, he took the back off and replaced the battery then I don't know what combination of buttons he hit or what but he held something and it was able to reset the phone and came up normally. Does anyone know what he could of hit? The phone was stuck in download mode no matter what you hit it would only reset to it. I had tried booting and holding volume up and home and releasing home for the recovery boot. As a recap of what happened I had rooted the phone and then downloaded goomanager and ran the installed script option under settings then I reset and was stuck in download mode. I just found it crazy that he never had to hook it to his computer to fix it.

cooljg said:
Hey guys thanks for the helpful info. I took it to the samsung experience part of best buy and the guy fixed it. He didn't have to flash the firmware tho, he took the back off and replaced the battery then I don't know what combination of buttons he hit or what but he held something and it was able to reset the phone and came up normally. Does anyone know what he could of hit? The phone was stuck in download mode no matter what you hit it would only reset to it. I had tried booting and holding volume up and home and releasing home for the recovery boot. As a recap of what happened I had rooted the phone and then downloaded goomanager and ran the installed script option under settings then I reset and was stuck in download mode. I just found it crazy that he never had to hook it to his computer to fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, that is interesting. Did he replace the battery temporarily while 'resetting the phone with combination of buttons'?
Or did he place the battery inside and let you have it?

Sounds like a simple factory reset...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

haremmon said:
Hmm, that is interesting. Did he replace the battery temporarily while 'resetting the phone with combination of buttons'?
Or did he place the battery inside and let you have it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He originally plugged my phone up when I gave it to him but it wouldn't come on so he unplugged it and replaced the battery. The battery I had was completely dead. After he replaced the battery he turned it on and it went to the download screen with the little green alien. After that he held some buttons and kept looking at the back and then the front of the phone. I couldn't really see what he hit but shortly afterwards it came up with my lock screen picture. After that he said it doesn't need flashing but he would flash the firmware if I wanted so I said ok and he did. I have the phone now working great but it doesn't show rooted anymore.

Omg how do people not know this already. I have had my S4 for 2 days even i know better and I cant believe people dont read

[Q] Need help recovering i337 S4

Hi All,
I just got an SPH-i337 yesterday and attempted to Root + Install Mod.
I ended up rooting and installing Safestrap (TWRP 2.6.x.x). Upon first use I backed up my current OS to a removable SD card using the utility in TWRP. I then, because I was not clear on how to download install CM which was what I was going to, installed ROM Manager and selected CM without setting up a ROM slot. I think this is where I went wrong.
Upon reboot, I was unable to access the Stock ROM and had no options to go to CM. When I attempted to perform a restore from my backup on SD it failed as well and keeps going to the Android recovery screen (not TWRP).
I'm now just trying to go back to stock and have tried using both Heimdall and Odin to no avail. Odin at least provides an error message:
SW REV. CHECK FAIL: Fused:4, Binary:1. What does this mean? That I'm attempting to use an image (.tar.md5 file) which is not current? Is there a way that I can still recover my phone?

..also, please let me know if there are pieces of information that I'm missing. I don't have much to go off of since the firmware and other information (I believe) is not able to be accessed.
Again I just got the phone yesterday. I also have about 40 tabs open that are full of searches that I've been doing regarding this. As yet, no luck.

revolut10n said:
..also, please let me know if there are pieces of information that I'm missing. I don't have much to go off of since the firmware and other information (I believe) is not able to be accessed.
Again I just got the phone yesterday. I also have about 40 tabs open that are full of searches that I've been doing regarding this. As yet, no luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look for the mk2 tar files. And do a lot of reading. You went wrong in a number of different areas

revolut10n said:
Hi All,
I just got an SPH-i337 yesterday and attempted to Root + Install Mod.
I ended up rooting and installing Safestrap (TWRP 2.6.x.x). Upon first use I backed up my current OS to a removable SD card using the utility in TWRP. I then, because I was not clear on how to download install CM which was what I was going to, installed ROM Manager and selected CM without setting up a ROM slot. I think this is where I went wrong.
Upon reboot, I was unable to access the Stock ROM and had no options to go to CM. When I attempted to perform a restore from my backup on SD it failed as well and keeps going to the Android recovery screen (not TWRP).
I'm now just trying to go back to stock and have tried using both Heimdall and Odin to no avail. Odin at least provides an error message:
SW REV. CHECK FAIL: Fused:4, Binary:1. What does this mean? That I'm attempting to use an image (.tar.md5 file) which is not current? Is there a way that I can still recover my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
revolut10n said:
..also, please let me know if there are pieces of information that I'm missing. I don't have much to go off of since the firmware and other information (I believe) is not able to be accessed.
Again I just got the phone yesterday. I also have about 40 tabs open that are full of searches that I've been doing regarding this. As yet, no luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Safestrap only works with other TW ROMS, so your first issue was trying to use CM. Second, it's not official TWRP and is not even installed to the recovery partition so using ROM Manager was your second issue. Trying to boot into recovery normally will take you to stock recovery since it isn't installed in the recovery partition, there should be a splash screen that comes up after the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen asking to either press for recovery or continue. If that works, you can use the backup from there. If it's gone, you have to use ODIN. The reason you get that SW REV. CHECK FAIL is because you're trying to flash an older firmware than you have. Depending on if you were on 4.2.2 or 4.3 you will either need the MF3 or MK2 .tar.md5 respectively.

jd1639 said:
Look for the mk2 tar files. And do a lot of reading. You went wrong in a number of different areas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for pointing me to those files. I'm sure I did go wrong in a few places as I felt that I was largely just winging it.. There's a TON of information out there. Is there anything specific that I was more wrong than the rest?

revolut10n said:
Thanks for pointing me to those files. I'm sure I did go wrong in a few places as I felt that I was largely just winging it.. There's a TON of information out there. Is there anything specific that I was more wrong than the rest?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deadly sin said it all. Cm and rom manager. Here are the files you need http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=49687770

Thanks everyone. Hell of an introduction to Android, I have to say considering I just got off the WinPhone bandwagon yesterday (been using it for ~7 years).

revolut10n said:
Thanks everyone. Hell of an introduction to Android, I have to say considering I just got off the WinPhone bandwagon yesterday (been using it for ~7 years).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The s4 is a very difficult phone to use custom roms on. Once you're back up and running start here and read a lot before doing anything with it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42320391

jd1639 said:
The s4 is a very difficult phone to use custom roms on. Once you're back up and running start here and read a lot before doing anything with it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42320391
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now you tell me - after I've been trying to do this for 12+ hours. Many thanks though - it looks like the MK2 AiO files are working.

jd1639 said:
The s4 is a very difficult phone to use custom roms on. Once you're back up and running start here and read a lot before doing anything with it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42320391
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, it seems that I can't use the method listed directly on that page on account of running the MK2 baseband. If I'm going to go forward it looks like I'll have to use SafeStrap and unofficial TWRM + TW mods for the time being.
Of course, if something about what I'm saying is wrong, I'd be glad to hear it.

revolut10n said:
Unfortunately, it seems that I can't use the method listed directly on that page on account of running the MK2 baseband. If I'm going to go forward it looks like I'll have to use SafeStrap and unofficial TWRM + TW mods for the time being.
Of course, if something about what I'm saying is wrong, I'd be glad to hear it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check my last Post #50 it should get u an idea and where to find related link. Also check that MK2 INDEX & ROM LIST ....:good: