Database Users

[Q] Soft Bricked: Stuck in "Firmware encountered an issue" Need Help!

Hello,
I am relatively new to this and clearly making some mistakes, from what I have found on these forums I can't see anyone else having the same issues with this device. Any help would be greatly appreciated. So here goes:
I recently tried installing SHOstock's rom, everything appeared successful and the phone began to boot, but hung on the samsung logo with the padlock for 10+ minutes. I tried to reboot, same thing. When booting back into recovery to do a wipe and give it another shot, I was prompted for a password (which I did not set up). So I decided I had probably screwed something up and tried to flash back to stock with Odin. Odin failed, and now all I can get is "Firmware upgrade encountered an issue..." I get this even when trying to enter recovery. I've tried connecting to Kies as well, but no such luck, as it doesn't connect to the device.Currently working on downloading another copy of the stock software to try with Odin again.
Any help is appreciated,
Thanks

What S4 do you have( model#)?
Are you sure you are using the correct firmware?
Are you sure the Kernel and ROM you tried to install were correct for your phone?
Did ODIN recognize your phone or did it fail during / after installation? Was there a specific message?
Re-downloading is good (you said you were doing that now) just to make sure it wasn't a bad download.

scott14719 said:
What S4 do you have( model#)?
Are you sure you are using the correct firmware?
Are you sure the Kernel and ROM you tried to install were correct for your phone?
Did ODIN recognize your phone or did it fail during / after installation? Was there a specific message?
Re-downloading is good (you said you were doing that now) just to make sure it wasn't a bad download.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, thank you for the quick response.
After redownloading from a different source, Odin's flash passed this time, and after a factory reset I am back in. Thank you again for the help.

Gs4 won't power on

I have searched and searched and cannot find any fix for my issue hopefully I can get the help here like always.
Last night I flashed ktoonz kernel like I have a thousand times before and it failed in TWRP recovery, I thought nothing of it, hit reboot, and am now at a brick wall. My Gs4 acts like the Gs2 with a stuck power button, upon powering it on, it goes straight into a loop vibrating every few seconds over and over, I can't get into recovery mode and for that matter can't even get the the initial Samsung splash screen to pop up. The only thing I can do with the phone is boot into download mode, I tried restoring several times with Heimdall on my Mac and always failed when the system reached 100%, it wouldn't move past that point. I have also just finished flashing it with Odin on a friends Windows laptop which completed successfully each time but the phone is still doing the same thing. I need help, I can't afford a replacement right now and am just a little desperate!

re: official stock firmwares
lstat said:
I have searched and searched and cannot find any fix for my issue hopefully I can get the help here like always.
Last night I flashed ktoonz kernel like I have a thousand times before and it failed in TWRP recovery, I thought nothing of it, hit reboot, and am now at a brick wall. My Gs4 acts like the Gs2 with a stuck power button, upon powering it on, it goes straight into a loop vibrating every few seconds over and over, I can't get into recovery mode and for that matter can't even get the the initial Samsung splash screen to pop up. The only thing I can do with the phone is boot into download mode, I tried restoring several times with Heimdall on my Mac and always failed when the system reached 100%, it wouldn't move past that point. I have also just finished flashing it with Odin on a friends Windows laptop which completed successfully each time but the phone is still doing the same thing. I need help, I can't afford a replacement right now and am just a little desperate!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin and Heimdall don't have any options to RESTORE anything.
Both those utilities can only do one thing, they can flash firmware
TAR files. (and any other valid TAR files)
My advice to you is to simply go to SamMobile.com and download
the specific odin flash firmware for your phone model and country.
Here is an example of what you will find at SamMobile: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/2/
Good luck!

Misterjunky said:
Odin and Heimdall don't have any options to RESTORE anything.
Both those utilities can only do one thing, they can flash firmware
TAR files. (and any other valid TAR files)
My advice to you is to simply go to SamMobile.com and download
the specific odin flash firmware for your phone model and country.
Here is an example of what you will find at SamMobile: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/2/
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand what they do, that is why I used them. I downloaded both the amdl and amdb firmware from SamMabile.com and neither of them worked, it still goes through the same process.

lstat said:
I understand what they do, that is why I used them. I downloaded both the amdl and amdb firmware from SamMabile.com and neither of them worked, it still goes through the same process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would keep trying Odin. Try different usb ports, don't use hub. Make sure you have the original usb cord. If it can get into download mode there's hope.

I tried flashing through Odin a few more times today with no luck, even tried to repartition with a .pit file and that failed. I think my phone is just screwed.

test
testtesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttest

Actually, I had the same exact problem when I flashed KTkernel to my S4 a while back. At first I tried Odin, and it said flash was successful, but still no recovery mode or any screen.
I actually used KIES, either firmware recovery or firmware update. And that solved it. The phone boot up normally after KIES.

Kevinnme said:
Actually, I had the same exact problem when I flashed KTkernel to my S4 a while back. At first I tried Odin, and it said flash was successful, but still no recovery mode or any screen.
I actually used KIES, either firmware recovery or firmware update. And that solved it. The phone boot up normally after KIES.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How exactly were you able to do this? Kies doesn't recognize the phone in download mode.

Make sure your KIES is up to date, and it should recognize the phone.
Here is a thread that may be helpful,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2261153
and
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/faq/FAQ00029015/29183

Kevinnme said:
Make sure your KIES is up to date, and it should recognize the phone.
Here is a thread that may be helpful,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2261153
and
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/faq/FAQ00029015/29183
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately this doesn't seem to be working for me, either. Kies is not recognizing my phone in emergency firmware recovery on OS X or Windows.

See if you can find help making kies to recognize your device. I think you should be able to since you used Odin.

Have you tried to Odin on a windows instead of a mac.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Reinaldo33897 said:
Have you tried to Odin on a windows instead of a mac.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, on both a Windows box and through Parallels, neither have worked.

lstat said:
Yes, on both a Windows box and through Parallels, neither have worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem. I tried flashing Ktweaker, install failed, and now the phone just vibrates every few seconds.
I have tried installing the PIT file, as well as the original firmware. Trying to reinstall the recovery ends with a "Fail" message.
Totally stumped.

I scheduled a repair with Samsung. Mines boxed up ready to go, just haven't sent it off yet. I gave up trying to fix it and went back to my iphone.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

lstat said:
I scheduled a repair with Samsung. Mines boxed up ready to go, just haven't sent it off yet. I gave up trying to fix it and went back to my iphone.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did the same thing

[Q] Help in restoring OS

OK, So I have rooted some phones through Odin and have some experience regarding them. Today I was trying to root a Grand 2 G7102 when Odin crashed unexpectedly and my root process stopped and that is where my problems began. The phone now only boots into Odin downloading mode and the recovery mode is not working, Tried to repair it using Kies but it kept on giving me errors on the last step and it always stopped at 76%, next I tried to flash a custom ROM through Odin but that failed too. So any solutions or remedies for that?

Sparda894 said:
OK, So I have rooted some phones through Odin and have some experience regarding them. Today I was trying to root a Grand 2 G7102 when Odin crashed unexpectedly and my root process stopped and that is where my problems began. The phone now only boots into Odin downloading mode and the recovery mode is not working, Tried to repair it using Kies but it kept on giving me errors on the last step and it always stopped at 76%, next I tried to flash a custom ROM through Odin but that failed too. So any solutions or remedies for that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) go to sammobile.com and download the official firmware
2) run it through odin
3) factory reset on recovery
4) u r done enjoy

techmate98 said:
1) go to sammobile.com and download the official firmware
2) run it through odin
3) factory reset on recovery
4) u r done enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try that thanks and reply if it works or not.:good:

techmate98 said:
1) go to sammobile.com and download the official firmware
2) run it through odin
3) factory reset on recovery
4) u r done enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wanted to ask another thing about being stuck on Odin mode, is my android considered as bricked?

Sparda894 said:
I wanted to ask another thing about being stuck on Odin mode, is my android considered as bricked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no its depends upon whether you are able to boot after switching off the device
(if it doesn't then you got it bricked)
BTW till now there is no such problem that the anyone is stuck at download mode

techmate98 said:
no its depends upon whether you are able to boot after switching off the device
(if it doesn't then you got it bricked)
BTW till now there is no such problem that the anyone is stuck at download mode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Based on what you said, I think it's bricked. I tried the process you told me to do but it didn't work either and the phone isn't powering on at all.
The best option is giving it to the service center. Thanks for helping anyway. Gained experience from this though.

[Q] (for me) unrecoverable softbrick

Guys, I need a hand here, as I hit a solid brick wall and no amount of scouring the forums helped me find a suitable solution.
Hardware involved:
Galaxy Note 3 N9005 that was running 4.4.2 (bought unlocked)
iMac with Yosemite and Parallels with Ubuntu and Windows 10 with Heimdall and Odin 3.09 installed
What I set out to do: root & install clockworkmod recovery with the ultimate goal to install Linux on Android. I had my previous Note 2 and LG P990 rooted too, so I was not entirely new to the procedure.
What I "achieved": Heimdall would not work at all due to a problem that apparently affects all Samsung 4.4.2 devices. So I got Parallels on my Mac and installed Windows 10 Technical Preview to run Odin. After several attempts I finally managed to got Odin to say "PASS" on the CF Auto-Root procedure. However, the phone would not boot anymore and always return to it's ODIN state. But I also succeeded to get Clockworkmod installed.
With that I installed Cyanogen, thinking to be able to get around the booting problem. I wasn't. Now when booting Cyanogen, I get a message that encryption was unsuccesful and the device needs to be restored.
I would like to comply and downloaded the stock files for restoring through Odin, but now even with the device in the proper ODIN download state, the phone is no longer recognized by the Software. Tried about a hundred times now with reboot etc. and nothing seems to work. Even KIES does note recognize the phone anymore.
I can enter CWM and Odin modes just fine. I just can't boot and I can't get it recognized by my Mac anymore. My best guess is I unintentionally screwed up the partition table / PIT file and now I can't restore it anymore.
I am at the end of the rope here and getting desperate, any suggestions (preferably step by step) would be most welcome!

psearcher said:
Guys, I need a hand here, as I hit a solid brick wall and no amount of scouring the forums helped me find a suitable solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very weird that in Download Mode Odin don't recognize your device. Remember that you need Kies 3 for android 4.4.2 and Kies 3 has to be completely closed for use ODIN.

Joku1981 said:
It's very weird that in Download Mode Odin don't recognize your device. Remember that you need Kies 3 for android 4.4.2 and Kies 3 has to be completely closed for use ODIN.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I tried on my Win Laptop from work now and Odin can recognize the Smartphone there. I will take it home on the weekend to go further.
However, a hasty try to flash the stock rom (Vodafone NL Lollipop) resulted in the same "encryption failed" error I had before. Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

psearcher said:
Ok, I tried on my Win Laptop from work now and Odin can recognize the Smartphone there. I will take it home on the weekend to go further.
However, a hasty try to flash the stock rom (Vodafone NL Lollipop) resulted in the same "encryption failed" error I had before. Any ideas what I am doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your phone is unlocked. You had to try the POLAND Lollipop firmware or wait till future udpates.

Joku1981 said:
Your phone is unlocked. You had to try the POLAND Lollipop firmware or wait till future udpates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi there Joku!
Just tried the Polish Lollipop Firmware and it still keeps displaying the "Encryption failed" error. It looks like it does not matter which file I flash, it will keep showing the same error.
Like I said, I believe I somehow broke the PIT file of the phone. Any ideas how to fix this?
Regards,
Rene

Try this pit file.
https://meocloud.pt/link/4ebb315a-867c-4469-bfdf-c234ca9f4d1e/PIT-File-DBT VFG-UK-MSM8974.zip/
Put it on pit field. Set repartition on and auto reboot. If all goes well then try to flash the Vodafone NL 4.4.2 rom (it's the one I use so I know that this pit file works with it).
Sent from my SM-N9005
---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------
If it doesn't work try to go in TWRP and wipe the /data partition and then reflash the stock rom.
Sent from my SM-N9005

Question solved!
DeuXGod said:
Try this pit file.
Put it on pit field. Set repartition on and auto reboot. If all goes well then try to flash the Vodafone NL 4.4.2 rom (it's the one I use so I know that this pit file works with it).
Sent from my SM-N9005
---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------
If it doesn't work try to go in TWRP and wipe the /data partition and then reflash the stock rom.
Sent from my SM-N9005
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks DeuXGod, but by now I more or less stumbled on the solution by trial and error. I'll post it here, hoping that somebody may benefit from my endeavours in the future. As a n00b I can't post links though. Sorry for that.
I do not know if all the steps are necessary or correct, but in the end they did lead me back to a working device. :fingers-crossed:
After trying a few PIT files here in the forums, the problems did not go away. Some of them would lead to a phone that just got stuck at the "Samsung" screen and would not fully boot up.
So I got the idea to flash back the "old" Dutch 4.4.2 ROM, which I downloaded from Sammobile and flashed in ODIN. After booting it showed a bit of a different error message, saying the file system was corrupted
I googled for this and stumbled on a small ZIP file that is supposed to fix "cannot mount DATA / EFS errors". I loaded this on my SDXC.
Flashed aforementioned ZIP file through the recovery from the SDXC.
After rebooting it still showed the same error, so I got back to recovery, did a factory reset and a cache wipe.
Another reboot and much to my surprise (and great relief) the phone booted up normally again!
From there I thought that if this worked, the Polish 5.0 should work too. I flashed it. Flashed CF Auto Root after that and everything seems to be working fine!
I set everything up and the phone is now restoring the apps etc. So far looking very good!

Verizon Galaxy S5 stuck on verizon boot screen

My Verizon S5 (but being used on T-mobile) was charging in my car when it decided to turn off and reboot and it's been stuck on the Verizon boot screen ever since. I've tried countless times to clear the partition cache as well as factory resetting, with no change, still never goes past the Verizon screen. And more recently I've used odin to reflash the BOG5 .tar, which it was running at the time that the problem occurred, and which odin says was successful, but the phone still never boots past the Verizon screen. I've also tried flashing just the .pit file alone and the .pit file with the .tar file, but the problem remains. This phone was just running the standard ROM at the time of the problem.
I am about ready to throw in the towel, but would be grateful if anyone had some pointers.
Josh

jdfowl said:
My Verizon S5 (but being used on T-mobile) was charging in my car when it decided to turn off and reboot and it's been stuck on the Verizon boot screen ever since. I've tried countless times to clear the partition cache as well as factory resetting, with no change, still never goes past the Verizon screen. And more recently I've used odin to reflash the BOG5 .tar, which it was running at the time that the problem occurred, and which odin says was successful, but the phone still never boots past the Verizon screen. I've also tried flashing just the .pit file alone and the .pit file with the .tar file, but the problem remains. This phone was just running the standard ROM at the time of the problem.
I am about ready to throw in the towel, but would be grateful if anyone had some pointers.
Josh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try flashing Full Wipe G900V_Downgrade_to_NCG.tar which can be found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/ver...w-to-update-to-g900voe1-5-0-keeproot-t3149784 with odin hope that helps
this might help aswell
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2784880

Veid71 said:
try flashing Full Wipe G900V_Downgrade_to_NCG.tar which can be found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/ver...w-to-update-to-g900voe1-5-0-keeproot-t3149784 with odin hope that helps
this might help aswell
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2784880
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He can't flash and downgrade to NCG. He wrote his phone was on BOG5 and he tried flashing that tar file also. If he was on stock BOG5 he cannot downgrade from there.

landshark68 said:
He can't flash and downgrade to NCG. He wrote his phone was on BOG5 and he tried flashing that tar file also. If he was on stock BOG5 he cannot downgrade from there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
idk its worth a shot he said its not on any rom atm lol it just bootloops and i think he meant it was on og5 while he had the rom installed (a rooted OG5 firmware/kernel im assuming) it cant hurt to try it its already bootlooped lol

jdfowl said:
My Verizon S5 (but being used on T-mobile) was charging in my car when it decided to turn off and reboot and it's been stuck on the Verizon boot screen ever since. I've tried countless times to clear the partition cache as well as factory resetting, with no change, still never goes past the Verizon screen. And more recently I've used odin to reflash the BOG5 .tar, which it was running at the time that the problem occurred, and which odin says was successful, but the phone still never boots past the Verizon screen. I've also tried flashing just the .pit file alone and the .pit file with the .tar file, but the problem remains. This phone was just running the standard ROM at the time of the problem.
I am about ready to throw in the towel, but would be grateful if anyone had some pointers.
Josh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In order to help you, can you tell us where you download the OG5.tar?? I just wondering if you actually flashed the stock OG5 tar or the modded OG5 tar. There will be different options depended on which one you used.

It was just the stock tar, the same as before the booting problem. I downloaded one from samsung-updates (can't post links) and another one linked from these forums with the same result. Both files were named G900VVRU2BOG5_G900VVZW2BOG5_G900VVRU2BOG5_HOME.tar.md5. I also tried to install one with an older version bootloader, but it failed, as to be expected I believe since I'm already at bog5. Thanks for the help so far.
buhohitr said:
In order to help you, can you tell us where you download the OG5.tar?? I just wondering if you actually flashed the stock OG5 tar or the modded OG5 tar. There will be different options depended on which one you used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

jdfowl said:
It was just the stock tar, the same as before the booting problem. I downloaded one from samsung-updates (can't post links) and another one linked from these forums with the same result. Both files were named G900VVRU2BOG5_G900VVZW2BOG5_G900VVRU2BOG5_HOME.tar.md5. I also tried to install one with an older version bootloader, but it failed, as to be expected I believe since I'm already at bog5. Thanks for the help so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try Kies?

I did, but maybe I'll try again. Kies never recognized the phone, I figured because the phone never fully boots up. Should I try to put the phone in download mode? It also looked like Kies only reverts back to a state saved in Kies, but I've never previously done a back up in Kies. Is Kies still useful for me?
buhohitr said:
Did you try Kies?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

buhohitr said:
Did you try Kies?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried Kies again, but could not get very far without a s/n, which I can't find anywhere on the phone, and Kies would not accept the imei.