Database Users

[Q] S5 Enter recovery mode despite a broken power button?

My Galaxy S5's physical power button has stopped working. I've rooted the phone and reconfigured the keyboard configuration file so that my physical "home" button now serves as a power button. I've also disabled the two backlit buttons on either side of the physical home button and have enabled the stock Android softkeys for navigation. (The backlit buttons were malfunctioning as well, so I disabled them.)
The phone currently works great... the problem is when I try to change batteries. Since the normal power button doesn't work, I can't use it to turn on the phone. (The keyboard configuration tweak kicks in when the phone boots up, so the central button doesn't wake the phone after the battery swap... the phone has go through its boot procedure before that button would work.)
I figured out that if I can get to recovery mode, I can select the reboot option and the phone will turn on just fine.
The problem is that I can't usually get to the recovery mode, since the power button usually doesn't work. Sometimes it seems to work (and I can press power-home-up volume to reach the recovery mode).
Is there anyway that I can reach recovery mode without using the power button? Is there any tweak I can make to a BIOS or other pre-boot configuration so that the phone can reach recovery mode (or just turn on) without using the power button?
I can't take the phone back to Samsung for repair because I broke the screen and had it fixed by a third party. I've rooted the phone in order to reconfigure the navigational buttons, so I do have root capabilities. I'm using the stock Samsung firmware, which I'd prefer to keep using since it has the best camera driver for the phone.
Thanks!

There are apps that let you boot to recovery, check Play Store
Also ADB commands you can use, a quick google should find them, I can't remember them off hand

*Detection* said:
There are apps that let you boot to recovery, check Play Store
Also ADB commands you can use, a quick google should find them, I can't remember them off hand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I browsed the app store, but the apps seem to be widgets that let you enter recovery mode. My problem is that after the battery is swapped, the phone needs to be turned on before I can get to an app. I can't seem to reliably turn on the phone because the power button usually doesn't work.
Is there an app or configuration process that will let me configure the physical home button to have the power to turn on the phone? Currently, I have the home button configured to wake the phone, but to get the button to that state the phone must first boot up and go through the key mapping routine. So, the home button currently won't start up the phone if the phone is fully powered down (not just screen off).
I'm open to any other suggestions for how to restart the pone when it's truly fully powered off.
Maybe I just need to take the phone to a repair shop for them to repair the power button, but I was hoping to avoid the expense through reconfiguring the phone, if possible.

Ah I see, does connecting the charger not power it on ?

*Detection* said:
Ah I see, does connecting the charger not power it on ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When plugged into the charger, the phone lights up to show the battery charge level (green battery with bubbles rising from the Home key). To get the phone to boot up, I still need to use the power button, which usually doesn't work. It's really frustrating, because the power button is temperamental. I basically have to keep trying to get it to boot or go to recovery mode, but it can take a long time and I fear that the power button will give out completely soon. Currently, it seems to work maybe 5% of the time.
Otherwise, my phone is fine, so long as I don't swap batteries or fully power it down.
The problem is that I often need to swap batteries in the wilderness, while on backpacking trips etc., so I don't have a laptop or charger handy to help out. I was hoping to reconfigure the phone somehow so I could start it from a full power off state without any external helping device, like a laptop or USB cable. I use the phone for topo map navigation. I'm pretty good with map/compass navigation, but I'd really like a reliable way to reboot the phone in the wilderness.
Thanks again

trinkner said:
When plugged into the charger, the phone lights up to show the battery charge level (green battery with bubbles rising from the Home key). To get the phone to boot up, I still need to use the power button, which usually doesn't work. It's really frustrating, because the power button is temperamental. I basically have to keep trying to get it to boot or go to recovery mode, but it can take a long time and I fear that the power button will give out completely soon. Currently, it seems to work maybe 5% of the time.
Otherwise, my phone is fine, so long as I don't swap batteries or fully power it down.
The problem is that I often need to swap batteries in the wilderness, while on backpacking trips etc., so I don't have a laptop or charger handy to help out. I was hoping to reconfigure the phone somehow so I could start it from a full power off state without any external helping device, like a laptop or USB cable. I use the phone for topo map navigation. I'm pretty good with map/compass navigation, but I'd really like a reliable way to reboot the phone in the wilderness.
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1
With your phone turned off, press and hold the Volume down and Home buttons.
2
While holding the Volume Down and Home, use a USB data cable to connect your phone to your computer.
3
Continue holding the Volume Down and Home button to until your phone will boot to Download mode.
4
Once your phone boots to Download mode, press on the Volume Down button to cancel the Download mode.
5
Once the Download mode has been cancelled, your Galaxy S5 will reboot.
Wait for your phone to completely start.
6
You have successfully turned on your Samsung Galaxy S5 without using the Power button.

Thanks. That sequence of steps will work great when I have my laptop handy. Do you know of a solution that would work in the wilderness without a laptop, USB cord, or power outlet? Generally, when I need to swap batteries and power down the phone, I'm in the wilderness.

I don't unfortunately, that was the only workaround I could find
Maybe you could fool the phone into thinking it is connected to a PC with some clever rewiring of a USB cable? Not sure how you would wire it, but Im thinking there may be a way to connect just a cable up so connecting it to the phone outside will make the phone think it's connected to a PC and allow download mode

It's possible that a USB 'jig' might help.......
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/help/guide-how-to-make-usb-jig-reset-binary-t1604707
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

keithross39 said:
It's possible that a USB 'jig' might help.......
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm thinking now that I should visit the repair shop to see how much they would charge to fix it properly. I really depend on this phone in the backwoods and wouldn't want a work-around to fail me when I need it most.
I'll keep you posted on the repair/cost. Thanks for the help.

trinkner said:
I'm thinking now that I should visit the repair shop to see how much they would charge to fix it properly. I really depend on this phone in the backwoods and wouldn't want a work-around to fail me when I need it most.
I'll keep you posted on the repair/cost. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've watched a couple of 'teardown' videos for the S5, and from what I've seen, the screen has to be removed in order to get to any of the power, home or volume buttons.......and it's very difficult to remove the screen without risking damage........I certainly wouldn't want to try, and that's speaking as someone who has repaired a number of Samsung phones......
In the short term, you could try the jig.....I know it works on the S2, just can't remember if it boots the phone *fully* into download mode or just to the screen where you have the 2 volume button options to either enter download mode or restart.......
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

I took the phone to the repair shop yesterday. It turns out that the S5's power button is just a thin tab with two metal contact squares inside the phone. There are prongs on the interior of the phone that make contact with these squares. If the prongs aren't properly aligned or properly bent to make contact with the tab's squares, the power button won't work. The technician was able to get the button to work by pressing his thumb on the screen by the power button while pressing the button. He's confident he can realign the prongs to make good contact. You do have to take off the screen to access the prongs, but since mine is a replacement screen already, he said it's pretty easy to remove.
My capacitive buttons were also dying and I had configured the keyboard boot files to disable the capacitive buttons. I had enabled the stock softkeys instead. The repair shop will be able to replace the "dock" component (which includes all the stuff at the bottom of the phone, like the capacitive keys, the charging port, etc.). That, too, requires removal of the screen, so while replacing the dock he'll fix the power button prongs. The entire repair is estimated at about $100.
I'll let you know if the repair succeeds. Yesterday I popped my SIM into an old Windows Phone (Lumia 521 running WP 8.1), and was reminded again at how much I dislike Windows Phone and how much I like Android. Absence makes the heart grow fonder... After a few hours of fiddling discontentedly with the Windows Phone, I put my SIM into my trusty Nokia 808 Symbian phone, which I'll use until the Sammy is ready.

Lol.....I moved from 'dumbphones' straight to Android.....so I've never had the experience of windows phones....though if it's anything like their PC OS, I'd have probably ended up embedding the phone in the wall........
Good luck with the repair, I hope they get it sorted for you.
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

keithross39 said:
Lol.....I moved from 'dumbphones' straight to Android.....so I've never had the experience of windows phones....though if it's anything like their PC OS, I'd have probably ended up embedding the phone in the wall........
Good luck with the repair, I hope they get it sorted for you.
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny. Yesterday evening, I switched to my Symbian because I knew I was about to hurl the Windows Phone across the room if I kept using it.... The WP phone can do much more than the Symbian phone in theory, but in practice the old Symbian phone does everything it does really well and predictably, including multitasking. With WP, I'm never sure what the phone is up to as its multitasking is a joke. Some apps do in fact multitask, but others don't, and as a user, you can't tell which is operating in the background and which isn't, until you return to a background app and discover whether or not its been processing.
I've never used an iPhone, so I can't compare WP to iOS. But compared to Symbian or Android, WP will lead you to drink, and probably to drink heavily.

Lol.....having never experienced it's delights, I can't comment, but if it's anything like W8 on my wife's laptop I can see where you're coming from
(I'm a die hard XP user lol)
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

Did you get anywhere with this? I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 G900F, the fingerprint scanner is for someone else's credentials and I don't have the login password etc. ADB is not an option as I cannot boot the phone to enable debugging mode. I have tried all methods of booting into recovery including Vol Up + Home + Power, this does not work.
Any suggestions would be appreciated
Have a good Easter bank holiday weekend!
-Si

trinkner said:
I'm thinking now that I should visit the repair shop to see how much they would charge to fix it properly. I really depend on this phone in the backwoods and wouldn't want a work-around to fail me when I need it most.
I'll keep you posted on the repair/cost. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are travelling this method also works with a battery booster (i have a bud one from a beer case...you charge it and take it with you..... ) it s stored energy backup battery that you plug in for a crappy charge)
so... when your on the road or in th woods, any power supply that you can connect (car charger, booster, etc will trigger the download mode and enable this solution. )
THANKS!!! MADE TWO USELSESS PHONES USEFUL AGAIN!!!

touchscreen gone, ne way to make USB storage instead of charge?

I really need a guru here with this one! Dropped the phone last tuesday, screen cracked, and is no longer operable. Since the Nexus 4 has no SD card, I have no way of retrieving the data on it. When I plug the usb cable into the computer, it defaults to charging mode instead of mass storage mode to mount a drive on the computer. Screen is locked with my chosen pattern. Is there any way at all to make the the phone automatically mount the drive instead of going to charging mode?

dax702 said:
I really need a guru here with this one! Dropped the phone last tuesday, screen cracked, and is no longer operable. Since the Nexus 4 has no SD card, I have no way of retrieving the data on it. When I plug the usb cable into the computer, it defaults to charging mode instead of mass storage mode to mount a drive on the computer. Screen is locked with my chosen pattern. Is there any way at all to make the the phone automatically mount the drive instead of going to charging mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your bootloader unlocked? Do you have USB debugging enabled?

I don't know the answer to either of those questions unfortunately. How would I know if debugging is enabled, or the bootloader is unlocked?

dax702 said:
I don't know the answer to either of those questions unfortunately. How would I know if debugging is enabled, or the bootloader is unlocked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you had done either of those things you probably would have known, but in case you forgot... Did you ever root your phone? If you did you would have had to unlock your bootloader. If you did not, did you ever boot into bootloader mode, connect your phone to your computer and used the command prompt to run the command "fastboot oem unlock"?
If you never did any of that I unfortunately don't think there is much to do about your phone.

I'm pretty sure I didn't do any of that.. Does it have to do anything with when you hold the volume down button and power button at the same time and it brings you to that android screen where you use the volume buttons as cursors up and down, and the power button to select items? I can get to that screen.....

I found this thread:
http://www.dotkam.com/2013/01/16/backup-and-reset-nexus-4-cracked-and-locked-screen/
but I'm not sure if it helps me or not......? That screen I was talking about is called fastboot

this is crazy, I just came across this thread, looks like it might be the answer to my problem, I hope!! I will update this thread after I give it a try:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-4/help/fastboot-recovery-remotely-enable-usb-t2177440

Any way to Power ON phone now that power and volume down buttons are dead?

So,I was pretty excited about the moto g5 plus, making sure I had it ordered and in my hands the day of it's U.S. release...........only to be disappointed by one issue after another.
Where to begin?
1.) Very disappointing camera(didn't expect much given the cost, but it's pretty bad)
2.) Sim Card will randomly stop reading while inside the device, thus requiring me to eject and re-insert it. Not a big deal, unless you don't have a sim tool or the equivalent on hand, then it's pretty inconvenient.
3.) Fingerprint reader is basically worthless, since it never saves the settings stored, or even requires it be my fingerprint to unlock it.
4.) Bluetooth and wi-fi decide when and where they will turn off/on.
5.) Call cutting in/out (with both parties)when I cannot hear the person I'm speaking with, and the person being unable to hear me.
Finally---About 6 weeks or so ago, my volume down button went, with the power on/off button going down about 2 weeks after that. That's ok, I can work around that. I could still lower the volume with the touch screen, and the phone would just wake up whenever I used the fingerprint scanner(the one anyone can use). Overall, things weren't bad.
Until my phone died.
So, i've been looking at a 100% fully charged, fairly shiny Moto G 5 plus.....that I can't turn on. I have tried all the usual tricks(i think?) Volume Down + power button and all its other variants don't seem to work. Tried plugging it in to my computer via usb, which will charge it, but won't read it as an MTP device. I can't go into the phone to change the settings so that it does read it correctly. I thought I had the updated driver downloaded, along with the adb program, but it probably doesn't mean much if the phone itself isn't being recognized, huh?(using PC with Windows 10).
Basically, I'm short on ideas. Is there some sort of way I can "jump start" my phone? It's a terrible device that will be replaced soon one way, or another, but if I can get it back to life long enough to retrieve my media and scout out a new phone, I would be ecstatic.
Any and all help would be very much appreciated!

Looks like you had a bad unit. Why are you not claiming warranty on this?

suhridkhan said:
Looks like you had a bad unit. Why are you not claiming warranty on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is likely a very stupid question..
but how would I even go about doing so? Ideally i'd like to recover the files from the phone, but if that's not possible, then yes, claiming on its warranty would be my next preferred solution.
Very frustrated to push the volume UP button and see the phone at 100% battery.........yet not have any way of actually turning it on.

oneplus 2 not working after screen replacement

My screen broke 6 months ago, so it wasn't used/charged for 6 months. Now I've replaced the screen, but it won't start up anymore. First thing I saw was the warning "low battery", so I charged it for a while. Still, nothing. Charged it for several days, nothing. Checked the battery voltage, 3.80 volts, exactly what it should be I think?
The phone does do something though. When I hold the "on" button, after 5 seconds it buzzes and the screen shows the oneplus logo and android. Just for two seconds, then nothing. Same thing with "on" and volume down, the start-up screen for 2 seconds...
When I use "on" and volume up, I get the screen saying "fastboot mode". And that doesn't go away untill I press "on" for a while.
I can connect it to my laptop, but cant see it. But when I take the battery out while connected to the laptop, the phone will show the "low battery" warning. Connect the battery again, and the logo and android message come on for two seconds...nothing more.
So the screen works, the battery is charged, but no way to turn it on. Tried holding the "on" button for 15 seconds, same result. Just a 2 seconds oneplus logo visible...
I have no clue what this could be, I hope its not completely fubar...
Thanks in advance, Fred Doe

Hey Fred Doe,
I wouldn't like to hijack your post, but I seem to have run into the exact same issue here.
A friend of mine got his screen replaced, and the phone acts exactly the same as yours.
I have disassembled the phone and checked all connections, but everything seems to be correct on the inside.
The phone does seem to boot, and it does boot into recovery mode (it responds to the button presses by vibrating) but the screen just doesn't show anything.
Only when doing fastboot the screen stays on.
Hopefully someone here can point us in the right direction.

there's not much to hijack here...sure sounds like the same problem. At this moment I gave up, guess its a lost cause..

Guys, the exactly same thing here. I've tried to unbrick it but failed.... So far what I know is that bootloader is locked.
I would like to know what steps should us do in order unlock bootloader, get screen functioning while getting access back to bootloder (TWRP) so after that we can install a new ROM!
Any clue from the community of OnePlus 2? This phone is still a good phone! Thnx

Have you guys tried running the msm tool. It'll restore everything to stock if you can it to work. If either of you have magisk installed it can cause issues with charging while the phone is off I believe.
I mean honestly sounds more like hardware issue that a msm wouldn't fix, but it's weird that your screen works in fastboot.
If you do the msm tool though be aware it will wipe everything on your device, and relock the bootloader if it is unlocked.
Like I said doubt it will help, but just a thought.
Edit: Also make sure you use the correct one for your device.
Edit sorry guys wrong forum ignore everything I said. Apparently xda labs thought my OP6T was a OP2.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using XDA Labs

@TheLogicalGamer
no problem. Thnx anyway. I'm still locked with my OP2.

dajosova said:
@TheLogicalGamer
no problem. Thnx anyway. I'm still locked with my OP2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But the screen does show up & stays on in fastboot?
I'm no expert but any stretch. I just jumped ship from lg my 6t is the 1st OP phone I've owned. But if the screen does work normally in fastboot then it wouldn't be illogical to entertain the idea that it was a software issue. So I mean this is a bit of a chin scratcher.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using XDA Labs

Thanks for replying.
IWhen I press Power + Vol. Up it shoes Fast Boot screen. Then I connect cable and sometimes I can use command line but can't unlock bootloader with command line. All methods found indicate to use Recovery but since my screen doesn't work on Recovery I'm stuck.
When I press Power + Vol. Down (for entering Recovery) screen it goes all black but the capacitive buttons and Volume button give back a vibration response, as if it have entered Recovery Mode but since I can't see nothing on screen I can do anything either.
My bootloader is locked because I see that info via command line.
Thanks anyway
PS: I think something is corrupted. My OP2 was unlocked much time ago. I frquently change ROM's and have also updated TWRP. The only thing I did was disassembling the phone in order to change a shattered screen glass.
I've also tried different methods and installed in my pc different Qualcomm drivers, ADB, etc.
I'm getting close to the point of testing with broken touch, buying a new touch screen but with frame or giving up completely and buy a new phone :|
The last option get me in doubt because I would like a phone wich is good and fast and decent battery but not with a premium price... and popular so I can unlock it without hassle in order to install root apk's.

How to recover data after display stopped working?

Hehy there,
unfortunately the screen on my mi9t stopped displaying. Really weird. While I was using it, the screen started flashing, just to turn black and never wake up again. No fall or water involved. The phone still seems to work fine, and even touch seems to work, but no display.
I opened up the phone to see if the connector got loose, but everything is well in place.
Now my problem ist, that I can not access the phone anymore. All my files and things are still on there but unreachable.
Here are the facts:
- no display
- bootloader is locked
- usb debugging is enabled, but my pc is not authorized
- I can blindly get into fastboot and to the lockscreen
- I am not able to blindly unlock the device
Easiest option would obvoulsy be to exchange the display, but unfortunately I can not get on here (South Africa) and shipping would take a month.
My favourite aproach so far was to mirror the screen via Vizor, but unfortunately it needs to install the according app on the device, which it can not while the device is locked.
Does someone here know how to recover the data?
Thanks
and a happy new year to everyone!

cartonneexpress said:
Hehy there,
unfortunately the screen on my mi9t stopped displaying. Really weird. While I was using it, the screen started flashing, just to turn black and never wake up again. No fall or water involved. The phone still seems to work fine, and even touch seems to work, but no display.
I opened up the phone to see if the connector got loose, but everything is well in place.
Now my problem ist, that I can not access the phone anymore. All my files and things are still on there but unreachable.
Here are the facts:
- no display
- bootloader is locked
- usb debugging is enabled, but my pc is not authorized
- I can blindly get into fastboot and to the lockscreen
- I am not able to blindly unlock the device
Easiest option would obvoulsy be to exchange the display, but unfortunately I can not get on here (South Africa) and shipping would take a month.
My favourite aproach so far was to mirror the screen via Vizor, but unfortunately it needs to install the according app on the device, which it can not while the device is locked.
Does someone here know how to recover the data?
Thanks
and a happy new year to everyone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I experimented, I was able to unlock my two SIM cards and Android by adb (replace xxxx by your PINs)
However, phone was rooted and shell was given the root grant:
adb wait-for-device devices
adb shell
su
input text xxxx
input keyevent 66
input text xxxx
input keyevent 66
input touchscreen swipe 930 880 930 380
input text xxxx
exit
exit

try fastboot apk
Mirror screen to pc with vyzor. You have usb debugging turned on, so it's worth a try.
If touch doesn't work, use usb otg adapter to plug keyboard or mouse
There's no other option.

zgfg said:
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank your for the idea! Unfortunately it does not work in the unrooted phone. I suspect that's only because I can't the adb connection to my pv authorized.
I tried this on an unrooted lineage os 17, which I have on my old Mix2, and there it works like a charm.

yaro666 said:
try fastboot apk
Mirror screen to pc with vyzor. You have usb debugging turned on, so it's worth a try.
If touch doesn't work, use usb otg adapter to plug keyboard or mouse
There's no other option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice. I think i tried everything to get the apk installed, but I can not do anything through adb since even though debugging is activated, the connection to my pc is not authorized.
I guess I have to wait for the replacement screen.

cartonneexpress said:
I guess I have to wait for the replacement screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any water exposure? Ever?
May not be the screen; a mobo failure is just as likely even more so especially if they use no lead solder paste.
Maybe a loose or bad connector/cable if you get real lucky... and find it.