[Q] Is my S II soft-bricked? - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi everyone,
I have a Galaxy S II from Bell Canada and it was recently updated via Kies to Android 4.1.2 a couple weeks ago. I've been having all sorts of problems with it since the update, including random freezing, crashing, and so on, so I intended to backup and factory reset this weekend. Before I could do that however, it shutdown and now I can't boot it back up.
Symptoms:
- The phone gets past the Samsung Galaxy S II animation, but then goes immediately to the glowing SAMSUNG logo and stays that way for several minutes before shutting down.
- Battery power is not an issue. Half-full to full battery makes no difference.
- Connecting it to my PC allows Windows 7 to install most of the needed drivers, except it fails on 'MTP USB device failed'. This might simply be because the phone doesn't fully boot.
What I've tried:
- Multiple reboots (shutdown and restart)
- Removing the SD card and multiple reboots
- Wiping the cache partition several times and booting via the stock recovery menu (reached by Volume + Home + Power)
I have backups but from several months ago, so anything I can do to flash the firmware and retain my data would be appreciated. I've looked at other threads but many users seem to have slightly different issues or are with other carriers. I haven't played around with flashing or anything since getting the phone two years ago, so I don't know how much of a difference their steps would be from mine.
The phone is either just inside the warranty period or just outside... I don't have the exact date if that makes a difference here.
Any help tracking down the issue or helping to get it back to functional would be appreciated.

Firstly, from your post it looks your phone is not rooted. If that is the case then i am afraid we are left with not much options to try.
I would advise, if u want to come out of this issue and data is not the concdrn then do a hard reset by getting into the recovery console.
And, if you are rooted than simply reinstall the rom without resetting anything. This will bring back the rom and you will also not loose any data.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

vishal11in said:
Firstly, from your post it looks your phone is not rooted. If that is the case then i am afraid we are left with not much options to try.
I would advise, if u want to come out of this issue and data is not the concdrn then do a hard reset by getting into the recovery console.
And, if you are rooted than simply reinstall the rom without resetting anything. This will bring back the rom and you will also not loose any data.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's correct, the phone isn't rooted. I'd like to exhaust all other options before attempting something that will wipe the data... is it possible to determine the exact problem some other way?

Nope. If it were me I'd be doing a wipe (and this wouldn't faze me because I back my stuff up regularly).

toast_tcg said:
That's correct, the phone isn't rooted. I'd like to exhaust all other options before attempting something that will wipe the data... is it possible to determine the exact problem some other way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks difficult to save the data. But you may try, i am not sure it will work.
find out a compatible rooted kernel. Get into the download mode and with the help of odin flash this kernel. (ensure its *.tar file ).
Once done try to boot the phone. if no luck, clear the cache and then again try. Still no luck, then i am afraid you have to hard reset.
Best of luck.

Related

[Q] Random rebooting during calls

I'm having a problem with my Vibrant. I've looked through the threads & can't find exactly what I'm looking for. I bought my phone second-hand so I don't know how it was rooted, or what was done to it before I got it. It was 'clean' when I got it, so there were no added apps or files or anything. I started having problems with storage space. I would get a warning, but when checking there was plenty of space. I did a factory reset, & I got a force close, so I did another factory reset & it was fine. It's running Open Kang ICS. It was on it when I got it, & was still there after factory reset. I used Titanium to back-up & restore my apps. (I've backed up with GO backup too, but didn't use it to restore). Since restoring I've been having issues with my phone rebooting randomly. It's happened in the middle of a phone call 4 times now (so far). I also have an issue with not being able to turn my screen on. I try to unlock the screen & nothing happens (but it's still on) & I have to take the battery out & put it back in & turn it back on. My brother suggests a new ROM, but I have no idea how to do any of this. I didn't flash this one, & I didn't root it. My brother didn't root it either (he rooted my previous phone) so he doesn't know how it was done. Any help would be appreciated (including step-by-step in language I can understand LoL). I have tried installing ClockworkMod Recovery but for some reason I can't get it to work on my phone.
The vibrant bible thread has a tutorials section that links to some pretty good tutorial.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1547730
and the Vibrant AIO toolbox is a great program to help with rooting and flashing
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=954509
Mentalmama said:
I'm having a problem with my Vibrant. I've looked through the threads & can't find exactly what I'm looking for. I bought my phone second-hand so I don't know how it was rooted, or what was done to it before I got it. It was 'clean' when I got it, so there were no added apps or files or anything. I started having problems with storage space. I would get a warning, but when checking there was plenty of space. I did a factory reset, & I got a force close, so I did another factory reset & it was fine. It's running Open Kang ICS. It was on it when I got it, & was still there after factory reset. I used Titanium to back-up & restore my apps. (I've backed up with GO backup too, but didn't use it to restore). Since restoring I've been having issues with my phone rebooting randomly. It's happened in the middle of a phone call 4 times now (so far). I also have an issue with not being able to turn my screen on. I try to unlock the screen & nothing happens (but it's still on) & I have to take the battery out & put it back in & turn it back on. My brother suggests a new ROM, but I have no idea how to do any of this. I didn't flash this one, & I didn't root it. My brother didn't root it either (he rooted my previous phone) so he doesn't know how it was done. Any help would be appreciated (including step-by-step in language I can understand LoL). I have tried installing ClockworkMod Recovery but for some reason I can't get it to work on my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here are some codes you can use just like you are dialing a phone number. You can even perform a factory reset. http://androidforums.com/vibrant-ti...ck-built-day-time-firmware-gps-test-more.html
Use with caution, I personally have never used these codes.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App

[Q] Samsung Galaxy Player 4.2 Boot Loop

Hello! I am new to these forums....
Background....
I bought a Samsung Galaxy Player 4.2 several months ago and it worked great in the beginning. Then one day it crashed and would not boot. It would show the "SAMSUNG" boot screen, sit that way for 20ish seconds, then the screen would go black and it would repeat the process. At that point the rooted image was out and I wanted to try it out anyway so I flashed the rooted image to it and it worked great and was faster in my opinion. Until several days ago when it crashed again.
The problem....
Several days ago I was using it and it hung. So I held down the power button to force a restart like I had done many times before. But it started going into the boot and then reboot process. I let it sit for a while, and then tried it again and it started! Worked for 2 days, but crashed 2 or 3 times (and was slow as well) in that period when the device was idle. I was not even using it and I would look down at it and it was restarting. Then it crashed this morning and it is boot looping again. I have let it sit without the battery in for over an hour and tried again and it still will not boot.
The question...
Is there any way to fix the device without reflashing the original rom? I have done that before and I can access the download menu (Home+Vol-) and the factory reset and clear cache options (Home+Vol+) so that is not an issue. I have all of my personal data stored on the sd card. But app data is not on the sd card. And I would like to not have to re-install and re-setup all of the apps again. So is there a way to fix it without restoring the device to defaults or is that my only option?
I have searched but cannot find much information specific to the 4.2 player about this issue. Thanks in advance for the help!
EDIT:
Just got some information from a Samsung chat person. They said that a hard reset (Home + Vol+) then factory reset is the only option in their knowledge. And that this problem was not in their database. And if the hard reset doesn't work then to send the device in for service.
You might as well do a factory reset . I suspect any flashing of the player will end up with your having to set up the apps over again, anyway. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of ROM selection, and tools to work with on this player.
Thanks!
brentb636 said:
You might as well do a factory reset . I suspect any flashing of the player will end up with your having to set up the apps over again, anyway. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of ROM selection, and tools to work with on this player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the help! I tried doing the factory reset and it is still boot looping. So I think I am going to send the device in. Thanks again!

TW Launcher Crash loop, Factory Reset, Now Home Button Doesn't Work

Please help me,
Phone is having problems, started out this morning when I woke up. I restarted my phone and all of my apps in the folders got all dumped out of their sorted folders, not a big deal I thought I will restart my phone again to see if that helps. After I restarted my phone again, I got all sorts of crashes and force close message and that got me in a loop where after I force close it, it tries to run the program again and goes back to crashing in a loop. Mainly TW launcher and some other start up apps.
I researched online and followed instructions on how to wipe the cache in recovery mode and try to see if that helps. That didn't help at all. After exhausting all options, I have decided there is no other choice but to do a factory reset on my phone. I cannot have an nonoperational phone as I have to make and receive called throughout the day for my business. After I factory reset my phone, it reboots in like normal except for a few problems. The home button doesn't work, the lock screen PIN doesn't function, and the power button menu only has power off option.
Isn't the factory reset suppose to bring my phone back to when I bought it new? Those problems were not there when I first bought my phone. I did not flash in another rom, it's on stock rom but only rooted before.
I searched and found this thread,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1246439
My knowledge on Android cell phones isn't as advance as needed to follow those instructions. Is there another method to fix those problems, or can someone help me with plain English.
Thankyou
Bob
Seems like a corrupted firmware to me, if you want to go the easy way, we follow here, try flashing a new stock rom via Odin(you will have to read and follow instructions carefully though) , if you want to go the Samsung way you can use Emergency Recovery in Kies (easier but slower).
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
86b said:
Please help me,
Phone is having problems, started out this morning when I woke up. I restarted my phone and all of my apps in the folders got all dumped out of their sorted folders, not a big deal I thought I will restart my phone again to see if that helps. After I restarted my phone again, I got all sorts of crashes and force close message and that got me in a loop where after I force close it, it tries to run the program again and goes back to crashing in a loop. Mainly TW launcher and some other start up apps.
I researched online and followed instructions on how to wipe the cache in recovery mode and try to see if that helps. That didn't help at all. After exhausting all options, I have decided there is no other choice but to do a factory reset on my phone. I cannot have an nonoperational phone as I have to make and receive called throughout the day for my business. After I factory reset my phone, it reboots in like normal except for a few problems. The home button doesn't work, the lock screen PIN doesn't function, and the power button menu only has power off option.
Isn't the factory reset suppose to bring my phone back to when I bought it new? Those problems were not there when I first bought my phone. I did not flash in another rom, it's on stock rom but only rooted before.
I searched and found this thread,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1246439
My knowledge on Android cell phones isn't as advance as needed to follow those instructions. Is there another method to fix those problems, or can someone help me with plain English.
Thankyou
Bob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last year this happened to me too.But a Factory reset solved everything for me.Try via Odin,and flash XWLP7 firmware(search on Sammobile,it's android 4.0.3).Then do a Factory reset again.
Thank you both of you for your advice and help.
This phone never cease to amaze me, today my phone decided to be in a good mood and every problem I mentioned in my original post has been solved by itself. I can skip re-flashing my phone for now. I have now switched to Go Launcher instead of using the TW Launcher, hopefully it's more reliable and I wouldn't have to do a factory reset again and potentially bringing those problems.
It happened to me as well exactly the same thing att galaxy s4
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

Galaxy S2 Crash

Hi all,
I've managed to royally mess up my Galaxy S2, and I could really do with a bit of help! It was running a rooted stock rom.
The problem started when I attempted to install the Orange Signal Booster using instructions from this thread. I think the killer was replacing default.prop in system.
At this point the phone would crash a couple of seconds after the unlock screen appeared. I could get as far as dragging down and clicking settings before the entire thing hangs. I got similar results in safe mode. I also tried wiping cache etc in CWM but to no avail. I'm backed up, so I tried a factory reset, but I'm having a similar issue. The language selection screen appears, I press start and the phone freezes again.
I'd really appreciate some help!
BTW, my phone's USB port doesn't work so I'm looking for a solution that can be done within recovery. This is a separate issue and I believe it is unrelated as I have managed fine for over a year.
With a dead usb port you're pretty much screwed. The best and fail proof solution is to reflash stock rom using odin because it will wipe and reflash all partitions that were used before.

Haaaalp! Another victim of the OTA update screwing my phone after debloat...possible to recover some files via recovery or download mode?

Hello all...hoping to get some assistance with this thing. Long story short, debloated it due to horrid battery life and high heat. Everything was great until about a week ago when my settings app go renamed somehow. Tried fixing it but couldn't find the com.android.settings file with the correct signature for my phone (AT&T, US Model, unlocked, not rooted).
It's been working fine except no settings...so I backed up the usual stuff and had plans to do a factory reset this weekend. A few hours ago I picked it up and it went all wonky on me. Upon boot, it comes up to the lock screen and then the screen just starts turning on/off. I'm unable to bring up the passcode screen...but, am able to bring up the power menu by holding the power button. But, can't power down or get into safe mode that way. After about 5 seconds of doing this, it reboots. Rinse and repeat. Safe mode via buttons starts, but, does the same thing.
I am able to get into both recovery mode and download mode though. I can view logs/etc.
Normally, I'd just ***** and moan, then do the factory reset, However, I made one huge oversight when I backed up my data earlier this week and forgot to backup my notes. There's about a dozen of them, pages and pages long with all the medical details regarding my sons illness that I've been tracking for years. It's a nightmare dealing with different Dr's all the time so I've logged it all on the phone. Unfortunately, the best app I've found for it doesn't do cloud storage and keeps them saved as local txt files on the device.
Is there any hope I can somehow pull the files using recovery/download mode or utilize the logs to determine the errors and fix it enough to be able to get them? I'm fairly tech savvy and have ADB installed. I'm super ADD though and my head is just spinning trying to sort through all the possible posts regarding trying to do this...many being for older phones.
Absolute worst case, is there a legitimate service that would be able to do it?
Any help recovering my son's medical notes would be really really appreciated.
RiBBiTeDD said:
Hello all...hoping to get some assistance with this thing. Long story short, debloated it due to horrid battery life and high heat. Everything was great until about a week ago when my settings app go renamed somehow. Tried fixing it but couldn't find the com.android.settings file with the correct signature for my phone (AT&T, US Model, unlocked, not rooted).
It's been working fine except no settings...so I backed up the usual stuff and had plans to do a factory reset this weekend. A few hours ago I picked it up and it went all wonky on me. Upon boot, it comes up to the lock screen and then the screen just starts turning on/off. I'm unable to bring up the passcode screen...but, am able to bring up the power menu by holding the power button. But, can't power down or get into safe mode that way. After about 5 seconds of doing this, it reboots. Rinse and repeat. Safe mode via buttons starts, but, does the same thing.
I am able to get into both recovery mode and download mode though. I can view logs/etc.
Normally, I'd just ***** and moan, then do the factory reset, However, I made one huge oversight when I backed up my data earlier this week and forgot to backup my notes. There's about a dozen of them, pages and pages long with all the medical details regarding my sons illness that I've been tracking for years. It's a nightmare dealing with different Dr's all the time so I've logged it all on the phone. Unfortunately, the best app I've found for it doesn't do cloud storage and keeps them saved as local txt files on the device.
Is there any hope I can somehow pull the files using recovery/download mode or utilize the logs to determine the errors and fix it enough to be able to get them? I'm fairly tech savvy and have ADB installed. I'm super ADD though and my head is just spinning trying to sort through all the possible posts regarding trying to do this...many being for older phones.
Absolute worst case, is there a legitimate service that would be able to do it?
Any help recovering my son's medical notes would be really really appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man, i'm so sorry to hear that :/
Sience you have access to recovery, did you try to wipe only cache partition and hit repair apps(also in recovery)?
I'm also using debloated device and i dont have any problems with it
nocio said:
Man, i'm so sorry to hear that :/
Sience you have access to recovery, did you try to wipe only cache partition and hit repair apps(also in recovery)?
I'm also using debloated device and i dont have any problems with it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah...that's the first thing I tried after safe mode failed. :\
There's quite a few folks reporting similar issues since the last OTA update a couple weeks ago.
Usually I delay until I get a chance to restore then allow it...this one didn't even give me a chance. I was using my phone when it popped up. No option to remind me later. When I tried to exit it counted down from 10, rebooted and installed.
RiBBiTeDD said:
Yeah...that's the first thing I tried after safe mode failed. :\
There's quite a few folks reporting similar issues since the last OTA update a couple weeks ago.
Usually I delay until I get a chance to restore then allow it...this one didn't even give me a chance. I was using my phone when it popped up. No option to remind me later. When I tried to exit it counted down from 10, rebooted and installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have one idea, it may seem unusual but it may work.
Try to remove sim card and than boot device
nocio said:
I have one idea, it may seem unusual but it may work.
Try to remove sim card and than boot device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the idea. But, yeah, tried that to already...cleared cache and repaired apps afterwards too. Tried it with cable, tried a 2.0 cable too.
No dice.
The app repair works just fine and then it does the same thing when lock screen tries to appear.
RiBBiTeDD said:
Thanks for the idea. But, yeah, tried that to already...cleared cache and repaired apps afterwards too. Tried it with cable, tried a 2.0 cable too.
No dice.
The app repair works just fine and then it does the same thing when lock screen tries to appear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only thing that came to my mind is to download latest firmware for your device than flash it via odin
EDIT: but be carefull with that. Odin have box to untick factory reset but i didnt do that a loooooooooong time so i dont know if something is changed
nocio said:
Only thing that came to my mind is to download latest firmware for your device than flash it via odin
EDIT: but be carefull with that. Odin have box to untick factory reset but i didnt do that a loooooooooong time so i dont know if something is changed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I figured that'd be my last shot at it... I've read the horror stories of tripping Knox even with factory firmware.
Was just really hoping there was some way to yank the stuff using recovery or download modes.
RiBBiTeDD said:
Yeah, I figured that'd be my last shot at it... I've read the horror stories of tripping Knox even with factory firmware.
Was just really hoping there was some way to yank the stuff using recovery or download modes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that you can't trip Knox only when you flash official firmware over unlocked bootloader and custom ROM, but I'm not so sure.
Last time I did that is when I had Samsung Galaxy S2 and flashing official firmware over official firmware and that didn't trip the Knox counter
Does flashing genuine firmware trip knox?
Hi It's been a while since I bothered flashing firmware so I am not upto date with how things work now. My questions are I am currently on 02s version of firmware and would like to go samsungs version so I can take part in things like the one...
forum.xda-developers.com
Here you can see that flashing official firmware over official firmware(i'm guessing that you are not rooted) won't trip knox counter
nocio said:
Does flashing genuine firmware trip knox?
Hi It's been a while since I bothered flashing firmware so I am not upto date with how things work now. My questions are I am currently on 02s version of firmware and would like to go samsungs version so I can take part in things like the one...
forum.xda-developers.com
Here you can see that flashing official firmware over official firmware(i'm guessing that you are not rooted) won't trip knox counter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Thank you!
I was able to get the files...for others in the same boat, here's a link to what worked for me:
Help finding correct firmware and installing for AT&T SM-G991U.
Hello all...I'm a fellow victim of the OTA updates screwing us debloaters currently stuck in a boot-loop. I'm trying to recover my the past several years text notes containing all the medical details for my son's illness. Details on that can be...
forum.xda-developers.com

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