[Q] Bricked phone, black screen and can't get into download mode - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello!
I really hope you guys can help me. I tried to flash a recovery with Odin, and now my phone won't do anything. Its screen stays black, regardless of whether I try to turn it on, or go to recovery or download mode.
Here's some background as to what I did and what I was trying to do:
I had CheckROM RevoHD V6 with CWM Recovery (v5 I think) on my phone.
I wanted to install Cyanogenmod v 10.1.3-RC2.
I followed this guide: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Install_CM_for_i9100
However I couldn't get Heimdall to work, so I got Odin v3.07.
I used this guide with the supplied PIT file (this may have done me in).
In the attachments you can see the Odin output.
I waited a good 4-5 minutes, but my mobile wasn't restarting or anything, so I disconnected it, but couldn't get it to boot.
And as I've said before, now I only see a black screen, regardless of the buttons I push. I've tried removing and then replacing the battery, but still doesn't work.
I've read that the USB-JIG is the last resort, but that you need to at least have the screen turn on and display a logo for it to work. Is this true, or can I still in my phone's state of brokeness use it?
And if I can use a jig, this one would be a good one to get, right?
Thanks for any help!

Jig has a 0.000000000000000000000001% chance of working, but try it anyway. If you can afford to be without your phone for as long as the jig takes to arrive, try it, but if you want it fixed sooner than later - service centre. You don't flash PIT's. Ever. This is most likely the cause of your busted phone.

Yeah. PIT is the cause of most phone bricks. I don't want to lead somebody to misinformation, but I heard that you use PIT file only for 3-file stock software when you want to start again with clear fully wiped phone. This is the only situation I heard when PIT file is used.
About your problem. You can buy USB JIG. Like the user above has mentioned you have really low chances to get it working. Your last resort in this case is to try and leave the phone on warranty in samsung repair service. Many people suggest that you should say that your phone turned off during update with Samsung KIES software and has never turned on again even though it has been written on your computer screen that installation has completed succesfully. This might help and they will replace motherboard for free. If not buy new phone. Anyway be patient and wait for more answers.

Dammit. Well thanks for the replies and tips. I hope there is someone who has another tip.
The reason I went with the PIT file as well is because I did it the first time around, flashing the first recovery. So I thought it wouldn't harm this time.

No miracle fixes. If the phone won't even bootloop, you've got zero chance of fixing it yourself. It's unlikely to even be JTAG'able. A Samsung service centre certainly wouldn't attempt one given a motherboard replacement is quicker/easier for them to do (not to mention they make a nice profit margin on the labour/parts). Having mentioned motherboards, you could also source a 2nd hand one from a 'donor' phone with a broken screen & either replace it yourself or pay a local mobile repair shop to do it (will be cheaper than paying a service centre to put a new one in).
Also, if you're lucky, service centre may not notice or care that you've been messing with it/you broke it & might fix it under warranty. Tho anyone here who tells you that's a certainty is lying to you. It's a crap shoot, you might get it, you might not. Obviously if you have no warranty that's irrelevant.

Damn. I was afraid of this. I've contacted Samsung support, but I'm pretty sure they won't do anything since I'm 3 months out of guarantee.
And now I'm looking for replacements as well.

Always seems to be the way unfortunately (this kind of thing happening just after warranty expires). If you've had the phone a while (e.g since it was released), yeah, maybe a new phone might not be a bad idea. But still, get the jig, try it, see what happens. Nothing to lose except a couple of bucks for the jig.

Thanks. Will do, since it's only 4€. And it might come in handy if I replace my phone with an S3, S4 or Note 2.

I feel your pain. I did the exact same thing earlier this year. I didn't think I was still covered by the warranty but when I took it in to the service center they fixed it for free even replacing the main board (I think). Your as well to take it in on the off chance their record still show it as under warranty.

Thanks for the support. Unfortunately the service centre is not close to me, so I'm awaiting a reply from Samsung support and hope they allow me to send it to them.
At least I was just smart enough to make a backup of the files before. So nothing lost on that end, I can get all my contacts, messages, etc. back.

Related

[Q] Hard bricked?

Hi,
I read and followed lots of excellent threads on here and successfully rooted my S2. I then flashed it with the Revolution ROM which worked fine, later tried the VK + Siyah which also ran fine.
Today I decided to try WajkIUI but after flashing and rebooting, the phone reset, the button lights came on and then it hung. Now I can't get a thing out of it, no booting, no recovery mode and no sign of it in ODIN.
It sounds completely hard-bricked but I don't really understand how it can be.
Any ideas?
Have tried soft and hard resetting but nothing.
Cheers
Without recovery mode your last best (remote) chance before you send it to Samsung would be a jig.
That's what I was thinking but why would it hard brick if the flash had worked?
And if I send if back to Samsung the warranty will be void anyway won't it?
Unfortunately that one's like asking how long a piece of string is (in other words, who knows ?). If it's a case of the NAND being stuffed as a result of the flash, a JTAG repair may fix it, but you won't know that until/unless you send it to a JTAG repairer.
It may be a hardware issue, cpu might have carked it or something.
Yeah, you've pretty much voided the warranty by putting non-stock firmware on it, but at the end of the day if Samsung can't tell it's been messed with you might get away with a warranty repair/replacement.
You'll only know that if you send it in to them to be looked at. So I guess you've got two choices to consider (not including the remote chance of the jig getting you into download mode).
I guess you could try another battery. Always the possibility it might have died.
Crap. Well, I'll give a jig a go and if that doesn't work then send it back and see what happens.
@ op
did you tried the key press combination to get into download mode? the things you have done has a very less possibility of hard brick.
That's what I thought, but no combination seems to work.
Was the battery full when you flashed?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Think it was about 96%.
You never know, it might just be a completely knackered battery. If you're planning on getting it fixed come what may, spending 20 bucks or whatever they cost in your country on another battery won't be the waste of money you might initially think.
If it doesn't fix this problem, at least you'll have a 2nd battery when you do get it fixed. I know I've found having a 2nd battery a godsend since I got mine a month ago, has come in really handy on trips where I've been away for more than a day and has meant I haven't had to worry bout bringing a charger along.
Could a battery just die like that? Seems a bit of coincidence.
Dunno. Anything's possible I guess. Yeah you're right, that would be coincidence. Given what you were doing when it died, I'm betting the NAND is shot & it will need to be JTAG'd either by Samsung or someone else.
mraquinn said:
Could a battery just die like that? Seems a bit of coincidence.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which sucks. That said, according to a site in the UK it costs about £8 plus postage. Have ordered a USB jig just in case, and for £3 it's worth a go.
The really annoying thing is whether to root again if/when I do get it sorted. Am also checking with my network, see if they'll have a go under warranty and I'll forget to mention I was rooting it.
MistahBungle said:
Dunno. Anything's possible I guess. Yeah you're right, that would be coincidence. Given what you were doing when it died, I'm betting the NAND is shot & it will need to be JTAG'd either by Samsung or someone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On that note....if I wanted to upgrade to ICS, how would that be done without rooting - ie. would the counter look the same? (Long shot)
Yeah if you're going to get it fixed, chances are you'll end up flashing/rooting it again, so the jig will come in handy.
I guess that's something you'll need to decide when you get it back/get a new one. What happened to you isn't the norm tho. The large majority of flashes go smoothly for most people. But the reality is, every time you do it, you do run that small risk of it barfing for any number of a gazillion reasons (which are normally impossible to discover once it's happened). That's the risk people like us who frequent sites like this take.
Yeah if they/Samsung can't tell what happened to it, you'll possibly get away with it. And the fact you rooted it isn't information you have to volunteer to them by any means As to exactly what you should tell them, that's up to you.
Edit to add - Let us know how you get on once you have it sorted. Always useful to have people's experiences on here to give other people it happens to some kind of idea of how it might go down.
mraquinn said:
Which sucks. That said, according to a site in the UK it costs about £8 plus postage. Have ordered a USB jig just in case, and for £3 it's worth a go.
The really annoying thing is whether to root again if/when I do get it sorted. Am also checking with my network, see if they'll have a go under warranty and I'll forget to mention I was rooting it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, according to the boffins online I have to go into a store to see if they can repair it. Hopefully they won't be able to check whether it's been rooted or not instore. In fact, if they can't power it on, I don't see how they could.
Random technical question: how can a software/firmware fault stop the hardware from even starting?
My only reference is building a PC - even if you knacker the BIOS and the harddrive, it will still power on so you can access them to put them right.
mraquinn said:
Random technical question: how can a software/firmware fault stop the hardware from even starting?
My only reference is building a PC - even if you knacker the BIOS and the harddrive, it will still power on so you can access them to put them right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firmware includes the boot sequence and recovery sequence on Android .
power goes to boot on file in effect
Or key combination goes to load recovery or download .
jje
Is that a bit of a flaw, for circumstances just like this?
And, does this mean that the USB jig has no chance of working - or is that the exact reason it might work?
JJEgan said:
Firmware includes the boot sequence and recovery sequence on Android .
power goes to boot on file in effect
Or key combination goes to load recovery or download .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i thing jig can solve the problem

[Q] Can you break your android os of a S2?

So maybe the question from the title is a little bit unclear.
The problem that i had with my phone is that one day, i got a message that a new android version appeared(4.1.2)...and obviously i clicked to download it. After the download and install when it was time to enter in my new version, a screen where a password was required appeared, saying something that my phone is encrypted, and a pass is needed to make i work...Problem is that i didn't have a previous password...
So anyway i restarted the phone...and android didn't even brought me to that screen...it just wouldn't load...So i decided to take matters in my own hands (not the best decision i made that day)...
I searched online how to do that...i found about odin..installed it ...and then tried to install android...Problem is that odin gave me errors when trying to upload the kit or something (i was in download mode with the phone)..when odin gave errors i either disconected the cable from the phone, or in some cases i got pissed off and removed the battery...
My question is...could i have broken my phone permanently by doing that ? Like i don't know...in a way..that neither an expert could fix it?
Thanks
You can scramble the NAND so badly it has to be replaced if a flash goes bad/you flash something you shouldn't be flashing (or if you do dopey things like pull a USB cable in the middle of a flash), and the way that's done is by replacing the motherboard, so you can certainly cause damage that costs money to repair, but it can pretty much always be repaired one way or another.
I seriously doubt you could bork a phone completely beyond all repair via firmware/software & without physically damaging components.
No physical damage was made to the phone...
Assuming all the alien language things that you said ...so the worst case scenario...do you have any idea how much a new motherboard would cost?
Varies widely depending on country/how much labor costs in your country. Samsung don't sell new motherboards on their own, you can either pay an authorised service centre to put a new one in (most expensive option, you normally keep your existing IMEI), or you can get a 2nd hand board from a broken/'donor' phone (How much you'll pay for one again highly variable depending on how much someone wants for their busted phone, search eBay/Google) & either swap it into your phone yourself, or if you're not confident with that sort of thing pay a local mobile repair shop to swap the boards for you (least expensive option, your IMEI will change to that of the phone the board came from).
Edit - If what I said in my PP was 'alien', I'd suggest you shouldn't have been messing with your phone in the first place & should probably avoid same when you get it fixed as well.
Teshte said:
So maybe the question from the title is a little bit unclear.
The problem that i had with my phone is that one day, i got a message that a new android version appeared(4.1.2)...and obviously i clicked to download it. After the download and install when it was time to enter in my new version, a screen where a password was required appeared, saying something that my phone is encrypted, and a pass is needed to make i work...Problem is that i didn't have a previous password...
So anyway i restarted the phone...and android didn't even brought me to that screen...it just wouldn't load...So i decided to take matters in my own hands (not the best decision i made that day)...
I searched online how to do that...i found about odin..installed it ...and then tried to install android...Problem is that odin gave me errors when trying to upload the kit or something (i was in download mode with the phone)..when odin gave errors i either disconected the cable from the phone, or in some cases i got pissed off and removed the battery...
My question is...could i have broken my phone permanently by doing that ? Like i don't know...in a way..that neither an expert could fix it?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Long story short, Yes your device could be "Broken" in such a way that the only option is to replace the motherboard. You atleast tried reading and doing something, dude there are several thread regarding this matter try different strategies, try out your luck, ask questions, but don't get your hopes too high.
Sorry pal, I wish you the best of all the luck in this tiny planet of ours.
Edit : sorry I was too late, I actually started the reply almost after you posted it but I went away had a coffee then completed it.
Edit: lol to actually make a phone completely unrecoverable you might need a sledgehammer, no software related issue in the world can completely damage an electronic device(unless that software was related to triggering a nuke).
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app

S2 totally unresponsive

Hi all,
I'm new on this forum so I hope i'm not being rude or something.
I had a custom rom on my S2 and wanted to flash the neatrom. I flashed a new kernel first and flashed the wrong one ( stupid!) and now my phone is completely out.
I don't have access to either recovery or download mode.
Please tell me there's something that can be done...
thanks
Belgarion
Keep trying to get into download mode (home/volume down/power) Try a jig (Unlikely to work, but try one anyway. You never know your luck).
Still no response ?
Service centre or local mobile repair shop. Or it may even be JTAG'able (tho I suspect motherboard replacement is necessary). With respect (and I really do mean that), you're not telling us everything you've done/haven't given us enough information, but I suspect it probably doesn't matter given your phone is likely borked.
when the battery is in the phone, it heats up. So I guess something is trying to work in there right?
Well, i've changed Roms many times.
Right before it got "borked?" i had the a Rom based on the chinese OS, can't find the name again xD My phone told me it didn't have the right version of CF root so it wasn't rooted. Because of that I tried to Flash a new Kernel and I went for the DorimanX, but I took the wrong version of it, the 9.x.
Now you've I told it all
Heating up & no response = dead motherboard. As I said, knowing/not knowing 'it all' doesn't matter in your case. You can either take it to an authorised repairer/service centre for a new motherboard (normally more expensive option), or you can source a 2nd hand one from a 'donor' phone (broken screen/etc but otherwise OK); search online - eBay/Google/etc which you can either swap yourself if you're confident or take to a local mobile repair shop if you're not confident (least expensive option).
If the phone is under warranty, you could always play dumb & send it to a service centre, you never know, you may get lucky & they may fix it gratis. But don't assume they will like many people do; these people sometimes end up disappointed because an authorised repairer/Samsung is under no obligation to repair/replace the phone at their expense given you broke it.
At least now I know I'm ****ed
Thanks for answering so fast
Have a great day/night ^^
Honestly, try a jig & keep trying to get into download mode/recovery. There's also a trick you can try to 'jump start' the phone without the battery using the charger (I believe King Rat was the last person to post this a few mths ago search his posts). Also, connect it to a charger & leave it for as long as it takes to charge from empty/overnight. You could also try another battery (at least you'll have a spare when you get it fixed), but getting warm & no response is normally a bad sign.
These methods are probably unlikely to work, but you have nothing to lose by trying them over & over & you may get lucky.

[Q] I managed to hard brick my cousin's GS2, is there a way to unbrick it?

I unplugged the phone while flashing kernel and now the phone is fully bricked. wont turn on, can't access recovery mode or download mode.only thing it does is gets a bit hot when the battery is in or when charger is plugged in. I've read something about a USB Jig. and some people say it works (can fix a hard bricked phone) and some people say it doesn't, so does it work or not ? can anyone confirm this ?if it doesnt, what should I do to fix it ?
Nope. I can almost guarantee a jig will not work (but if you can get hold of one, try it anyway. You might end up being the person with the 'golden ticket').
Besides, it won't 'fix a phone' even if it 'works' (you thinking it will is probably indicative of why/how the phone became bricked in the first place). All it will do is put the phone in download mode which theoretically allows you to flash a stock rom which fixes the phone.
Which as I said is a moot point in this case because it won't work.
It might be JTAG'able, though this is probably a longshot as well. Most likely scenario is a motherboard replacement; either a new one by a Samsung service centre (most expensive option), or a second hand one sourced from a 'donor'/broken phone which you either swap yourself or pay a local mobile repair shop to swap (cheaper option).
NEVER UNPLUG PHONE WHILE FLASHING ! You will instantly end up with a hard brick.
strange mine was flashing to stock when it suddenly got unplugged (loose usb port) but it was okay until i rebooted, he must've flashed it with a wrong firmware
my suggestions is have it JTAGged, however I recommend what MistahBungle said too I had the same experience not too long ago, I flashed it with an incompatible firmware and it went dead, I ordered the usb jig 4 days ago but it still too far to go and I needed the phone for work, I went to the repair shop nearby (not samsung) and they said they can fix it for $20 (rush) $14 if not (but could take days before you can get it) so you can choose anyways just hope that you don't have a corrupt NAND or a motherboard replacement. Heads up and hope for the best
thewrwhbio
dark_blitz said:
strange mine was flashing to stock when it suddenly got unplugged (loose usb port) but it was okay until i rebooted, he must've flashed it with a wrong firmware
my suggestions is have it JTAGged, however I recommend what MistahBungle said too I had the same experience not too long ago, I flashed it with an incompatible firmware and it went dead, I ordered the usb jig 4 days ago but it still too far to go and I needed the phone for work, I went to the repair shop nearby (not samsung) and they said they can fix it for $20 (rush) $14 if not (but could take days before you can get it) so you can choose anyways just hope that you don't have a corrupt NAND or a motherboard replacement. Heads up and hope for the best
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES I flashed it with a wrong firmware. On"about phone" screen, it shows I9100G. so I thought the device was I9100G which is different from I9100, but when I looked at the back, I9100M !!! and I9100 and I9100M have the same hardware.......
MistahBungle said:
Nope. I can almost guarantee a jig will not work (but if you can get hold of one, try it anyway. You might end up being the person with the 'golden ticket').
Besides, it won't 'fix a phone' even if it 'works' (you thinking it will is probably indicative of why/how the phone became bricked in the first place). All it will do is put the phone in download mode which theoretically allows you to flash a stock rom which fixes the phone.
Which as I said is a moot point in this case because it won't work.
It might be JTAG'able, though this is probably a longshot as well. Most likely scenario is a motherboard replacement; either a new one by a Samsung service centre (most expensive option), or a second hand one sourced from a 'donor'/broken phone which you either swap yourself or pay a local mobile repair shop to swap (cheaper option).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just contacted Samsung and they said the phone is not under warranty, so get it JTAGed is my only option. and what do you mean by "It MIGHT be JATable" ? might be ?? Are there still chances that it can't be JTAGed ??? XD
Yep. Not all phones like this can be JTAG'd. Sometimes the NAND is so messed up not even a low level operation like a JTAG is possible. In these cases a motherboard replacement is the only fix.

[Q] Samsung S2 GT-i9100G cannot be turned on/dead

Hello every-xdadeveloper-one~ here i would like to ask questions about my S2 GT-i9100g
My phone is dead. No download mode, recovery mode, usb connection, odin recognition, kies detection, charging, turning on, nada. Meaning in whatever it is, it is not responding to anything.
I would like to ask some professional help here in xda; what has happened to my phone? Is it the emmc? power supply failure? or anything related to it? i really need to know any related things that i'll be dealing with before going to the last step, service repair. it is working fine, i have rooted, unrooted, cyanogenmod and stock, cwm and stock, but none of this has given any problems until one day when it is charging, it suddenly turned off forever.
Please tell me any related things of what has happened.
note: i used a few PIT files when flashing before this, and i'm not sure which is which for the mobo. and few months back before the s2 is totally dead, it keeps on turning off by itself even when full battery, but still workable.
Probably the EMMC, but without having the phone in front of us with the tools to diagnose it, nobody here can tell you this for certain. Fix will be motherboard replacement (assuming you intend to keep this phone & not get a new one).
Take it to a Samsung service centre (more expensive option), or source a 2nd hand motherboard online & either swap the boards yourself, or pay a local mobile repair shop to do it (cheaper option).
Well i just bought a phone from amazon and got it monday it had half battery when i got it so i put it on the charger A hour later it was dead so dead that it wont even charge i tryed diffeent plugs different chargers still nothing what could it be ???
^^^
What model; I.E sticker on the phone chassis under the battery, what does it say ?
I guess it is :crying: Heard there is a workaround that maybe the balls beneath the emmc is like problematic? Maybe i need to reheat it a few seconds and cool it instantly to MAYBE get it able to turn back on? Changing a new board is not an option as important work flowcharts are in the internal storage. I guess service repair of the emmc is needed. Hmmm.
Is it possible that wrong PIT files be the culprit that made all this?
You won't be recovering any data regardless of how you proceed.
You can't 'repair' the EMMC, and it's not feasible to just replace the EMMC (and even if it was, your stuff is on there which means you lose it anyway), replacement of the board is how you proceed. Even if it was possible to replace just the EMMC, you'd probably end up paying 3-4 times the cost of having the entire board replaced due to the cost of labour (swapping a board takes 10 minutes).
If a PIT was the problem, the problem would have occurred immediately after the PIT flash I.E you would have flashed the PIT, and the phone wouldn't have booted immediately after. It's a simple case of component failure, which happens with all electronics all the time. I'm always surprised by how people on here seem to find this incredible. Stuff breaks, simple really.
The only possible very rough chance you have of recovering any data is a company who specialises in recovery of data from dead HDD's, they may be able to help, though very unlikely. If they are able to help, expect this to be very expensive. I have not seen a single post from anyone who has contacted one of these companies & been able to recover data from a phone in this state in the over 2 yrs I've been here.
Thank you for the info. Now i guess the only choice to do, is to repair(replace the mobo), or go buy a brand new s2(or higher models). I will check if there is any way to retrieve the data inside, and i dont mind the cost. :good:

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