I have a google ion and plan to load some roms on to it to try out. I am worried about trying things that may go horribly wrong and might leave me with a bricked phone.
My question is, is it always possible to recover a bricked/partially bricked phone? Has anyone heard of a android phone being permanently unusable after screwing around with the software like this?
Thanks in advance.
nirvanaxp said:
I have a google ion and plan to load some roms on to it to try out. I am worried about trying things that may go horribly wrong and might leave me with a bricked phone.
My question is, is it always possible to recover a bricked/partially bricked phone? Has anyone heard of a android phone being permanently unusable after screwing around with the software like this?
Thanks in advance.
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Click to collapse
As long as you can get into fastboot you can always recover. When you cant get into fastboot your device is a brick that we cant recover anymore.
bricked
Once it is bricked, is it not technically feasible even for HTC guys to revive the phone?
Or
HTC will deliberately refuse to fix it saying "Warranty void due to rooting/reflashing" ?
I am under the impression that once it is bricked while reflashing, one can go to HTC customer care center and get it reflashed back to factory settings.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
It's pretty hard to brick a smartphone... if you do something wrong (like invalid themes, apps, wrong board firmware) it will just bootloop and you can fix it by flashing your nandroid backup (Make a recovery before starting your flash!).
[email protected] said:
Once it is bricked, is it not technically feasible even for HTC guys to revive the phone?
Or
HTC will deliberately refuse to fix it saying "Warranty void due to rooting/reflashing" ?
I am under the impression that once it is bricked while reflashing, one can go to HTC customer care center and get it reflashed back to factory settings.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
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Click to collapse
Yes, it's possible but I think they have to replace the flash memory chip. Dunno if every technican does that..I work my self as a technican (not for htc thouh)
so SPL data is recorded in special chip? so if you screw SPL only way to restore is by changing "SPL chip"?
thank you. I feel a bit safer about hacking my phone. I guess things are pretty safe if I follow the guides that are out there.
Related
Hey Guys iam a newbie
can u tell me about problems of flashing roms everyday like its drawbacks to the memory battery Any hardware etc ???
thanks guys
Khixar27 said:
Hey Guys iam a newbie
can u tell me about problems of flashing roms everyday like its drawbacks to the memory battery Any hardware etc ???
thanks guys
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Click to collapse
Well from a battery stand-point, every time you flash a ROM, you more then likely will need to re-calibrate the battery so the OS can re-learn what's really going on. To be honest, I spent the first 2 months flashing a new ROM every day and didn't see any drawbacks. Obviously every time you flash a new ROM you run the risk of flashing a bad download/boot looping and/or bricking the phone or if you're restoring data, restoring files that can jam you up. I haven't seen/heard of anyone having problems with hardware just because of flashing ROMs frequently. If that were the case, I'm sure there would be more warnings from the Devs if such a problem was frequent and expected. Curious though, do you suspect something is wrong with your hardware because of flashing?
The process of flashing itself has absolutely not negative impact on your hardware, only the choice of content. As long as you install things that are known to work you can flash all day if you want.
Gizmoe said:
The process of flashing itself has absolutely not negative impact on your hardware, only the choice of content. As long as you install things that are known to work you can flash all day if you want.
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Technically, eMMC flash ROM has a finite number of write cycles, but for practical purposes, you are correct.
i have no hardware problem
everytime i flashed i formatted so like formatting a hard drives alot of times decreases its life and perfomance so this made me curious ....
btw how does flashing a rom incorrectly causes a brick ??
A bad Rom flash can cause a soft brick either by not wiping correctly or if there are corrupted files in Rom. This is easy to fix as long as you can enter hboot. If your hboot becomes corrupted and your phone won't even boot then you have a hard brick and it may not be fixable. It's a lot harder to create a hard brick but it is possible. Just don't ever mess around with stuff that you do not understand.
Gizmoe said:
A bad Rom flash can cause a soft brick either by not wiping correctly or if there are corrupted files in Rom. This is easy to fix as long as you can enter hboot. If your hboot becomes corrupted and your phone won't even boot then you have a hard brick and it may not be fixable. It's a lot harder to create a hard brick but it is possible. Just don't ever mess around with stuff that you do not understand.
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Not really sure why there is a distinction between a soft brick and a hard brick. I use to think so but really, a "bricked" device is as useful as a brick (not going to insult you because you clearly know that Gizmoe) but just saying there really shouldn't be a distinction between hard and soft bricks. If you can get into HBoot, your device is far from being termed a brick. A bricked device is a bricked device, no matter the prefix which is why I never really liked the terms soft and hard bricks since in my opinion it misinterprets what "brick" really means.
I actually agree with you. A brick should mean a brick and a bad install should just be viewed as a fixable error. Not sure why there are two terms for a brick, as a soft brick is no where near what a brick actually means. I guess we have all just accepted the term soft brick by its rampant use in these forums.
Gizmoe said:
I actually agree with you. A brick should mean a brick and a bad install should just be viewed as a fixable error. Not sure why there are two terms for a brick, as a soft brick is no where near what a brick actually means. I guess we have all just accepted the term soft brick by its rampant use in these forums.
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Click to collapse
haha, agreed. I have a bricked phone on my desk. It's a rather nice paper weight so I guess it's not totally useless like a brick
hi
guys i did read around could not find any answers may be i missed it sorry
but my question is after rooted adding CWM and custome rom is their a way to lock the bootloader and getting back the stock rom just in case if needed for warranty purposes
yes i do know that on unlocking the bootloader warranty is void but then our service guys here at least at my place are not all that techie so im sure we can get away with this :laugh:
thanks in advance:laugh: and sorry if this has been asked and answered i did not see it
Yep, here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1569430 , but so far I didn't find anywhere on how to lock the bootloader properly, you can just make it "Re-locked", if you can put this past them, it's fine I tested two of them cos needed to use warranty. Keep in mind thou that services in my country, are rubbish, so I can get away with almost everithing.
shortyoko said:
Yep, here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1569430 , but so far I didn't find anywhere on how to lock the bootloader properly, you can just make it "Re-locked", if you can put this past them, it's fine I tested two of them cos needed to use warranty. Keep in mind thou that services in my country, are rubbish, so I can get away with almost everithing.
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Click to collapse
hi
thanks again buddy ill chek it out and the same thing here with the service i know i can get past them they dont know anything about these things:laugh:
haree said:
hi
guys i did read around could not find any answers may be i missed it sorry
but my question is after rooted adding CWM and custome rom is their a way to lock the bootloader and getting back the stock rom just in case if needed for warranty purposes
yes i do know that on unlocking the bootloader warranty is void but then our service guys here at least at my place are not all that techie so im sure we can get away with this :laugh:
thanks in advance:laugh: and sorry if this has been asked and answered i did not see it
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Click to collapse
There is one way to get guarantee back flash stock rom and lock your boot loader don't flash roms on locked boot loader u will stuck at htc logo try at your own risk risk of hard brick
Just stay away from warranty. Non-HTC repair shops will fix issues for a low price. Unless they are idiots who think a custom ROM causes my power button to go crazy after dropping my phone.
About bricks, I don't think we can do USB UART to make an unbrickable phone, but I've been messing a lot with my phone lately and haven't had it hard bricked yet.
xpmode said:
Just stay away from warranty. Non-HTC repair shops will fix issues for a low price. Unless they are idiots who think a custom ROM causes my power button to go crazy after dropping my phone.
About bricks, I don't think we can do USB UART to make an unbrickable phone, but I've been messing a lot with my phone lately and haven't had it hard bricked yet.
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What is USB UART ????????
Everybody out there is asking, how to unbrick this, how to unbrick that? Or if you're in the Evo 3D thread, how do I brick my Evo 3D?
What I'd like to know is, why, or how does a phone get bricked? If you have a USB with corrupted files, you can just totally wipe it and start fresh. If there's no hardware troubles, why isn't there a way to just do a wipe of everything and start fresh?
And also, how is it that a phone gets bricked in the first place? I've heard about things with Emmc boot, getting stuck there, wiping bootloader, etc. But I've flashed multiple different bootloaders, and you have to dabble with Emmc boot while getting S-OFF, so why is it impossible to get out of these if you get stuck in them? Isn't it just software holding you back?
Honestly, if you really just wanted, couldn't you just use an ultra powerful magnet to the NAND Memory to ultra wipe everything? I mean phones aren't assembled with bootloaders or any data in them, in a sense they're factory bricked when they're first created... no?
Ah well, I suppose that's all.
Hungry for information,
TBG
Phones get bricked when you go somewhere in the software that you can't get out of,or you edit the software wrongly, so it doesn't work right anymore. Of course,you could always break something,and kill your phone.
Sent from my U8150 using xda app-developers app
But why is it you can't do a total erase and obliterate every trace of memory from the phone and re-write it? I know the on board memory in a phone doesn't come pre programmed with memory...
thebeastglasser said:
But why is it you can't do a total erase and obliterate every trace of memory from the phone and re-write it? I know the on board memory in a phone doesn't come pre programmed with memory...
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Click to collapse
No but things like the eMMC chip DO come pre-programmed. If you simply wiped every trace of memory from any phone then it would have no idea how to boot up, how to interface to the USB, how to do anything.
Most of the time a 'Bricked' phone is actually caused by someone not reading properly first and not following the instructions correctly, or by thinking they know better than everyone else and can skip a step or take a shortcut.
On the HTC Desire S there was a problem with the eMMC chips 'frying' - normally caused by people who insisted on pulling their batteries after a lock-up and then re-inserting them quickly before the circuitry had discharged fully
The reasons why phones get bricked :
-Because of a nooby brain
-Corrupted ROM that is not Welly built
-Flashing wrong updates, kernels, ROMS...
-Messing up build.prop
.....many numerous other reasons.
You will understand what bricking means only when you brick your beloved phone
That moment is just like a Mini-Heart attack.
Sent from My Premium Calculator HD
No trust me, I semi bricked my old E4G for Sprint as well as my Transformer Prime and was stuck in fastboot with my Evo 3D... trust me, I'm kind of the definition of mini heart attack...
But why can't you get out of a "hard brick?" And what is it that defines a hard brick that makes it so that you can't do anything else?
EDIT: And does abhardbbrock have to be a hardware error? Or can it be a software error?
EDIT2: Although I suppose I already knew it could be a software error... It can happen easily while getting S-OFF on the EVO 3D.
Probably the most obvious case of "hard brick" is when you can't even start the phone, or open the bootloader, which means that there is no way to reverse the situation as you can't get access. Not sure what's the actual reason these things happen though.
thebeastglasser said:
No trust me, I semi bricked my old E4G for Sprint as well as my Transformer Prime and was stuck in fastboot with my Evo 3D... trust me, I'm kind of the definition of mini heart attack...
But why can't you get out of a "hard brick?" And what is it that defines a hard brick that makes it so that you can't do anything else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the time a hard brick is the result of a part of memory getting wiped that you don't have access to flash to e.g emmc chip,if it gets damaged you can't just flash it as its preprogrammed
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
zacthespack said:
Most of the time a hard brick is the result of a part of memory getting wiped that you don't have access to flash to e.g emmc chip,if it gets damaged you can't just flash it as its preprogrammed
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
ALRIGHT, now that makes sense. Thank you for clarifying. I salute you sir.
Yup, when a device is hard bricked, memory that contains drivers for the boot sequence has been erased or corrupted. Thus, the device quite literally doesn't know how to boot. Data has been erased that can only be manipulated during hardware assembly.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
flashing gapps
DD-Ripper said:
The reasons why phones get bricked :
-Because of a nooby brain
-Corrupted ROM that is not Welly built
-Flashing wrong updates, kernels, ROMS...
-Messing up build.prop
.....many numerous other reasons.
You will understand what bricking means only when you brick your beloved phone
That moment is just like a Mini-Heart attack.
Sent from My Premium Calculator HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if im using goo manager and check for updates,, does that automatically show me the updates for my phone {verizon s3} and my rom or are they for every phone???
Micromax a76
i have successfully changed my recovery , then i booted my phone with custom UI from zip file... it worked ... then i made factory reset ... my phone stucked in boot loop ... i tried to get into my recovery mode but its not working , phone is going in default factory mode which is in chineese i translated it but it consist of option of testing hardware only .... what to do? how can i get into recovery mode ? is there a way to install custom recovery via USB ? micromax A76
AbleAmazing said:
Yup, when a device is hard bricked, memory that contains drivers for the boot sequence has been erased or corrupted. Thus, the device quite literally doesn't know how to boot. Data has been erased that can only be manipulated during hardware assembly.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse
it was built and programmed this way, probably so people won't root their phone its a win win cause you don't get to change what you get and if you do and **** this up its your fault and you need to buy a new one(from them) cause who will stay without a phone now days?
Welp, my phone got hard bricked for no reason... I just tried to turn it on, but I get nothing but a LED flash... and that's only if it is charging. My phone is a Moto G, and I have had no problems with it until recently... I can't even get the files to show on my chromebook... I am screwed, aren't I?
So... why can't you just change those little parts to working one that are preprogrammed and why aren't phones made like PC??? You do some s*** with OS... just reinstall it
How to repair soft bricked android?
Okay so first of all I will let you know why a phone gets bricked-
>Corrupted Rom
>Some system files got deleted
>Rooting
>Modding
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MY CASE
I always keep two phones with me like one for my experiments and one as a backup. In this case I'll be talking about my LYF WIND 3 that got bricked.
>Actually I was trying to install TWRP onto that phone but first I had to root it, and due to the upgraded android security, I wasn't able to do via KingoRoot so I tried I-ROOT and it did the job but instead of kingo-superuser I got some ****ty superuser so i tried granting permission to the actual SUPERUSER and while doing so I accidentally double rooted my phone (First with I-ROOT and then with KingoRoot), which was kinda stupid, so it just deleted some system files and my phone wouldn't boot after that. It just got stuck on the boot logo.
>The second time I was trying to replace the boot animation and logo but did something wrong so the same situation arose again.
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CURE
So my phone uses a Qualcomm CPU so i just guessed I'll flash it again.
*After Intense Googling*
I found this software QFIL (Qualcomm Flash Image Loader)
I downloaded this file and the drivers for my device. *Google it you'll find for yours too*
Then I downloaded the Stock Rom for my device *Google it again*
Now I just went over to Flat Build in that software and loaded the firehose file and the rawprogram.0 and Patch.0
Now I had just put my device in Download Mode (Volume Keys and Power Key)
Connected via USB and it detected it and then just clicked on DOWNLOAD
It takes about 5 minutes.
After this your phone gets good as new (Unroot, Full Reset)
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Hello I am new on xda and i have a huge problem.
My tablet, the yuandao N70S, is not booting and the only way the computer recognize it is thru ADB, Fastboot does not work and I cant push files anymore with adb. So I am out of options. I would be grateful for any kind of help, please if you think you can help then please do i realy want my tablet to work again.
Thanks in advance!
There are two types of "bricking"
Hard-bricking and Soft-bricking.
Hardbricks are usually not uncoverable, caused by a huge error like when flashing a rom to stop it in the middle of the install
Softbricks are caused by bootloops/ failing to install the rom correctly (if you have a back up most likely you softbricked it to the LOGO freeze (fix: install a stock rom)
It appears you have hardbricked your tablet. You can put it as a cutting table, at least it would do something useful at this state.
Spliddo said:
There are two types of "bricking"
Hard-bricking and Soft-bricking.
Hardbricks are usually not uncoverable, caused by a huge error like when flashing a rom to stop it in the middle of the install
Softbricks are caused by bootloops/ failing to install the rom correctly (if you have a back up most likely you softbricked it to the LOGO freeze (fix: install a stock rom)
It appears you have hardbricked your tablet. You can put it as a cutting table, at least it would do something useful at this state.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So there is no hope for my tablet?
Mrs.Sexy said:
So there is no hope for my tablet?
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Click to collapse
You could send it to a hardware store (from where you bought it) And ask them if they could do anything (heard there is a slight chance of fixing of hardbricks) You voided your warranty by the way.
Spliddo said:
You could send it to a hardware store (from where you bought it) And ask them if they could do anything (heard there is a slight chance of fixing of hardbricks) You voided your warranty by the way.
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Click to collapse
I do not think that is possible, baught it from china.
Out of curiosity, is there way to brick this device to stage that for example warranty service can`t find out that it is self-inflicted?
Surely, flashing a bootloader not intended for the device is the best way to brick it?
i will do in that way :
flash engeniereng bootloader
flash a rom not suitable for your device ( ex. rom for 9200hk )
if still works, flash wrong pit file or modified wrong one )
Why would someone do that anyway???
XxM4tzexX said:
Why would someone do that anyway???
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Click to collapse
I can tell you why someone would do that. This is purely hypotethical but here is one reason. Let´s say that you have rooted your device and lost your warranty. After that your camera starts to make buzzing noise and focusing don´t work. ie. this case: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/help/galaxy-s6-camera-randomly-makes-loud-t3123724
Now you want to get that camera fixed for warranty, but they don´t accept it because Knox is tripped. But now if whole phone is bricked and be sent to warranty service, they have no other choice but flash stock firmware and untrip Knox and device will gain full warranty again. Or that is my theory anyway. I mean sometimes these devices just stop working maybe due faulty motherboard or something similar. Please remember this is totally hypotethical...
PeK_m said:
I can tell you why someone would do that. This is purely hypotethical but here is one reason. Let´s say that you have rooted your device and lost your warranty. After that your camera starts to make buzzing noise and focusing don´t work. ie. this case: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/help/galaxy-s6-camera-randomly-makes-loud-t3123724
Now you want to get that camera fixed for warranty, but they don´t accept it because Knox is tripped. But now if whole phone is bricked and be sent to warranty service, they have no other choice but flash stock firmware and untrip Knox and device will gain full warranty again. Or that is my theory anyway. I mean sometimes these devices just stop working maybe due faulty motherboard or something similar. Please remember this is totally hypotethical...
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Click to collapse
Dark ideas! I like it!
I bricked my G920F trying to get back to stock-rom. Nothing would work, Odin failed time after time (cm.bin). I could flash TWRP and used ADB to get back to stock-recovery, connected to smart-switch and performed emergency restore. Failed again.
I took it to a Samsung servicepoint (talking about Holland) and they immediatly found the custom flag. Phone wil be send over to Samsung now and, according to the lady at the servicepoint, Samsung does not even check. They just reflash it and send it back under full waranty. All I can do now is hoping she is right....
Still figuring out why everybody but me can restore a bricked phone through ODIN.