Database Info

[Q] Help: BRICK'd. can't boot into anything (recovery, download, etc)

background: rooted and was running 4.1 stock and CWM 10.0 on verizon gs3. i wanted to bump up to jelly bean 4.2 with CWM 10.1.
first i tried using Rom Manager and Rom Toolkit to flash a new rom. from Rom Manager, i rebooted into recovery and got stuck on the CWM boot screen.
After 30 minutes or so i pulled the battery and tried flashing the stock .tar.md5 using Odin and ended up with this:
"System software not authorized by verizon wireless has been found on your phone. Please turn off your phone and go to the nearest verizon wireless store for help."
now i can't boot into download or recovery. i just have this screen with the yellow exclamation point and the above message.
how screwed am i? i've tried reading everywhere and from what i can gather i didn't wipe my cache sufficiently, but all the other threads just say 'use Odin to get back to stock', but i can't get into download mode so i can't use odin.
please help.

You're bootloader wasn't unlocked. Pull the battery then hold power, volume down, and home for fifteen or twenty seconds until it boots into download mode. Odin flash a stock rom then root AND ALSO unlock your bootloader.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

SlimSnoopOS said:
You're bootloader wasn't unlocked. Pull the battery then hold power, volume down, and home for fifteen or twenty seconds until it boots into download mode. Odin flash a stock rom then root AND ALSO unlock your bootloader.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have noticed that a lot of people have not unlocked the bootloader are posting on here that they have "bricked" their phones.

jmxc23 said:
I have noticed that a lot of people have not unlocked the bootloader posted on here that they have "bricked" their phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha, I agree although I think its occurred in decreasing fashion since August. Being "bricked" is used overeagerly by folks not wholly understanding their situation. You really have to try to brick this device before that word can be used correctly.

Your phone has not been bricked. You will know that you have bricked your phone when you can't turn on your phone at all. No download mode and no recovery mode also no pulling of the battery just a dead phone.

ClockworkMod
When you fix your phone, root then unlock the bootloader... You can try RM again but I believe that it is best to use ClockworkMod (or the Touch version) for flashing instead of ROM Manager - old fashion, maybe, but it works!
NOTE: Once you start flashing it becomes addictive - you have been warned

thanks for the comments. my apologies for using the term Brick incorrectly as it seems to really chap the cheeks of some people on this board (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2149210)
no luck with holding down buttons with the battery pulled. i ordered a USB Jig to try and force it back into download mode.
From there, what should my first step be? return to stock?

jondotwoz said:
thanks for the comments. my apologies for using the term Brick incorrectly as it seems to really chap the cheeks of some people on this board (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2149210)
no luck with holding down buttons with the battery pulled. i ordered a USB Jig to try and force it back into download mode.
From there, what should my first step be? return to stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
youll need to put the battery back in......lol

ddurandSGS3 said:
youll need to put the battery back in......lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
obviously. i've tried this a million times. It shows the download screen green android robot and the text in the top left for about 4 seconds. then it goes black and the yellow triangle comes back telling me unauthorized software is on there.

check here. particularly post 2. i think thats what you want.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1840030&highlight=odin

ddurandSGS3 said:
check here. particularly post 2. i think thats what you want.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1840030&highlight=odin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks that's a very helpful thread. However, i still can't get into download/Odin mode. i'm guessing if/once the USB jig can force the phone into download mode, this is where i'll start.
thanks for everyone's help and patience.

Q> Bricked Phone , need help!

Hey guys!
I just bricked my phone by wiping dalvik cache after installing marmite. Now my phone is just showing a black screen when power on.
Ive tried using the UnbrickableMod Tool by Adam, but my device does not get recognized.
What do I have to do? I love this phone, and I do not want to buy a new one yet
>>devil188

So , I just did use the ubtool again , but this time on linuxmint, which gave me superuser access using that. But I only get far till <sbl inj. failed>
Gonna take a look now who over dudes solved that, but still feel free to help me

flash the non-cm version of marmite.

how can i flash something if i can't get into download/fastboot etc. mode ?
Anyway, I still can't get through the SBL injection Failed thingy, i think i gotta make a hardware modification (unbrickable mod) :/

Well, ain't nobody helping me? Doing that UnbrickableMod looks extremely hard, because the things you gotta change are very very small!

devil188 said:
bricked my phone by wiping dalvik cache after installing marmite
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If THAT ALONE caused the brick you're describing, maybe nobody has the ability to understand what just happened.
More details? :good:

ej8989 said:
If THAT ALONE caused the brick you're describing, maybe nobody has the ability to understand what just happened.
More details? :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Details:
> While Booting, the battery got pulled out, so the bootloader is broken.
> When turning on now, it is just glowing on the screen
> Download Mode or Recovery Mode cannot be accessed!

devil188 said:
Details:
> While Booting, the battery got pulled out, so the bootloader is broken.
> When turning on now, it is just glowing on the screen
> Download Mode or Recovery Mode cannot be accessed!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try Nexus Root Toolkit (for windows).. Though I think you'll need to be able to boot to boot loader??.. (vol + & power)
If you can't do that, read the threads on Odin, it may help..

Doesn't work either, actually I can't access anything on the phone :/
Gonna take a look at the odin threads

boot loop - can't navigate bootloader to get into recovery mode

hi there,
I'm running CM11 nightly late feb. For no apparent reason my phone went into a boot loop this morning (n.b. I didn't flash a new rom or installed a new app). Now it constantly reboots (literally) and doesn't get further than the CM11 boot video or google logo.
If I press volume down and power, it will head into bootloader - but - I can't navigate beyond 'shut down' or 'restart bootloader'. It doesn't execute two consecutive volume up or down commands. In other words, it's impossible to get into recovery mode. Also, because my phone doesn't boot further than the video or logo, I can't make a fastboot or adb connection via my laptop.
Does anybody know how I can fix this issue? I'm clearly running out of luck. Many thx in advance!

reflash recovery?

Try to boot into recovery with cmd: fastboot boot TWRP.img (TWRP or your current custom recovery)
Then restore a nandroid backup or wipe data/system/dalvik
You can still flash the factory images. Fastboot mode is enough. Guide

suikerchiller said:
Now it constantly reboots (literally)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stuck power button. Mash the power button really fast for 20 seconds to unstick whatever is in there.

gd6noob said:
reflash recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can't flash anything, because phone is constantly rebooting. Have opened up the phone and took the battery out for 1 minute. Didn't help either. After starting up the phone I get stuck in the boot loop again.
Anyone else an idea?

suikerchiller said:
can't flash anything, because phone is constantly rebooting. Have opened up the phone and took the battery out for 1 minute. Didn't help either. After starting up the phone I get stuck in the boot loop again.
Anyone else an idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone doesn't reboot in the bootloader right?
If it doesn't either do what primokorn said or flash the factory image.
Sent from my Nexus 5

El Daddy said:
The phone doesn't reboot in the bootloader right?
If it doesn't either do what primokorn said or flash the factory image.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the issue is that it only stays for a fraction of a second in bootloader, which gives it enough time to navigate one step up or down. Not enough time to get into recovery.
How can I do what Primoken said? It doesn't seem to be possible to do a flash when the phone is constantly rebooting?
Thx for helping me out guys, much appreciated!

suikerchiller said:
Well the issue is that it only stays for a fraction of a second in bootloader, which gives it enough time to navigate one step up or down. Not enough time to get into recovery.
How can I do what Primoken said? It doesn't seem to be possible to do a flash when the phone is constantly rebooting?
Thx for helping me out guys, much appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever kept your phone in narrow pocket? Because it's definitely sounds to me like a stuck power button.

Simonna said:
Have you ever kept your phone in narrow pocket? Because it's definitely sounds to me like a stuck power button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not a power issue. Also unscrewed my phone to see if that was what caused it. Nothing in there, mechanism functioned correctly.
UPDATE: For some reason my phone booted up out of nothing. I managed to flash an older ROM via CM Updater (through settings)- which seemed to work. Apps were updated and it was running normally. But after a couple of minutes it restarted out of the blue and now back to square one again.
Guess there's a chance I'll probably get a normal start up soon. Is it a good idea to do a factory whipe restart through the settings menu? Or is Primokorn's method safer?

suikerchiller said:
...Or is Primokorn's method safer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.

[Q] did i brick my phone?

Hello everyone
im in a little big dilema here.
i was on cm11 and i wanted to go back to stock,
so i tried to flash Retail brasil and the process failed at around the second step,
i believe it said something about tz signed.
i left my device there, then after the phone shut down i could no longer turn it on.
i tried the vol- and power and i got nothing, also the vol+ vol- and power and also nothing.
i cannot make my phone respond.
also battery was at around 80% so it does have battery.
im afraid i might of bricked it trying to go back to stock. xD
kind of funny.
has this happened top anyone?
help would be appreciated a ton.

hugodefcon said:
Hello everyone
im in a little big dilema here.
i was on cm11 and i wanted to go back to stock,
so i tried to flash Retail brasil and the process failed at around the second step,
i believe it said something about tz signed.
i left my device there, then after the phone shut down i could no longer turn it on.
i tried the vol- and power and i got nothing, also the vol+ vol- and power and also nothing.
i cannot make my phone respond.
also battery was at around 80% so it does have battery.
im afraid i might of bricked it trying to go back to stock. xD
kind of funny.
has this happened top anyone?
help would be appreciated a ton.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you are not bricked some partitions are not able to be downgraded such as tz just erase those lines from the xml file remove tz and gpt

billycar11 said:
you are not bricked some partitions are not able to be downgraded such as tz just erase those lines from the xml file remove tz and gpt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
like i said i am not able to make the phone respond.
none of the button combinations do anything.
for i am not able to get to the bootloader or even see the booanimation or anything.
its weird how i got this happen to me when i was trying to go back to stock.
funny if you think of it.

hugodefcon said:
like i said i am not able to make the phone respond.
none of the button combinations do anything.
for i am not able to get to the bootloader or even see the booanimation or anything.
its weird how i got this happen to me when i was trying to go back to stock.
funny if you think of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when you plug it in does it just stay at a green led?

billycar11 said:
when you plug it in does it just stay at a green led?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is no light.
:c

hugodefcon said:
there is no light.
:c
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im sorry to hear that i think you may be bricked ,but don't lose hope maybe someone that knows more about these phones than me can help

Some questions that may help people help you if you can answer them:
Did you use an fxz with RSD Lite when you were trying to go back to stock? If so, where did you get it? If not, what procedure did you use? Which version of Android was it? 4.1.2?
Although to be honest, if you can't even get to fastboot, your chances aren't good. I've been in similar situations before and I was able to fix it because I could at least get into fastboot and start from scratch. You are sure power + volume buttons together isn't working?

killrhythm09 said:
Some questions that may help people help you if you can answer them:
Did you use an fxz with RSD Lite when you were trying to go back to stock? If so, where did you get it? If not, what procedure did you use? Which version of Android was it? 4.1.2?
Although to be honest, if you can't even get to fastboot, your chances aren't good. I've been in similar situations before and I was able to fix it because I could at least get into fastboot and start from scratch. You are sure power + volume buttons together isn't working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i was using rsd lite
i was on cm11 and wanted to go to stock retail brasil. which is 4.1.2
i cannot reach fastboot or anything.
i sent it to my carrier, i am not under warranty since i got this phone on launch but they said they will see it they can do anything but wont replace it,
if its a no go i will take it to a cell shop where i think they know a little bit more of this type of situation, bricking flashing and stuff

hugodefcon said:
there is no light.
:c
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for some reason my phone no shows a green led when connected to the computer and to the wall charger but only for a little while then it starts blinking.
but is there some option i could try?

Nexus 5 Only Boots in Safe Mode

Hi,
I was on Dark Rom Nougat but recently i tried to flash paranoid android marshamllow cause I was not happy with the sound. After flashing the rom the device booted up normally. I tried to reboot it again into recovery to flash some other zip file. But instead of recovery my phone booted up in bootloader mode. And the 4 options that bootloader of nexus 5 has, kept changing one by one. I mean to say I just can't select any option cause it keeps changing constantly. So you have to be very quick to select any option from the 4 options given in the bootloader.
After a few tries i am able to boot into the device quickly pressing the buttons when the bootloader option comes to 'Start' . But that too in safe mode. I know its a bit hard to understamd cause I have seen this the first time around. And I don't how exactly I can explain this to anyone. I am thinking of making a video of this.
I keep changing roms back and forth and everything works fine. It is the first time I have experienced something like this. To solve the issue,I have flashed other roms ,restored nandroid backups,flashed latest bootloader and radio. But nothing seems to work. I am now planning to flash my nexus 5 to stock factory image. If anyone have any advice/insight I will be really thankful.
Sorry for my bad english.

faulty/stuck volume button ...

RolF2 said:
faulty/stuck volume button ...[/QUOTE
How in the world did you figure that out so quickly! Thank you freind. For your simple and subtle advice. Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

RolF2 said:
faulty/stuck volume button ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How in the world did you figure that out so quickly! Thank you freind. For your simple and subtle advice. Cheers!