Database Info

Help (if possible)! think my phone is done :(

This is going to be long!
If anyone has insight to this would be appreciated
Precursor: I am on CM9 nightly (7-27-12) with 6.0.1.0 non touch recovery (NS4G)
So last night I go to open my opera web browser and it would flash like it would open and instant close (no error message). I say OK thats weird and decide to reboot. Upon rebooted I am greeted with never ending amount of FC's from every app and service imaginable. I again say OK EXTREMELY weird and decide its time to restore my backup from yesterday.
I reboot in recovery and what do I get greeted with? Unable to mount /sdcard! Long story short after scouring google for about an hour I find that if I do a fastboot oem lock/unlock I should get back up and running. Thankfully that works and I install the newest 7/31 CM9 nightly.
I wake up today without my phone alarm going off when it should. Weird huh? I go to open the clock and get a FC from the clock application. Reboot and it works just fine. OK weird again.
Go to work and leave my phone on the counter to help a customer. I come back to the desk and my phone is in recovery mode? Uhhh what? I reboot the phone and it says "encryption unsuccessful" and the phone needs to wipe data and reboot to continue use...
I decide WTF why not, not like I can use it. At this point I'm worried though. The phone reboots to recovery and I guess does a data wipe (takes 3-5 mins) and reboots. Now I am stuck on the CM9 bootscreen and won't go past.
I have some ideas as to get the phone (hopefully) back up and running. Just curious what this sounds like to anyone more knowledgeable then me (especially the part where it tried to encrypt my phone without me touching it!)
Any thoughts or help is appreciated!
Edit: I tried copying files to sdcard from recovery using mount usb storage. The files copy over and as soon as I leave the mount menu and go to install the zip files WHICH I SAW ON THE SDCARD they ARE NOT THERE anymore.
Edit2: It still lets me install the CM9 7/31 nightly which I had saved on the phone yesterday. Even after wiping everything and reinstalling the ROM I can't get past the CM9 bootscreen
Edit3: Tried fastboot, odin, nothing works. Even after odin I still get the CM9 boot screen. Pretty sure something is messed up to the point of I need a new phone. FML!

YESS!!!
YES I WANT ATTENTION.
I Have exactly the same. Mother of smartphones Somebody help us!
Its the internal Memory thats messed up yes, But Please somebody fix this Bullcrap. We don't have the knowledge but I will gladly donate to you who fixes it!
I just bought a brand new screen for my phone and I don't freaking want to buy a new Phone At the moment, So if you find a way to help us then let us know since that could be lifesaving right now.

Pretty sure I've given up. Everything I've tried has failed... looks like it might be gnex time.

NYYFan325 said:
Pretty sure I've given up. Everything I've tried has failed... looks like it might be gnex time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried just going back to the stock rom/recovery/bootloader with the samsung application?

ronnygunz said:
Have you tried just going back to the stock rom/recovery/bootloader with the samsung application?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would Love to get an link to that. if it helps us out i'd sh1t goldbricks. seriously.

Moonystorm said:
I would Love to get an link to that. if it helps us out i'd sh1t goldbricks. seriously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't post the link because I have less than 10 posts here so I pm'd you. At least I hope I did. Let me know if you didn't get it.

Can you send me the PM as well. I know of the tool you are referring to but can't seem to find it anymore

NYYFan325 said:
Can you send me the PM as well. I know of the tool you are referring to but can't seem to find it anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to send it, I hope it worked but it doesn't show up in my sent messages so I am in the dark.

Stock ROM. All the way back to Gingerbread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1572307

Well nothing officially works
The samsung simple dl tool just says "error" when I hit "start download" nearly immediately. Now I have no recovery or anything. Going to sprint right after I get out of work to get a gnex

NYYFan325 said:
Well nothing officially works
The samsung simple dl tool just says "error" when I hit "start download" nearly immediately. Now I have no recovery or anything. Going to sprint right after I get out of work to get a gnex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh... I'm sorry people Who will get to our problem. Paid samsung services can Help. Nothing else. I be a smart guy and do like NYYFan here and get a galaxy nexus. thank You everyone for help. i set up 48hours for anybody to help me or i get a new device. Might sound rude but its a choice i made.
-Moon

I HAD THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM
Temporary solution: heat the phone up with a hair blow dryer. get it hot but not so hot that it melts things. it will be able to boot up and work. I used this method so i could copy my sd card to my computer and wipe everything off
Permanent solution: turn your phone in for repair. there is no remedy to fixing this. apparently the circuit board or chip is bad and you can't fix it.
Luckily I had best buy black tie protection and I am waiting on my new replacement phone.

NicholasQ said:
I HAD THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM
Temporary solution: heat the phone up with a hair blow dryer. get it hot but not so hot that it melts things. it will be able to boot up and work. I used this method so i could copy my sd card to my computer and wipe everything off
Permanent solution: turn your phone in for repair. there is no remedy to fixing this. apparently the circuit board or chip is bad and you can't fix it.
Luckily I had best buy black tie protection and I am waiting on my new replacement phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work in a computer repair shop and going by that solution...sounds like a problem I may be able to repair using a similar method as some of the board-level repairs I do pretty often...anyone want to send me a dead lab rat? Lol
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

Xaelius said:
I work in a computer repair shop and going by that solution...sounds like a problem I may be able to repair using a similar method as some of the board-level repairs I do pretty often...anyone want to send me a dead lab rat? Lol
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can have mine lol x) And Yep i fix computers for friends and so on their friends and this sounds like Nvidia was behind the chip... xD

It wouldn't matter who actually makes a chip if the heating it up is a temporary fix. That is a OEM issue. Basically think xbox360 rrod with the warped boards the solder melting/failing and the chips get loose etc.
Unless heating up failed flash storage temporarily makes it work. Which I doubt is the case but don't actually know. Brings back memories of putting failing HDD drives in the freezer though.

Well this is my official goodbye to the Nexus S forums (not like anyone cares haha). Just got my shiny new Galaxy Nexus. Have a great night everyone and happy modding!

NYYFan325 said:
Well this is my official goodbye to the Nexus S forums (not like anyone cares haha). Just got my shiny new Galaxy Nexus. Have a great night everyone and happy modding!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh. Congraz. xD

Try Adam outler unbrickable mod for nexus s
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1397393
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

Unfortunately that is good only if software screwed up your phone. In my case and I'm sure others when it is hardware failure, that won't work :\

[Q] Recognizing the model number for choosing a suitable rom

So this is my second post about the problem i am having with my phone. I will try to focus my questions this time because the first post was not answered properly by anybody as I made the question long and unclear (newbie here)
I bought a second-hand galaxy S3 less than a week ago with android 4.0.4 installed on it. I want to update to 4.3 or maybe to 4.4 if possible. My experience with android is very basic (it only started since I bought this phone). I really don't want to brick the phone so I wanna choose the right rom and process. I got a two-week trial period (one week left) to see if everything in the phone is working properly so I have to finish the update and get the phone to work before the trial ends.
To choose the rom, I checked the model number and it says GT-I9300 in the "about device" section in the settings.
View attachment 2511967
however, when I connect the phone to Kies, it shows the device name: SHV-E210K which is a korean model variation of the S3
View attachment 2511968
hint: I bought the phone in Indonesai as I am travelling through southeast asia now and it has 2gb of ram (that's why i really wanna keep it)
My questions:
1- Could anyone tell me what's the difference between those two names and which one should i use when I search for a suitable rom?
2- Is it possible that either of the names i wrote above could have been changed by the previous owner in any way?
3- Should i install a stock rom or what is the best option for S3 now? a link would be very helpful and appreciated.
4- The phone is not recognizing the codes of the network provider i am using. i.e. when I try dialing a code to check how much credit is left in my phone, it says "Undefined additional service, call customer center". Why is that and is possible to get fix this issue?
Finally, just in case you want more info, here is what comes up when i check the firmware version:
View attachment 2511970
and here is what comes up when i check All SW Versions:
View attachment 2511969
Please, I know this might be basic for many users but i still haven't got the hang of android yet and I don't have enough time or experience to be confident enough to decide everything on my own.
EDIT: Also here is a snapshot of the under-battery sticker.
View attachment 2511989
I guess it is also worth mentioning that the IMEI on the under-battery sticker (hidden in the pic) matches the one that appears when i dial *#06#

Hard to say what rom to flash as you have two things saying different things. What does the sticker say on the bk of the phone under the battery?. Ss are not very visible. And also don't ever show imei number. Just in case you don't no imei is very important to keep safe.

post updated and battery sticker included
andrewwright said:
Hard to say what rom to flash as you have two things saying different things. What does the sticker say on the bk of the phone under the battery?. Ss are not very visible. And also don't ever show imei number. Just in case you don't no imei is very important to keep safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for replying and for telling me about not showing the IMEI. I uploaded bigger size snapshots in the thread so you should be able to view them clearly now. I also added the under-battery sticker at the end of the post as well with the imei hidden thanks to you for warning me. Please let me know if you require any other info. I really appreciate your help! this phone is working really well and im very happy with 2gb ram so I wanna try my best to get it to update properly so i can keep it so thank you

You can take it back yes? Do so. Build is very worrying. I would take it bk and say to them to update it cuz I think it's not the real deal.

andrewwright said:
You can take it back yes? Do so. Build is very worrying. I would take it bk and say to them to update it cuz I think it's not the real deal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im really torn between taking it back and trying to fix it. price-wise, i doubt i can get another S3 with 2gb ram and 32gb internal memory with the same price. On the other hand, something seems to be wrong with this phone. I feel someone took a part out of it and exchanged it with a part of another phone. that's why it is saying 2 different things. I will go to the shop again tomorrow and ask them to either get it to update, recognize the network and have the device name and the build fixed or to take it back.
Do you think it is worth it to take the phone to samsung to see if they can confirm whether it's an original phone or not and maybe reset it to their stock 4.3 rom? i don't mind paying a little more if everything will be fixed. I saw complains about lagging with the 1gb version of S3 while the phone i have I could open many 30 applications (for the sake of trying) without even noticing any lag or change in the performance. It's really tempting!

I can see you want to keep the phone so take it back to the shop not Sam and tell them to sort it or refund you're money. Tbh I can see the extra gig of ram would help but I don't see many lags of my one gig i9300. There are alot of copys about

andrewwright said:
I can see you want to keep the phone so take it back to the shop not Sam and tell them to sort it or refund you're money. Tbh I can see the extra gig of ram would help but I don't see many lags of my one gig i9300. There are alot of copys about
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the replies man! I already returned the phone and got another S3 for the same price with 2gb ram and 64gb internal memory. However, this one has a reliable build number and device name. It also has android jelly bean 4.3 installed and the battery was made in japan (fully charged it served me for 30 hours with heavy use). I am totally satisfied!
thanks again

[Q] Please Help: Can I do anything with this tablet?

Hi all,
I bought a Chinese tablet from Focalprice, waited three weeks for it to arrive only to find there's something wrong with the screen. It's really washed out. When tilted it's light at the top and dark at the bottom. If I flip it over it's dark at the top and light at the bottom! If in Portrait it's noticeably brighter one side and darker the other. It's just... weird!
Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting Samsung quality when I bought this for sixty quid, but I was expecting to be able to see whatever's on the screen! I tried playing Candy Crush on it last night and I managed about 5 minutes before my eyes went wonky!
I've attached some photo's so you can get an idea (sorry they're not great!).
I've opened an RMA with Focalprice but they're just jerking me about so I thought I'd see if it's fixable.
Here are the details of the tablet:
Make: V100q
Model #: rk30sdk
Android version: 4.2.2
Kernel version: 3.0.36+ [email protected] #442 Tues Oct 22 12:40:31 CST 2013
Build #: rk30sdk-eng 4.2.2 JDQ39 eng-edward.20131105.205030 test-keys
I was going to try one of Oma's roms but I can't even get CWM to install properly.
*Sigh* I only wanted it for comic books. :crying:
Any help gratefully received.
Ex.

Anyone? :fingers-crossed:

Ex-Inferis said:
Anyone? :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, dude. It seems You have to learn the hard way. As a german saying goes: If You buy cheap, You will buy twice or triple.

Have you rooted it yet?
First off, I'd suggest you inquire with any other owners of this same tab, and check with them if only your device is faulty, or if that's the case with every model of that tab.
If everyone else owning this tab has the same problem, most probably its a software problem. You might wanna play around with root brightness adjusters, and/or Chainfire3d (CF3D is not officially supported for your android version, make sure to take backup of stock rom before doing anything!).
Your best bet would be to raise hell with Focalprice. Make sure to do a full unroot if you're sending it in for warranty!

origpumu said:
Sorry, dude. It seems You have to learn the hard way. As a german saying goes: If You buy cheap, You will buy twice or triple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, that was really constructive.
I'm sure I'm not the only member who's bought a Chinese tablet, I only wanted to know if I can fix the problem or not before I try and send it back. I realise it's a matter of "You get what you pay for" but reviews seemed to suggest this was a good tablet for it's price.

Ex-Inferis said:
Thanks, that was really constructive.
I'm sure I'm not the only member who's bought a Chinese tablet, I only wanted to know if I can fix the problem or not before I try and send it back. I realise it's a matter of "You get what you pay for" but reviews seemed to suggest this was a good tablet for it's price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, don't want to bother You - just my opinion. I will press my thumbs and wish You good luck to find a solution for Your problem.

ViKtory36 said:
Have you rooted it yet?
First off, I'd suggest you inquire with any other owners of this same tab, and check with them if only your device is faulty, or if that's the case with every model of that tab.
If everyone else owning this tab has the same problem, most probably its a software problem. You might wanna play around with root brightness adjusters, and/or Chainfire3d (CF3D is not officially supported for your android version, make sure to take backup of stock rom before doing anything!).
Your best bet would be to raise hell with Focalprice. Make sure to do a full unroot if you're sending it in for warranty!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks mate, this is more what I was hoping for in response!
I have rooted it, but couldn't find any program to help with the problem. Could you recommend a brightness adjuster?
I can't get CWM to work properly and ADB just refuses to see this tablet.
I've been playing around with devices for around 10 years so I'm not a n00b with these things, but this tablet just won't play ball!
I'm trying like mad with Focalprice, even said I'd so a chargeback, but they're not budging!

origpumu said:
Sorry, don't want to bother You - just my opinion. I will press my thumbs and wish You good luck to find a solution for Your problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair enough. Things don't always translate well online, so we'll call it a misunderstanding eh?

Ex-Inferis said:
Thanks mate, this is more what I was hoping for in response!
I have rooted it, but couldn't find any program to help with the problem. Could you recommend a brightness adjuster?
I can't get CWM to work properly and ADB just refuses to see this tablet.
I've been playing around with devices for around 10 years so I'm not a n00b with these things, but this tablet just won't play ball!
I'm trying like mad with Focalprice, even said I'd so a chargeback, but they're not budging!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, you're welcome.
RootDim works fine, you can find it on the Play Store.
Is your tab a MediaTek device? If so, which one? You will need MTK VCOM drivers for chinese tabs which you will have to install manually. I will provide links if it's a MTK device. Also, if it's an MTK device, you can use rua1's auto-CWM builder to get a fully functional CWM yourself in a minute

Thanks, will check out RootDim.
How would I find out if it's MediaTek? The info in my first post is all I can find.

Ex-Inferis said:
Thanks, will check out RootDim.
How would I find out if it's MediaTek? The info in my first post is all I can find.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download the latest SP Flash Tool from here. Insert your stock rom's scatter loading file (will be in .txt format) into SP Flash Tool, and it will tell you which MTK model it is.
Should look something like this-
Once you find that, let me know. Please do reply by quoting my last post, so that I get a notification and can get back to you asap.

Tried RootDim but it just darkens or lightens the screen, doesn't help with the colour. Anything else I can try?
Edit: Oops, didn't see your reply! Will try that, but like I said, I can't get my PC to see the tablet so... I'll get back to you!

Hi again,
I know it's been some time since I started this thread, but hoping you (or someone else who's looking!) could still help?
I finally worked out how to get the scatter file and this is the result I got:
No matter what I try I cannot get access to ADB Shell with the tablet connected via USB so I downloaded ADB Wireless from Google Play and was able to connect that way.
I've tried installing CWM from here: http://androtab.info/clockworkmod/rockchip/install/ Tried from SD but no go. Also tried using a terminal on the tablet and root shell, again no luck.
I think I've discovered that to enter recovery I press PWR and Vol- for 2-3 secs and it enters something, but the screen's blank. It'll show up in device manager as "Rockusb" but I still can't get any programs to see it.
I've tried half a dozen different drivers and none seem to work. Am I stuffed? Or is there something really simple I'm missing?
Cheers!
Edit: Little update since I posted. I decided to pop the tablet open and take a look at the actual chip. Turns out it's a Rockchip RK3168 and not the RK3066 I thought it was (based on information I gathered via t'interweb). Not sure it's that big of a deal, but thought it was worth mentioning in case it is!
ViKtory36 said:
Download the latest SP Flash Tool from here. Insert your stock rom's scatter loading file (will be in .txt format) into SP Flash Tool, and it will tell you which MTK model it is.
Should look something like this-
Once you find that, let me know. Please do reply by quoting my last post, so that I get a notification and can get back to you asap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

No one have any suggestions?

How to upgrade Note 20 Ultra from...Android 5.1. Seriously.

I need help from someone a lot smarter than me. First time poster, but no stranger to rooting. (If I break some protocol, please correct me, I want to be a good citizen.)
Background (can be skipped)
I bought a Note 20 Ultra 5G (model #SM-N9860F) from a guy for a steal of a deal. Now I know why. Before buying we started it up and made a phone call, so I figured most everything else would be fine. Took it home and started messing with it, only to find it laggy and exhibiting other odd behaviors. So I went to check for updates before loading it up with my stuff.
But there was no Update button. I tapped "Software Info" and the next thing I saw made me read it three times. It showed, "Android version: 5.1."
Issues
So...
The phone functions but with lag and issues. SIM is recognized, then unrecognized. SIM cannot be used for data (though wifi is fine).
Not kidding, Kingo Root says it was able to root this Snapdragon phone. Root Checker Basic confirms it as rooted.
Using all the various key combinations posted all over the Internet, I cannot get into Download mode. I've tried for days.
Rebooting into Recovery shows Chinese options. (After many days of messing with it I finally found a way for it to show the English list...happy to share how I got there if anyone cares.)
The phone does connect to a Windows PC successfully via USB and can share files to internal and external memory.
Interestingly, the 500GB of internal memory only shows a fraction of it as available. Wondering if Android 5.1 just can't recognize that much space.
Bottom line
I am unable to get into Download mode. When I do get to where I think Download mode should be, the green Android guy is lying down with the words "No command" underneath. Therefore I can't use Odin, or a paid service, or Samsung Smart Switch...even tried the old Kies, since it has Android 5.1 on it. ALL of them require me to get into Download mode, and it just won't go.
Plan B?: I've heard repeatedly that rooting a Note 20 Ultra is (nearly?) impossible. Since multiple apps on my device insist I successfully rooted it, I was hoping I could use the TWRP app (it's installed) to flash something that could help. But I don't know what that would be, or if it would help at all. TWRP doesn't recognize the .zip, .tar, or any other files I've found and copied to the device. Maybe it's looking for a .img? I'm just not sure, and I don't even know what to look for.
Additional info
I've attached a few screen shots and photos.
I'd be ever so grateful for anyone's guidance. Again,
How can I get into Download mode? Seems that would get me back on the paths I know better.
And/or what can I flash using TWRP on what appears to be a rooted device? Would that even help?
Thank you!

kbtraveler said:
I need help from someone a lot smarter than me. First time poster, but no stranger to rooting. (If I break some protocol, please correct me, I want to be a good citizen.)
Background (can be skipped)
I bought a Note 20 Ultra 5G (model #SM-N9860F) from a guy for a steal of a deal. Now I know why. Before buying we started it up and made a phone call, so I figured most everything else would be fine. Took it home and started messing with it, only to find it laggy and exhibiting other odd behaviors. So I went to check for updates before loading it up with my stuff.
But there was no Update button. I tapped "Software Info" and the next thing I saw made me read it three times. It showed, "Android version: 5.1."
Issues
So...
The phone functions but with lag and issues. SIM is recognized, then unrecognized. SIM cannot be used for data (though wifi is fine).
Not kidding, Kingo Root says it was able to root this Snapdragon phone. Root Checker Basic confirms it as rooted.
Using all the various key combinations posted all over the Internet, I cannot get into Download mode. I've tried for days.
Rebooting into Recovery shows Chinese options. (After many days of messing with it I finally found a way for it to show the English list...happy to share how I got there if anyone cares.)
The phone does connect to a Windows PC successfully via USB and can share files to internal and external memory.
Interestingly, the 500GB of internal memory only shows a fraction of it as available. Wondering if Android 5.1 just can't recognize that much space.
Bottom line
I am unable to get into Download mode. When I do get to where I think Download mode should be, the green Android guy is lying down with the words "No command" underneath. Therefore I can't use Odin, or a paid service, or Samsung Smart Switch...even tried the old Kies, since it has Android 5.1 on it. ALL of them require me to get into Download mode, and it just won't go.
Plan B?: I've heard repeatedly that rooting a Note 20 Ultra is (nearly?) impossible. Since multiple apps on my device insist I successfully rooted it, I was hoping I could use the TWRP app (it's installed) to flash something that could help. But I don't know what that would be, or if it would help at all. TWRP doesn't recognize the .zip, .tar, or any other files I've found and copied to the device. Maybe it's looking for a .img? I'm just not sure, and I don't even know what to look for.
Additional info
I've attached a few screen shots and photos.
I'd be ever so grateful for anyone's guidance. Again,
How can I get into Download mode? Seems that would get me back on the paths I know better.
And/or what can I flash using TWRP on what appears to be a rooted device? Would that even help?
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you got what you paid for, it's probably a fake Note20 Ultra.
From what I can tell, the model & build numbers conflict, they're from different models of the Note 20 Ultra, that's why I think it's a fake.
Even the model number doesn't look right, it has a hybrid Chinese/European model number........

KOLIOSIS said:
Sounds like you got what you paid for, it's probably a fake Note20 Ultra.
From what I can tell, the model & build numbers conflict, they're from different models of the Note 20 Ultra, that's why I think it's a fake.
Even the model number doesn't look right, it has a hybrid Chinese/European model number........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Koliosis,
Yeah, thanks, that has crossed my mind, and that's why I posted those images. If it's fake it's a really good one, but I am aware I could have to chalk that up to experience.
Still, why in the world would a fake have Android 5.1 on it? And it works(-ish)! Isn't that still bizarre? Anything that can be done to force it into Download mode or to flash something with TWRP to at least get an OS from the modern era?
Thanks again...

kbtraveler said:
Hi Koliosis,
Yeah, thanks, that has crossed my mind, and that's why I posted those images. If it's fake it's a really good one, but I am aware I could have to chalk that up to experience.
Still, why in the world would a fake have Android 5.1 on it? And it works(-ish)! Isn't that still bizarre? Anything that can be done to force it into Download mode or to flash something with TWRP to at least get an OS from the modern era?
Thanks again...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There should be several threads/tutorials here that show how to flash firmware using Odin (& of course,includes how to get into download mode).
Before you try that out,have you tried to use Samsung's Smart Switch program on your PC?
Given the information you've posted,it's difficult to determine which model you have,which makes matters worse since we don't want to make a bad situation worse.
I'd start with the Samsung Smart Switch, hopefully it'll be able to determine the make of your phone & flashing stock firmware should be a breeze. (If it's indeed a genuine Samsung Device).

KOLIOSIS said:
There should be several threads/tutorials here that show how to flash firmware using Odin (& of course,includes how to get into download mode).
Before you try that out,have you tried to use Samsung's Smart Switch program on your PC?
Given the information you've posted,it's difficult to determine which model you have,which makes matters since we don't want to make a bad situation worse.
I'd start with the Samsung Smart Switch, hopefully it'll be able to determine the make of your phone & flashing stock firmware should be a breeze. (If it's indeed a genuine Samsung Device).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes sir, and that's my problem. I've rooted and changed ROMs on a dozen devices or more in the past (thanks to XDA!!), always using Odin. But this phone simply will not go into Download mode at all. Using every key combination I can find I either wind up with the Chinese recovery selections I mentioned or I get that "No command" screen with the Android lying on its back.
So far I've tried these PC apps:
Odin (several versions)
Smart Switch
Kies
FixPPO (https://android.imyfone.com/android-issues/android-no-command-error/)
DroidKit (https://www.imobie.com/android-system-recovery/fix-android-no-command-error.htm)
Some, like Odin and the paid options, require Download mode - which isn't working for me - so those apps can even tell I've plugged a phone into the USB port.
Just to put it out there, when the phone is booted into the OS and attach it to the PC, Windows recognizes it's connected but Smart Switch does not. That supports your point that it may not be a Samsung device, but I wondered if it could also have something to do with Smart Switch coming after 5.1 was old.
I just wondered if somebody who didn't know what they were doing somehow downgraded this phone to Android 5.1 before I accept it as a full loss. Still hoping...

kbtraveler said:
Yes sir, and that's my problem. I've rooted and changed ROMs on a dozen devices or more in the past (thanks to XDA!!), always using Odin. But this phone simply will not go into Download mode at all. Using every key combination I can find I either wind up with the Chinese recovery selections I mentioned or I get that "No command" screen with the Android lying on its back.
So far I've tried these PC apps:
Odin (several versions)
Smart Switch
Kies
FixPPO (https://android.imyfone.com/android-issues/android-no-command-error/)
DroidKit (https://www.imobie.com/android-system-recovery/fix-android-no-command-error.htm)
Some, like Odin and the paid options, require Download mode - which isn't working for me - so those apps can even tell I've plugged a phone into the USB port.
Just to put it out there, when the phone is booted into the OS and attach it to the PC, Windows recognizes it's connected but Smart Switch does not. That supports your point that it may not be a Samsung device, but I wondered if it could also have something to do with Smart Switch coming after 5.1 was old.
I just wondered if somebody who didn't know what they were doing somehow downgraded this phone to Android 5.1 before I accept it as a full loss. Still hoping...
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Makes since you tried Kies (given the stated Android version).
Can you download/sideload any apps that may help identify the phone (& check for Knox 0x0) such as this one:
Phone INFO+ (SAM) - Apps on Google Play
All-in-one INFO and TOOLS for Samsung devices.
play.google.com
AIDA64 - Apps on Google Play
Hardware and software information utility for Android devices
play.google.com
I wish I had more to offer,it's been years since I've dealt w/a rooted Samsung (Note 5).
Hopefully,others will chime in & offer a solution.
FWIW,Definitely following this thread, I'm interested in how things work out, hopefully for the better.

Aah i made an account just to respond to you
i had an iPhone 7 Jet Black replica with android 5.1 once upon a time, same symptoms- 8GB actual storage but will show 128GB when connected to PC
So here are my two cents: These devices won't be recognized by samsung tools as they are not having motherboards made by samsung. I would recommend that you check actual specs from AIDA64 and you will find out which company has made the motherboard or device, mine had strange MediaTek processor though. And hopefully you will find some chinese websites where people are talking about how to flash firmwares in these phones but i recommend not to do that, i had to lose my device as it got bricked.

Well, that's exactly why I come here. I'd never come across that AIDA64 app, and I've attached screen shots. I've never heard of a "Kirin," but sure enough, it's Huawei. Dang it!
@priteshsolanki, hate to hear about your experience. Thanks for the heads up.
So...does Huawei have a Smart Switch equivalent, lol? And by the way, even if I got this working, would Huawei have enough hardware in this bugger to be able to listen in and send data back to Mother China?? I don't know how that kind of thing works...

kbtraveler said:
Well, that's exactly why I come here. I'd never come across that AIDA64 app, and I've attached screen shots. I've never heard of a "Kirin," but sure enough, it's Huawei. Dang it!
@priteshsolanki, hate to hear about your experience. Thanks for the heads up.
So...does Huawei have a Smart Switch equivalent, lol? And by the way, even if I got this working, would Huawei have enough hardware in this bugger to be able to listen in and send data back to Mother China?? I don't know how that kind of thing works...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is strange, i think The AIDA64 app is being fooled here too! To find which company has made it, Its gonna be same experience as finding father of an orphan child which just had permanent memory loss
Its not Kirin, its not huawei.. why?-
So its showing ARMv7 32bit processor, which is definitely not Kirin 1020. because kirin 1020 is a high end processor itself too and uses 5nm technology and Cortex A78 architecture! (While yours is showing stone age 28nm with Cortex A7)
Then there is Platform MT6799. When i look up for that, its again showing totally different company- MediaTek chipset "Helio X30 (MT6799)" which is a deca core processor but what we got here in your details is a Quad core processor.
What we know about your processor:
- its Cortex A7 @1301 MHz and has 28nm manufacturing process
(can't be 5G at any cost)
- From above details it seems like an ancient processor which came out somewhere around 2012, probably thats why its running 5.1.
- The performance is equivalent to high end Android Jellybean device, but definitely not suitable for using in 2022
- The storage and RAM amount shown there are just to fulfill fantasies, dont expect it to be reliable. Its probably a 1 or 2GB Ram with 4 or 8GB storage.
- The software in the phone is really fantastic, i have never thought that a clone can be so perfect that even Apps like AIDA64 will have a hard time finding the facts!
Now coming to the main questions:
1) Can it be upgraded?
90% no based on research i have done in google, this phone is totally non existent for google. for remaining 10% you can expect the rom maker to contact you in DMs after seeing your thread here and offer you an upgrade lol
2) Should you use any file syncing tools with it?
Quick answer: Syncios app is your best bet to sync data between phone and back, but only luck can help you find actual firmware of the device
Slightly long answer: So according to our findings all these data shown in phone settings fake, and syncing apps back in 2011-12 i think its going to give you hard time finding a working one. Android 5.1 in todays time is not something you should be using as daily driver for sure. I suggest you to just treat it like a toy.
About my iPhone 7 back in the day, i bought that one for some 60USD but it was worth it, had some kind of apple music app which never required login but was able to stream any songs for free. so ive used that one out for music only.
I really wish there was a better way to put it, but you can try one last dry hope at needrom website to see if they have any details about this device.

kbtraveler said:
But there was no Update button. I tapped "Software Info" and the next thing I saw made me read it three times. It showed, "Android version: 5.1."
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Click to collapse
Like has been said, sounds like you got a fake, Software info is one of the first things I would have checked before buying, not after you have bought it and then start having issues. Unfortunately you only really have yourself to blame. like is quite often said if the deal "seems to good to be true" there are reasons why.

@samorgs60, you are very right. I've taken many chances like this one on many electronic devices, and to my recollection, this is the first time I got burned. It's kind of like speeding: I don't always obey the speed limit to the letter (number?), so in the past when I got what I believe was an unfair speeding ticket - I was accused of going faster than I was - I dealt with it my accepting it as a balance in the universe for all the times I should have been busted.
@priteshsolanki, what a catch! Wow. That is kinda amazing, and would explain why it has 5.1 on it. I'm actually astonished at the quality of the device in every way, other than the obvious.
So I hate to ask this, but...isn't it true that carriers (I won't mention mine by name here) make offers for value against a new phone if your current phone simply 1) turns on and 2) does not have a cracked screen? That kinda seems to describe what I've got right now. Not interested in misleading on purpose, but what is the likelihood this would qualify as a trade-in? If they took it initially, what's the likelihood of it coming back to haunt me (the carrier contacting me about it not being a Samsung)?
Really appreciate the help, guys!

It sucks that you got a fake. If you paid with PayPal or Credit, I'd file a claim/dispute and try to return for a refund. Carriers usually log the IMEI of trade ins and if it doesn't match the model or is blacklisted in any way, the trade will be denied.

Hard reset possible somehow in black screen of death?

Got the Note 20 Ultra 5g a week ago used from a decent reseller. Today I got the black screen of death. Stock firmware.
I want to return the phone while I have the chance, no interest in trying to fix it. It is password protected but I would ideally like to hard reset it before it goes back. Can anyone tell me how when I can't get the screen to work?
Phone beeps etc so I think is live.
The power button + vol down does give a vibration after 10 seconds but never gets to a Samsung logo.
Power button + vol up does the same.
Tried connecting to a pc, no change. No dex message on the PC.
If anyone can tell me how to do this reset so I can wipe it for peace of mind I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance.
Edit; I removed the sim cards and then the PC detected the phone, and offered to install Dex. If that helps.

Ok before you do anything else. Stop. If you void the warranty by changing anything you can't return it

You need to find a trusted phone store near you or call the support number for the phones manufacturer

Thanks for the advice. Appreciated.

nickb99NZ said:
Thanks for the advice. Appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Np. Doing my best. Website isn't really helping me somimma help others where i can

nickb99NZ said:
Thanks for the advice. Appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I did a little more digging and found a website imma give you the link I'll read through the rest of it, and advise you what seems safe but in the end what you do is up to u

So you need to go into recovery mode and try something simple what you are gonna wanna do is find where to wipe the cache partition and that should solve it. but I'm guessing you can't get into recovery otherwise you could factory reset it there

7 Quick Fixes for Black Screen of Death on Android
Are you frustrated with constant black screens of death on your Android device? Here are 7 quick ways to fix the issue.
convergeddevices.net

Thanks again.
>>I'm guessing you can't get into recovery
Correct. The phone is goig back to the seller as it is within the return window. I don't want to mess with it. I think that was good advice. Did Samsung ever say if they resolved this issue properly? It puts me off this model. Very expensive phone to suffer such a problem.

nickb99NZ said:
Thanks again.
>>I'm guessing you can't get into recovery
Correct. The phone is goig back to the seller as it is within the return window. I don't want to mess with it. I think that was good advice. Did Samsung ever say if they resolved this issue properly? It puts me off this model. Very expensive phone to suffer such a problem.
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Click to collapse
Having a similar problem after the latest Security Patch 'Update' . See my post #55 on 'FIXED: Samsung Note 20 Black Screen OF Death But Phone Workimg Via Dex - Help Needed' in Q&A.