Did I brick? - Vibrant Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I have read tons of threads on this and none of the answers are working for me. I was running Nero v3 and flashed a newer voodoo kernal. It booted back into CWR. I guess I hit the wrong option and now the phone will turn on to the Vibrant/Samsung screen and nothing else. No download mode and now recovery of any kind. It has been on the Vibrant screen for 45 min and no matter what I attempt, it will not do anything else. I would be willing to tip someone that can get me fixed.

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How are you trying to get into download mode?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

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AgentFour20 said:
How are you trying to get into download mode?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I remove the batter, sim and sd.
Hold vol up and dwn.
put battery in.

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I have the same Nero rom you do and ran in to the same problem. This is what worked for me. You're going to need a computer, usb cable, your phone and battery.
1. Take the battery out of your phone and make sure it is off
2. Plug the phone into the computer with the USB cable *Without the battery in*
3. Put the battery back in the phone
4. Wait for the charging screen to come up ( the screen with the green battery)
5. Press the power button to let the phone boot up
After these steps the phone should boot up normally and you should be able to go to either your back-up rom or install another in rom manager.
Like I said this worked for me and I hope it works for you as well.

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Justin Mgbeokwere said:
I have the same Nero rom you do and ran in to the same problem. This is what worked for me. You're going to need a computer, usb cable, your phone and battery.
1. Take the battery out of your phone and make sure it is off
2. Plug the phone into the computer with the USB cable *Without the battery in*
3. Put the battery back in the phone
4. Wait for the charging screen to come up ( the screen with the green battery)
5. Press the power button to let the phone boot up
After these steps the phone should boot up normally and you should be able to go to either your back-up rom or install another in rom manager.
Like I said this worked for me and I hope it works for you as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
huh never heard that before.....
Anyway if that doesnt work just power off the phone plug the usb into the computer only then with the phone off hold both volume buttons then plug the micro usb into the phone that will get you into DL mode .

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Justin Mgbeokwere said:
I have the same Nero rom you do and ran in to the same problem. This is what worked for me. You're going to need a computer, usb cable, your phone and battery.
1. Take the battery out of your phone and make sure it is off
2. Plug the phone into the computer with the USB cable *Without the battery in*
3. Put the battery back in the phone
4. Wait for the charging screen to come up ( the screen with the green battery)
5. Press the power button to let the phone boot up
After these steps the phone should boot up normally and you should be able to go to either your back-up rom or install another in rom manager.
Like I said this worked for me and I hope it works for you as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That didnt work out. Im still at the battery screen.

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You almost have the right combo for dl mode. Assuming you have your drivers loaded, lets begin. First things first have odin open on your pc, your pit and tar files loaded, ready to flash your rom. Take out battery, sim, and sd card. Phone off, plug the usb to pc, hold down both volume buttons then pop the battery in. It must be a pc, a wall outlet sends a different charge and wont trigger dl mode. You will see a com port light up in odin, hit start and sit back, it should only take a few to flash. If it hangs for more than 5 minutes at any one particular part of the flash, close and relaunch odin and repeat, boot to dl mode etc. Oh and if you dont get dl mode the first time, try it again, sometimes it takes a few goes to get into dl mode.
Ginger Clone's of the World Unite! Via the XDA App

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Br1cK'd said:
You almost have the right combo for dl mode. Assuming you have your drivers loaded, lets begin. First things first have odin open on your pc, your pit and tar files loaded, ready to flash your rom. Take out battery, sim, and sd card. Phone off, plug the usb to pc, hold down both volume buttons then pop the battery in. It must be a pc, a wall outlet sends a different charge and wont trigger dl mode. You will see a com port light up in odin, hit start and sit back, it should only take a few to flash. If it hangs for more than 5 minutes at any one particular part of the flash, close and relaunch odin and repeat, boot to dl mode etc. Oh and if you dont get dl mode the first time, try it again, sometimes it takes a few goes to get into dl mode.
Ginger Clone's of the World Unite! Via the XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best answer and will get you where you need to be.

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I had the same exact problem all I did was reboot into recovery mode and restored one of my backups (this was my last resort) and it werked....
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

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Br1cK'd said:
You almost have the right combo for dl mode. Assuming you have your drivers loaded, lets begin. First things first have odin open on your pc, your pit and tar files loaded, ready to flash your rom. Take out battery, sim, and sd card. Phone off, plug the usb to pc, hold down both volume buttons then pop the battery in. It must be a pc, a wall outlet sends a different charge and wont trigger dl mode. You will see a com port light up in odin, hit start and sit back, it should only take a few to flash. If it hangs for more than 5 minutes at any one particular part of the flash, close and relaunch odin and repeat, boot to dl mode etc. Oh and if you dont get dl mode the first time, try it again, sometimes it takes a few goes to get into dl mode.
Ginger Clone's of the World Unite! Via the XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WEll..... this did not work after several attempts. I can not get into dl mode or recovery or anything. I downloaded and installed Droid Explorer and it sees the phone but there are no folders and none of the plugins will work for reboot to recovery, flash recovery etc. Do I need a stand alone recovery file for Droid Explorer to work?

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Keep trying. Take the battery out, let it sit for a few minutes, and try again. Still not working? Try, instead of holding down both volume up and down, try the same method, all cards and battery out, usb cable into pc and phone, hold down the volume down only, then pop the battery back in. I know it can be frustrating, one time it took me 45 minutes to successfully boot to dl mode trying over and over.
Just know, if you're seeing anything at all on the screen, you are not bricked, and it is possible to recover. The volume down only method worked for me the first time I had the same screen you are seeing. If you're getting frustrated, walk away for a few, go get some fresh air or do something to take your mind off it and come back to it when you're fresh.
Try both ways, with both volume buttons or just the volume down. Being sure to remove the battery after unsuccessful attempts. Diligence will prevail, don't get frustrated easily, and keep trying.
Also, once you get successfully flashed and back up and running, flash this recovery fix. After flashing this, I can get to recovery and dl mode so easily its stupid. Of course all the steps I am telling you are what I had to do before I flashed the fix linked below.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=804305&highlight=recovery

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you said you hit the wrong option? It may help speed things along if you say what you hit and all, PS dont mess with something you dont know how to fix it will bite you in the ass.

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Br1cK'd said:
Keep trying. Take the battery out, let it sit for a few minutes, and try again. Still not working? Try, instead of holding down both volume up and down, try the same method, all cards and battery out, usb cable into pc and phone, hold down the volume down only, then pop the battery back in. I know it can be frustrating, one time it took me 45 minutes to successfully boot to dl mode trying over and over.
Just know, if you're seeing anything at all on the screen, you are not bricked, and it is possible to recover. The volume down only method worked for me the first time I had the same screen you are seeing. If you're getting frustrated, walk away for a few, go get some fresh air or do something to take your mind off it and come back to it when you're fresh.
Try both ways, with both volume buttons or just the volume down. Being sure to remove the battery after unsuccessful attempts. Diligence will prevail, don't get frustrated easily, and keep trying.
Also, once you get successfully flashed and back up and running, flash this recovery fix. After flashing this, I can get to recovery and dl mode so easily its stupid. Of course all the steps I am telling you are what I had to do before I flashed the fix linked below.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=804305&highlight=recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Br1cK'd for the info. I have tried it both ways and everytime I put the battery in with the usb cable in, the phone will not go past the gray battery image with a frozen loading icon in the middle. But I continue to try.
ionic7 said:
you said you hit the wrong option? It may help speed things along if you say what you hit and all, PS dont mess with something you dont know how to fix it will bite you in the ass.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was VERY helpful, thanks for chimeing in.

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OP:
How to get into download mode
1) remove battery
2) plug battery in again
3) hold down the two volume buttons but not the power button
4) plug USB into the computer
5) plug usb into the phone
Voila! you are in the download mode (if your aren't hardkey locked)

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zeroplace said:
Thanks Br1cK'd for the info. I have tried it both ways and everytime I put the battery in with the usb cable in, the phone will not go past the gray battery image with a frozen loading icon in the middle. But I continue to try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to be clear, plug the usb cable in, hold both volume buttons while popping the battery in. From what you are describing, it sounds as if you are releasing the volume buttons when you pop the battery in. Even if you release one or the other and try to press again, it will not work, and you have to unplug the usb and start the process again. Can be a pain in the ass, I know. You must hold them down and keep them held down while trying to boot to dl mode. Man, if you are anywhere near colorado springs, I'll do it for ya and flash that fix for this I posted earlier. Just be sure you do not release the volume buttons when popping in the battery.
What works for me, is to hold the phone face down in my palm, with the usb cable plugged in. Find the right angle to hold it and keep the volume buttons depressed, and in goes the battery. Again, good luck friend.

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Br1cK'd said:
Just to be clear, plug the usb cable in, hold both volume buttons while popping the battery in. From what you are describing, it sounds as if you are releasing the volume buttons when you pop the battery in. Even if you release one or the other and try to press again, it will not work. You must hold them down and keep them held down while trying to boot to dl mode. Man, if you are anywhere near colorado springs, I'll do it for ya. Just be sure you do not release the volume buttons when popping in the battery. What works for me, is to hold the phone face down in my palm, with the usb cable plugged in. Find the right angle to hold it and keep the volume buttons depressed, and in goes the battery. Again, good luck friend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's exactly what I have been doing. If the fingers slip off, I start over. It is the oddest thing. I have experienced troubles before with other phones, but none this difficult. Im not real close to CO or I would take you up on it. I'm in TX. It doesn't matter how long I hold the vol button after the batt is put in, it only shows the gray batt and non-animated loading icon.
Someone mentioned the hardkey lock. I have never heard of this...

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swehes said:
OP:
How to get into download mode
1) remove battery
2) plug battery in again
3) hold down the two volume buttons but not the power button
4) plug USB into the computer
5) plug usb into the phone
Voila! you are in the download mode (if your aren't hardkey locked)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a way around this hardkey lock?

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^ by using a JIG, a guy on Team Whiskeys site sells them at a very good price.
JIG = 100% download mode.

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s15274n said:
^ by using a JIG, a guy on Team Whiskeys site sells them at a very good price.
JIG = 100% download mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also links to places how to make them
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=819551
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732458&highlight=bricked

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Sorry for the bad image but this is now the screen Im getting.
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