I've had my GS2 for a little while now and before i starting flashing roms and kernels i'd like to know what are the most common ways of soft and hard bricking the phone.
Being a noob i figure if i find out how its done i can make sure i dont make the same mistakes.
Thanks
Goooober said:
I've had my GS2 for a little while now and before i starting flashing roms and kernels i'd like to know what are the most common ways of soft and hard bricking the phone.
Being a noob i figure if i find out how its done i can make sure i dont make the same mistakes.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple its users not following the instructions usually they cannot be bothered to read and flash with ignorance rather than knowledge . Those who take time to read and understand do not have problems .
SGS2 brick is usually 99% recoverable .
jje
Yep,JJe is totally 100% right.I had never bought a Samsung device before(quite different to root and manage that HTCs after all),but after 2 days of heavy reading,I was already rooted and stuff.That's all you need.There was only one time that my phone seemed unrecoverable,but even then,it just needed flashing a stock rom with a factory reset.
Anyway,most common bricks,eh?Well,a damaged /efs partition will render your phone unusable as,well,a phone.That's why a backup is always recommended/required.Other stuff that'll brick your phone...Well,sometimes,if Kies is running in the background,it will block Odin and the latter will stop flashing and,if it happens in the right(or wrong) moment,your phone will get ****ed up,especially when flashing a bootloader.Also,flashing a .PIT file and repartitioning without knowing you need to do so will probably damage your phone badly.
If you manage to brick it,just make sure the damage is so bad that Samsung won't be able to detect root etc.
the most common would be, flashing something you shouldn't
could be a wrong rom, kernel, having no bootloaders
but if you read carefully the instructions you and your phone will survive
"being an idiot"
Soft bricking: bad rom or kernel flash, boot loops due to framework problems.
Hard bricks: flashing a bad pit, or rom from a different phone eg i9000.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Not reading is THE way to brick your phone.
want to jump to the solution without taking the steps
Don't jump while flashing as that can brick it!! Always take the steps slowly it's safer! http://media.xda-developers.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
Related
i've searched this thread but couldn't find anything helpful..
my question is.. flashing different roms in a few days.. maybe hours.. i could damage my phone somehow? brick it?.. or is it ok to flash an try different roms in so little time?
you can't brick your phone.
the bootloader isn't cracked, just bypassed.
means even if your phone doesn't boot (something went wrong) you can flash it always using SEUS or flashtool
so its safe? well thank you!
no u wont damage ur phone in anyway and as Fingo mentioned the options even if something bad happens!!!
Just confirming it is safe, no risk
Hello
I am totally new to android, i just bought my s3 couple of days ago.
There are still some questions where i cant find the answers.
I just rooted my phone, odin, cwm, super SU no problem, i did a nandroid backup just in case. Backed up some apps with titanium backup.
I thought about backing up my efs. But i cant find the option in cwm.
Now i read something about bricking. And apparently there are soft and hardbricks. So softbricks are the bricks, which wouldnt let you start android but let you access the recovery mode right ?? And hard bricks are the bricks where the phone doesnt respond to anything.
I want to know what causes which brick. Is it true that the s3 has a separate partition only for the download mode, which makes it really hard to hardbrick since you cant mess with this partition? And why do some people still encounter hardbricks, when for example the flash custom roms ?
Shadowspsp said:
Hello
I am totally new to android, i just bought my s3 couple of days ago.
There are still some questions where i cant find the answers.
I just rooted my phone, odin, cwm, super SU no problem, i did a nandroid backup just in case. Backed up some apps with titanium backup.
I thought about backing up my efs.
But i cant find the option in cwm.
>>>>
Nitrality app on the market many custom roms do an auto backup of EFS .
Now i read something about bricking. And apparently there are soft and hardbricks. So softbricks are the bricks, which wouldnt let you start android but let you access the recovery mode right ?? And hard bricks are the bricks where the phone doesnt respond to anything.
I want to know what causes which brick. Is it true that the s3 has a separate partition only for the download mode, which makes it really hard to hardbrick since you cant mess with this partition? And why do some people still encounter hardbricks, when for example the flash custom roms ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Softbrick generally firmware or files conflict but more usual is not following the instructions . Mostly recoverable by recovery mode or download mode .
Hardbrick no recovery and no download mode often a NAND problem
Cause is mostly users totally ignoring the instructions and flashing the wrong firmware for the phone or messing with PIT files .
Custom rom it should be almost impossible to hard brick a phone by flashing one
However it becomes more common as more and more users want an instant fix and refuse to read the instructions and its beyond them to read the custom rom thread for known faults fixes etc .
jje
Shadowspsp said:
Hello
I am totally new to android, i just bought my s3 couple of days ago.
There are still some questions where i cant find the answers.
I just rooted my phone, odin, cwm, super SU no problem, i did a nandroid backup just in case. Backed up some apps with titanium backup.
I thought about backing up my efs. But i cant find the option in cwm.
Now i read something about bricking. And apparently there are soft and hardbricks. So softbricks are the bricks, which wouldnt let you start android but let you access the recovery mode right ?? And hard bricks are the bricks where the phone doesnt respond to anything.
I want to know what causes which brick. Is it true that the s3 has a separate partition only for the download mode, which makes it really hard to hardbrick since you cant mess with this partition? And why do some people still encounter hardbricks, when for example the flash custom roms ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mess around with my android phones a lot but never had a soft or hard brick. My old nexus one had a soft brick after repartitioning the internal memory. The only hard brick I heard of with the S3 was someone who flashed a wrong firmware on his us/canadian version of the S3 (flashed rom which was intended for the international version). Others than that you need to really try hard to hard-brick your phone I guess
Shadowspsp said:
Hello
I am totally new to android, i just bought my s3 couple of days ago.
There are still some questions where i cant find the answers.
I just rooted my phone, odin, cwm, super SU no problem, i did a nandroid backup just in case. Backed up some apps with titanium backup.
I thought about backing up my efs. But i cant find the option in cwm.
Now i read something about bricking. And apparently there are soft and hardbricks. So softbricks are the bricks, which wouldnt let you start android but let you access the recovery mode right ?? And hard bricks are the bricks where the phone doesnt respond to anything.
I want to know what causes which brick. Is it true that the s3 has a separate partition only for the download mode, which makes it really hard to hardbrick since you cant mess with this partition? And why do some people still encounter hardbricks, when for example the flash custom roms ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install Rom Toolbox from Google Play to backup you EFS folder, it will make 2 files (1 .img and 1 .tar file). Store both files on to your pc for safekeeping.
JJEgan said:
Softbrick generally firmware or files conflict but more usual is not following the instructions . Mostly recoverable by recovery mode or download mode .
Hardbrick no recovery and no download mode often a NAND problem
Cause is mostly users totally ignoring the instructions and flashing the wrong firmware for the phone or messing with PIT files .
Custom rom it should be almost impossible to hard brick a phone by flashing one
However it becomes more common as more and more users want an instant fix and refuse to read the instructions and its beyond them to read the custom rom thread for known faults fixes etc .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks !
There is one thing i still dont really get, you said some users flash a wrong rom for their phone can cause a hardbrick.
This root method simply installs ClockworkMod Recovery to the recovery partition and installs Superuser zip file, very safe to do. *With Galaxy S2, recovery partition was part of the kernel and was a bit dangerous but with Galaxy S3, Samsung has made recovery parition separate from the kernel, making it much safer just like how Galaxy Nexus works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So why does flashing a wrong rom cause a hardbrick, does installing a custom rom changes files in this separate partition? If the recovery partition is untouched, doesnt it mean you can always access recovery mode even if you flashed some junk onto your phone?
Shadowspsp said:
Thanks !
There is one thing i still dont really get, you said some users flash a wrong rom for their phone can cause a hardbrick.
So why does flashing a wrong rom cause a hardbrick, does installing a custom rom changes files in this separate partition? If the recovery partition is untouched, doesnt it mean you can always access recovery mode even if you flashed some junk onto your phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, if people flash the wrong PIT file it messes up the partitions on the phone and they are no longer accessible. That is called a hard brick. Can only be fixed in a service center. In post 4 is info about backup of the EFS folder.
Shadowspsp said:
Thanks !
There is one thing i still dont really get, you said some users flash a wrong rom for their phone can cause a hardbrick.
So why does flashing a wrong rom cause a hardbrick, does installing a custom rom changes files in this separate partition? If the recovery partition is untouched, doesnt it mean you can always access recovery mode even if you flashed some junk onto your phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong rom its usually flashing non SGS3 firmware or flashing SGS3 firmware on USA version.
Taking firmware from another forum and flashing it in error .
As said very very hard to hard brick this phone .
jje
Shadowspsp said:
I want to know what causes which brick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only real type of brick is hardbrick. the expression soft brick was invented for situations where you cannot access recovery but are able to restore access to recovery with download mode, or some sort of trick.
If something goes wrong, you can end up with either type of brick. There is no way to predict what will happen if you give the phone a reason to brick, really. In general the main causes for bricking are:
1) Flashing stuff that is not right for your exact phone model
A mistake that has been made by a number of USA SGS3 users, who wanted a ROM made for the international model. Unfortunately the result was usually; Bricked, as in hard brick. To prevent this is is smart to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer version number (in our case GT-i9300 or GT-i9300T) with all phones you ever want to flash anything on, and check if the code corresponds.
It's the same **** in every model range. Flash something for another version and you're in trouble.
2) Corrupted downloads
Sometimes http file transfer doesn't get the files you want to flash across error-free. Usually, this will only give weird errors, for instance a bootloop. Sometimes you may end up with softbrick. If you have a really bad day; Brick. To prevent this it is very important to look for the MD5 checksum of each file, and check if the file is still exactly the same at your end. There is a free app in the market that allows you to do this while booted in android, so you can easily check it right after any download is finished.
3) Powerloss while flashing
Again, usually you can revert to working order with download mode. Still it is very risky. To minimise the chance for this to happen, make sure you only start flashing with your battery at least about half full, and have the battery installed complete with cover, etc. Some people use 30% as the limit. It depends a bit on the size of the ROM you want to backup and/or flash. Backing up and flashing one of those nice 700MB samsung roms might eat into your battery quite a bit.
There may be more reasons but these are afaik the 3 main ones. All easily preventable.
Flashing ROMs for years and found it safe to do so.
Until last week...
there is another hardbrick which I actually experienced on my second device, a Galaxy S2:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1756242
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/hard-brick-bug-on-galaxy-s-ii-and-note-leaked-ics-kernels/
Unsafe kernels/libraries on newer ICS-Roms are obviously able to destroy the system partitions, including the bootmanager, so a hardwarechange is necessary to revive the phone.
Until now, no information available, if our S3 is immune against this one. Several other devices are affected!
Alright I need some help please. First off i need to re-partition my modem and i have no idea how to. Due to constant flashing it screwed something up and i can no longer receive data coverage. Now i looked and looked and i couldn't find anything. So i decided to start a new thread. I need a step by step walk through this will be my first time doing it. And i really don't want to say this cuz i am myself a noob (please no noob's on this one i cant afford another phone). i have had some help by some other people witch was good advice but i have exhausted my options here. I have tried everything from flashing new modems to flashing new ROMS to odin'ing back to stock A.T.T. I'm Stumped i have done absolutely everything i can think of to this phone and still no data. I have the correct apn settings i know that. I'm just completely stumped i dont know what to do.
Phone: Att Samsung Galaxy Note SGH-I717
Android Version: 2.3.6
Okay brother ....I've been digging for gold, And to clarify your issue, you do not need to partition a modem.
You need to repair the device partitions.
Now, this doesn't mean that you should just start changing partitions using CWM or TWRP, or ODIN.
What it does mean, is you need to let Odin do it for you.
I won't take the time to go into PIT files and mapping, as we both would explode from boredom in 10 seconds.
But I will tell you that there are different levels of depth regarding roms and how they flash.
Odin stock roms go pretty deep, but sometimes not deep enough, and Odin will sometimes ignore the PIT remapping function during the flash if the file structure is already present on the device.
That being said, an Odin return to stock is not always successful when seeking a complete restructuring of the device partitions.
However, I have located a rom (factory ICS leak) that contains the entire device partition package, the PIT.IMG Package, baseband, and factory ICS image.
By using this one click Odin file, you will force the device back to factory status using ICS.
This will allow you to push the UCLE2 modem again once you root using CWM.
The ICS root method is slightly different than GB, so check the ICS root info in the super thread before rooting again. This will prevent errors or worse if done incorrectly.
The link below is the most complete package I can find, and includes files not found in the GB Odin.tar.
The file is good. And has been used many times to repair issues we see here.
Take your Time, and read read read....especially when rooting again.
Note: prior to pushing this Odin file, you "MUST" wipe all data and factory reset the device to ensure a "CLEAN" build of the file structure.
And once flashing is complete, follow the root method for ICS... And once rooted, flash the modem by using CWM.
You will need to manually add and save your new APN settings.
Once these steps are complete, you should have a working device with data..
If not, you may have device damage of some kind, which requires a repair of the device by an authorized service center.
I'm uncertain of the software having the ability to damage hardware, but I'm certain it is possible, and you may have this issue.
But if you are willing to try this rom, it will likely help.
Beyond my advice above, I've got nothing more to offer, other than moral support.
Of Course, standard disclaimers apply, and you do this at your own risk ...
Best of luck to you ....g
http://rootzwiki.com/topic/25980-sgh-i717ucle2-official-leak/
alright how do i flash in odin just like a normal .tar file????
nope didnt work
alright man i fill completely stupid 180% i put my girl friends att micro sim in my note it turns out my sim card is bad cuz i got her 4g as soon i i put her sim in but thank u at the same time as i apologize to you cuz i have learned alot from u and u have helped me alot through this issue of mine i fill so dumb right now i truly am sorry for the hassle i have put u through in the last couple of days
Deleted... not a useful comment
Sk84all20 said:
alright man i fill completely stupid 180% i put my girl friends att micro sim in my note it turns out my sim card is bad cuz i got her 4g as soon i i put her sim in but thank u at the same time as i apologize to you cuz i have learned alot from u and u have helped me alot through this issue of mine i fill so dumb right now i truly am sorry for the hassle i have put u through in the last couple of days
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont feel stupid.
We all come here to learn about devices, and the problems that are associated with them.
If nothing else, you've learned many things about Odin, and the importance of taking your time with these things, and about proper setup of the device.
I'm pleased to hear that your device is not damaged, and you are up and running.....g
gregsarg said:
Dont feel stupid.
We all come here to learn about devices, and the problems that are associated with them.
If nothing else, you've learned many things about Odin, and the importance of taking your time with these things, and about proper setup of the device.
I'm pleased to hear that your device is not damaged, and you are up and running.....g
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed, OP my last post wasn't intended to make you feel stupid, I do things exactly like this more than I'd care to admit and I facepalm a lot. I completely forgot to recommend trying different sim chip which is one of the things I always check. My brother gets tired of me stealing his sim card to test my phone haha.
Happy to hear your phone is working!
Thank u all for ur help greatly appreciate it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
I717 Back from the Dead....AWESOME THANKS!!!
WoW I just about wrote off my I717 after a botched JellyBean upgrade. Came across this file and thought it was too good to be true...but is wasn't...GREAT THANKS!!!
Not sure how to delete this, if a mod could please delete as I think this is probably better off in the i9305 Q&A..
I have a few questions all related to avoiding bricking by doing something stupid..
Where does CWM happen in the boot process, is it before the rom is booted?
I guess my real question is, if I decided I wanted to play around with porting ROMs to the i9305 (from i9300) and I stuffed up something majorly that resulted in me not being able to use the phone, will I be able to still get into CWM and restore a NANDROID backup or reinstall a stock i9305 rom?
Is there any possibility of a ROM wiping CWM and me losing access to recovery and my phone?
How hard is it to really brick a phone if you have CWM installed, what would a person need to do? (or more importantly what should someone NOT do if they dont want to end up with a paperweight)
Thanks in advance for your help.
report the post if you want it to be moved
How hard is it to really brick a phone if you have CWM installed, what would a person need to do? (or more importantly what should someone NOT do if they dont want to end up with a paperweight)
Basic reason is EYES = refusing to read FAQS and GUIDES installing wrong firmware etc .In other words 99% users fault .
jje
I have always been interested in playing around and modding my devices but I have never touched android because I have been scared about bricking my device and ruining a perfectly good piece of hardware. I thought I would make a post here and find out some things about android and rom development.
I have a nexus 7 2012 that I don't use a whole lot and I would love to play around with it and find out how everything works. I know how to install roms but I have never made my own. All the guides I see say stick to the instructions or you will brick your device. I did some research and found that most of the time people say bricked they mean soft bricked which can be fixed by booting into recovery mode and reflashing a stock rom. But I have also seen that you can hard brick your device and it can never be fixed.
What I wanted to know is how do I develop my own rom in a safe way that will not hard brick my nexus 7? What are the risks involved with flashing an untested rom? What is the recovery mode and is it possible to damage it while flashing a rom to the device?
I dont really mind my tablet being in an unusable state as long as I can recover it later by reflashing it.
I have just found that I can fix anything by reflashing with fastboot even if the recovery is gone.