Hello all !!!
For a long time now i've been reading and enjoying XDA forums (with several devices along the years)
i guess it's finally my time to post a question i haven't been able to figure out
The story goes like this -
I had a sudden death syndrome , (unfortunately my /efs folder wasn't backed up ).
My phone was stuck on boot.
At first i tried to wipe cache/ dalvik / factory reset as i thought it's some other regular problem solved by the normal means .
i also couldn't restore from backup (with an error message i don't remember). anyways i understood i had to backup my /efs folder so i switched to twrp . did a backup with it to the efs folder which i think was corrupted (it size was 0 MB).
what i did next was to flash a stock rom and restore efs with twrp (hope i was wrong and it wasn't corrupted) (the twrp still says its 0 MB).
now my phone is with twrp and stock and is still stuck on boot.
what can i do next? how to get it back running - and then i guess my imei would be gone ... ??/
thanks!
(I have an i9300 which i bought on ebay an i dont know the original stock )
Take it to a reputable repair centre who can recode your efs, without a valid efs backup there is nothing you can do.
Sudden death syndrome means a dead motherboard, you don't have that although your emmc chip might be damaged.
Thanks for the quick reply!!
would recovering my efs be possible if my phone can get only to recovery/download mode ?
gap12 said:
Thanks for the quick reply!!
would recovering my efs be possible if my phone can get only to recovery/download mode ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
0mb is bad news.
Recovery and Download won't offer much help in this case.
~ RazorMC
Thank you all!
how would you suggest i get it back running android ? (any ROM)...
gap12 said:
Thank you all!
how would you suggest i get it back running android ? (any ROM)...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone?
RazorMC said:
0mb is bad news.
Recovery and Download won't offer much help in this case.
~ RazorMC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so..how would you suggest i get it back running android ? (any ROM)...
Take it to a local shop for repair or you're other choice is Sammy service center. My guess is that you're local shop won't be able to fix this without replacing the mother board. Either way this is going to cost you a bit. Sorry:thumbup:
RazorMC said:
0mb is bad news.
Recovery and Download won't offer much help in this case.
~ RazorMC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/help/samsung-galaxy-s3-s-n-imei-dead-alive-t2732358 try this. I repair my phone like this but it was on. . Try with recovery or odin mode to connect to the program in link.
Thank you both!!!
Related
Hi guys,
I have an international galaxy s3 (GT-I9300), it's about one month old. And here is my problem, I can't turn it on, it get's stuck on the main logo, where it says 'Samsung galaxy SIII GT-I9300', no animation afterwards. I can access recovery and download mode too.
So, what did I have? I had the latest firmware (I9300XXELLA_I9300VFGELL3_CNX) (android 4.2 on romanian vodafone carrier), I had root access, Siyah kernel v1.8.9, flashed the bestMultiTaskingFix 7. I deleted everyone root app mentioned on the siyah kernel page, only had the Swapper 2.
What might have happened? I tried to use the swapper, with setting a swap partition (/dev/block/mmcblk1p2). For a while, not more than an hour, my phone worked, after that a sudden freeze and nothing happened. I rebooted it but nothing happend (paragraph 1). If I enter the recovery mode, it says it cannot mount the EFS partition.
I tried restoring the stock firmware, siyah kernel, stock kernel, other rom, CWM recovery, reflash stock firmware with .PIT file, in Odin: Phone EFS clear, full NAND restore, but nothing worked...
I don't have a backup of the EFS partition, nor a USB JIG, JTAG or any other magical devices, only a lap-top and a USB cable.
P.S: I sent it in to the carrier service center, but unfortunately the flash counter showed 9, which I couldn't reset because the phone won't turn on. So, they told I can say goodbye to my warranty forever and I should also pay 150 euros.
Any idea how I could fix it by myself? Or should I take it to someone who has some kind of magical device (as mentioned above) to repair it?
you cleared your EFS from Odin? why in the world would you do that? nothing you can do without a backup
Yeah, I did clear the EFS partition in my desperate attemp to bring my phone back to life. But not even this worked. As far as I know, it should have at least boot up even with broken/ no efs. But, that's my luck.
So, any suggestions?
No backup from EFS means a trip to the service center.
No way to restore it yourself.
Verzonden door mijn GT-I9300 met xda premium
Yup, I know, I've sent my phone to the carrier's service center, but they want way too much money. Some guy can fix it for me for much less money. Anyway, I've read somewhere that if I have a working EFS partiton, Kies can repair it somehow... sooo, what if i restore someone else's EFS partition data?
jaszfalvi.tamas said:
Yup, I know, I've sent my phone to the carrier's service center, but they want way too much money. Some guy can fix it for me for much less money. Anyway, I've read somewhere that if I have a working EFS partiton, Kies can repair it somehow... sooo, what if i restore someone else's EFS partition data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are going to have to find that i read somewhere post .
jje
Yeah, if someone could help me find that, I would be very grateful
jaszfalvi.tamas said:
Yeah, if someone could help me find that, I would be very grateful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Our Android founder mr google will help.
jje
nothing you can do, that's it. read before doing anything with your phone
Hi guys i have a issue here.
My phone was initially rooted in clockworkmod and running cyogenomod 10. But the rom kept hanging which pisses me a little.
So, i did a stock rom install using odin. After the reflash, i can see and hear the startup music, thereafter, it starts to restart. From there on, it reloops at the samsung S3 GT-I9300.
I tried to send to samsung for repair and they couldnt resolve this. Instead the recovery mode was restored back to the original (without clockworkmod now).
With my issues, can you guys help me on this whether can i restore the phone again? Appreciate your comments!
*BTW, i had backup in clockworkmod on my external sd card.
factory reset
Glebun said:
factory reset
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Click to collapse
sorry, i am noob on this, how do i do a factory reset?
kamiru21 said:
sorry, i am noob on this, how do i do a factory reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BASICS
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1927113
or return the phone to a service centre .
jje
Could not do factory reset in software because i cant even get to that.
Did the "reset" in recovery mode by deleting user data files, doesn't work
Is this a complete brick for me?
I do not wanna send in the phone for the MB changeout till i can resolve this.
Anyone knows what to do next? Appreciate the help given.
kamiru21 said:
Could not do factory reset in software because i cant even get to that.
Did the "reset" in recovery mode by deleting user data files, doesn't work
Is this a complete brick for me?
I do not wanna send in the phone for the MB changeout till i can resolve this.
Anyone knows what to do next? Appreciate the help given.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you wont read the basics then yes take to service and pay for a repair as you do not have a clue what you are doing its safer .
jje
I also think something went wrong while flashing. As stated above, try factory reset and flash again. My guess would be you forgot to wipe your (Dalvik) cache, had a similar problem.
JJEgan said:
If you wont read the basics then yes take to service and pay for a repair as you do not have a clue what you are doing its safer .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, i will try to read the rest. Seems a lot though.
kuhfi said:
I also think something went wrong while flashing. As stated above, try factory reset and flash again. My guess would be you forgot to wipe your (Dalvik) cache, had a similar problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
u meant the deletion of the cache in recovery mode?
If that is, i had done that also.
You said Samsung didn't manage to fix it? It it was a local repair center?
The only thing to do is to flash a whole complete stock Rom with Odin, see in stock roms there's I'm general section to grab one. You can try also to use Samsung s3 toolkit in original android section, stickies.. if you have a Rom image it will be easier to flash it with it no risk messing with Odin settings.
Perhaps you should read about pit corruption, it can be this also.
Striatum_bdr said:
You said Samsung didn't manage to fix it? It it was a local repair center?
The only thing to do is to flash a whole complete stock Rom with Odin, see in stock roms there's I'm general section to grab one. You can try also to use Samsung s3 toolkit in original android section, stickies.. if you have a Rom image it will be easier to flash it with it no risk messing with Odin settings.
Perhaps you should read about pit corruption, it can be this also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it is the official samsung service centre. And their service and knowledge really sucks....(in my country)
Thx bro, i will read up and check on PIT corruption as well.
kamiru21 said:
Hi guys i have a issue here.
My phone was initially rooted in clockworkmod and running cyogenomod 10. But the rom kept hanging which pisses me a little.
So, i did a stock rom install using odin. After the reflash, i can see and hear the startup music, thereafter, it starts to restart. From there on, it reloops at the samsung S3 GT-I9300.
I tried to send to samsung for repair and they couldnt resolve this. Instead the recovery mode was restored back to the original (without clockworkmod now).
With my issues, can you guys help me on this whether can i restore the phone again? Appreciate your comments!
*BTW, i had backup in clockworkmod on my external sd card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a short update, i had install clockworkmod. But still facing similar issues.
Tried PIT flashing method, still no help...
Hello.. I have faced similar issue in India with looping of logo on my Galaxy S3.
I went to the official service center and they flashed my phone 2 times with original stock rom but the issue did not go.
Finally they have to replace my phone's mother board completely and it got resolved.
I am still not sure how this has happened or is it some kind of virus.. but i was watching a video and my phone hanged and looping of logo started on my S3.
Good that my phone was under warantee so i did not have to pay any money...
But some senior members should through some light on it...
Hi Guys,
i managed to get it back to stock rom by flashing the below linked rom.
The samsung service are really......What they can't solve, they would use the worst scenario which is to change the board...
Actually i have been charged (30 bucks) by them which they can't resolve. They told me that they had flashed the ROM and that incured the charges....I was thinking wat dafuq....Cannot resolve still have the cheek to charge me. Anyway in short, they void my warranty because they saw the cwm. They were very happy when they saw that.... Anyway the warranty left 3 months, not of a issue to me.
For people who have the same issue with me, just flashed the rom (JB) that was in the below link. All the best.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1825272
And not forgetting the seniors and juniors whom helped. Appreciate that!
I was running CyanogenMod 10.1 ROM with SiyahKernel v-1.9.1. My phone ran out of battery, so I went to charge it, I turned it on and it became stuck at the ''SAMSUNG S3 GT-I9300'' logo. I left it there for 30 min. nothing happened, I took the battery out and the same thing. So I decided to flash again the Stock Firmware with ODIN (obiously ), It flashed it with no problems, but it is the same. I tried so many things and searched in so many posts and nothing helped me. Sorry for writing long and for bothering! Thx!
Plenty of reasons why your phone won't boot, running the battery until shut down increases the risk of corrupting files or even partition. If the stock rom flashed via odin successfully then there should be nothing wrong, you did factory reset and clear caches before you booted, right?
factory reset from recovery
boomboomer said:
Plenty of reasons why your phone won't boot, running the battery until shut down increases the risk of corrupting files or even partition. If the stock rom flashed via odin successfully then there should be nothing wrong, you did factory reset and clear caches before you booted, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I did it nothing happened... But when I put it into Recovery its says E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument) it has something to do with it?
yes. restore your backed up EFS folder.
Or if you didn't back it up, then send it to service. Use search for loads of similar posts.
Glebun said:
yes. restore your backed up EFS folder.
Or if you didn't back it up, then send it to service. Use search for loads of similar posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh god so there is no way I can fix it? Here the Samsung service is soooo expensive :crying:
If you didn't read the instructions that said you should back up the folder before doing anything, then no
Glebun said:
If you didn't read the instructions that said you should back up the folder before doing anything, then no
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got an EFS file that I got from my father's phone, is there a way to take out the file that contains his IMEI and recover mine with other things? It is possible?
juanca530 said:
I just got an EFS file that I got from my father's phone, is there a way to take out the file that contains his IMEI and recover mine with other things? It is possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO
jje
juanca530 said:
I just got an EFS file that I got from my father's phone, is there a way to take out the file that contains his IMEI and recover mine with other things? It is possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe, but you won't get any support on xda about that, because it can be used for illegal purposes
Glebun said:
maybe, but you won't get any support on xda about that, because it can be used for illegal purposes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx for the help guys! I'll keep investigating.
Apologies for this being my first post, but I need some of your opinions/advice...
I fix phones for friends and friends of friends, and changed the glass on a Galaxy S3. It worked fine, turned on and that was that. Gave it back to the owner.
Later that day I get a call saying it won't turn on, and cycles the network logo and Samsung logo. Sure enough it does.
When in recovery mode I get this error:
'E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument)'
It won't wipe data/factory reset giving the same error as a reason.
1). Is this any way related to the glass change?! Or is it a software only problem?
2). Would any one be so kind as to point me in the direction of a fix?
Thanks in advance
anonymousirritator said:
Go in the direction of your nearest mobile repair shop.
Ps-thank me.
sent from nokia 1100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I would like to know whether it is a result of something I've done to the device? Any thoughts?
Ok, thanks.
Will_S said:
Ok, thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't have thought replacing the glass would cause the boot loop, if it booted normally afterward. Did the phone get a firmware update of any kind afterward?
It would be worth flashing an EMG4 stock rom via a pc to see if that enables the efs folder to be read again, factory reset in recovery first.
If you have a backup of the efs folder then you could format the partition and restore the backup -don't do this unless you have a valid backup.
boomboomer said:
I wouldn't have thought replacing the glass would cause the boot loop, if it booted normally afterward. Did the phone get a firmware update of any kind afterward?
It would be worth flashing an EMG4 stock rom via a pc to see if that enables the efs folder to be read again, factory reset in recovery first.
If you have a backup of the efs folder then you could format the partition and restore the backup -don't do this unless you have a valid backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't have thought the glass would have caused a boot loop. That's all I've done to it - change the glass and turn it on to test. Gave it back working. Nothing has been done by me to the software.
I'll try what you suggest, thanks. I doubt there is an efs backup, I don't have one.
Hello, I have a Galaxy S3 (GT-I9300) phone that is not feeling so well.
On startup it freezes indefinitely on the Samsung boot logo.
I am able to get into recovery and download mode.
In recovery I get errors - unable to mount Data, and unable to mount EFS.
The phone is recognized by the computer, both in Kies and Odin so flashing is possible.
It is not rooted and completely stock. Problem is that I don't know what version firmware it had.
There is unbacked information on the phone I'd like to recover.
What I've tried: Within Kies>Firmware upgrade and initialization (second option under tools) I enter the model number and then the serial, but I just get a message along the lines of "please check your model" (I entered GT-I9300).
The phone is generic international version from 2012, untouched (version-wise) since.
I very much appreciate any idea that might fix this. How can I find the right firmware? will it erase my memory? how can I restore the EFS partition?
Stock Rom
Hey there. Creat a free account on the Sammobile Website. Than you can download this file from here:
HTML:
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/3/?download=33625
Flash it through odin as PDA. Should work fine
Tkkg1994 said:
Hey there. Creat a free account on the Sammobile Website. Than you can download this file from here:
Flash it through odin as PDA. Should work fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will it work even though it is intended for Android 4.3? The phone originally came with 3.0 or 3.1
Also I believe flashing firmware will not fix EFS?
Jup
Yes it does. It comes with 4.0.4 out of the box And it will work
Tkkg1994 said:
Yes it does. It comes with 4.0.4 out of the box And it will work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES! the new firmware fixed it completely. It is a bit slow, but alas that's probably the phone itself.
To anyone looking in the future:
This problem was caused by a faulty battery - the phone would turn off while working all the time, and eventually it corrupted the data and efs partitions. To my luck upgrading to new firmware fixed the problem.
Thank you.:good:
TCUENGR said:
YES! the new firmware fixed it completely. It is a bit slow, but alas that's probably the phone itself.
To anyone looking in the future:
This problem was caused by a faulty battery - the phone would turn off while working all the time, and eventually it corrupted the data and efs partitions. To my luck upgrading to new firmware fixed the problem.
Thank you.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No Problem man. Your welcome
Tkkg1994 said:
No Problem man. Your welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a very important question with this methode.
Is the phone going back to factory settings??
A friend is having the same problem with his S3, but there are some very impotant pictures of him and his wife on the phone that we try to save(she died a view months ago)
My excuses for the bad english
Greating JW