yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] StrumerJohn:
This thread is now irrelevant as Jellybean is available for the device.
​

The old post can be found below:

As of right now be sure that you all are extemely cautious when trying to flash any type of ICS package (be it firmware, a ROM, or any type of system running it). Our tablet may have an issue with ICS as many other galaxy devices have. A bug currently exists that corrupts the mounting of the data partition on the device which *MAY* lead to a permanent hard bricking of your device.

This is currently a very RARE issue, however, those who are not well educated in Android development and that do not know how to 100% reset their tablet should refrain from flashing any type of ICS ROM or ODIN package.

If you have already flashed an ICS ODIN package or are running CM9 safely and have been for a good amount of time, then my guess is that this issue will not effect you, BUT it may strike you at any given time!

For those of you who insist on upgrading to ICS, *PLEASE* backup your entire ROM and make sure that you have the stock HC ODIN package. Although it probably won't help having them if you are hard bricked.​

A quote from an effected user:

A quote from an effected user:

A quote from an effected user:

If you have flashed ICS and you have bricked your device I am sorry. I know there are a few people out there who have....

To conclude, everybody please be careful about tinkering with your device. I know ICS has great speed enhancements and all, but as of right now your box of ice cream sandwiches may or may not be poisoned.
​

For the daredevils:

CM9 [View thread]

Guide to flashing ICS [View thread]

EDIT: Our case is not the same as the other galaxies.... Ours effects the data partition while theirs effects their emmc... I'm assuming ours may be a bug with the firmware installation / recovery as it was with theirs however I'm not sure why it is effecting users on CM9....

EDIT 2: We should all be cautious and NOT wipe at all using Samsung's ICS Recovery. I was chatting with aorth and he suggested that that may be the cause of the issue. His recovery (or the one I posted in my guide) are safe to wipe on.

EDIT 3: I guess we also have reports of the emmc being corrupted as well...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] giangp1:
Just don't wipe data/factory reset using recovery ICS (RECOVERY 3e). Use recovery 5.5.0.4 or 6.0.x.x......only you wipe for up new rom, everything will be OK.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] maelfilk:
Yeah, i experienced this type of total brick. I flashed p6200 ics firmware with mobile odin and than did factory reset in ics recovery mode. I think this was the reason of hard brick. After some time tablet did shut down and didn't turn on. Service fixed the problem, they said that main board died.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] StrumerJohn:
Ignore this post.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] ringnutz:
I really don't think it was a problem with upgrading. I had been on cm9 for over a month, then I woke up one morning and it was bootlooping. I got all the can't mount data errors afterwards, so it's either a hardware problem or cm9 is somehow magically corrupting the /data partition. I hadn't even installed anything recently

EDIT: Samsung just sent me the email that the repair is finished, they replaced the main board, so it definitely was a hardware problem.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] kzoodroid:
This issue was brought up a couple months ago by aorth, I think its in his CM9 thread or in one of the rooting or CWM threads. I don't think it is an issue that will be going away any time soon as Samsung isn't in any hurry to fix it, that is if they even can or want to.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] komoornik:
Using stock ICS for almost 3 weeks now.

I was backing up and restoring all of the partitions via CWM 6.0.1.0 two times.

Nothing weird happening for the moment.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Kuniokun:
I use the ics wipe/factory reset and I don't have any problem, I have 6210 .
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Bad2hold:
Well, aorth entioned sth like this before, here his post:

I got this bad firmware revision too, but iam still safe after 2 months
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] ringnutz:
I'm not sure if I had the bad one, but mine worked fine for months too. Then out of the blue it bootlooped and when I tried to fix it by reverting to stock, I got the error. Hopefully when it comes back it will have a different firmware revision (if that's what the problem was)
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] 02xda2:
:) I flashed my tab with 'P6200OXALQ1_P6200XXLQ1_P6200XXLQ1' on 19th July - so far nothing has happened.... and it is working much faster than the 3.2 Honeycomb it came with.:fingers-crossed: Using Stock kernel/recovery... only rooted using temporary touch recovery.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Dushaine:
If you flashed it using Mobile Odin that's normal because it uses its own recovery.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] EnTg888:
Ok, so what's the verdict? This bug sounds very scary.

Given that I'm running a stock ICS flashed via ODIN, should I be running:

-Stock recovery

-CWM

-Something else

to avoid bricking while factory reset?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Kuniokun:
I also use mobile Odin to flash ics and no problem. So, could you say that with Mobile Odin are safe from this problem?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] rendler:
Just read this http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/xj2hd/i777_superbrick/, seems some of the things said could be relevant for us.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] suomaf:
I have a galaxy note and Entropy who is dealing directly with samsung on this issue has a thread over on the galaxy note page. Lots of information over there.

I use the free emmc bug check app by vinagre https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.vinagre.android.emmc_check&hl=en to check my samsung devices on ics. Not entirely sure that the same case applies for the note and the tab plus though but it does give me peace of mind.

Just to err on the side of caution, I always odin flash back to gingerbread to wipe cache and other stuff before upgrading. This seems to have worked for me so far. *fingers crossed*

Check out that app above, its free and have a read of entropy's thread http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1698977 but beware they don't take kindly to noob questions. I just mainly read entropy's updates and replies and ignore most of the rest of the stuff there.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Zarvox:
Is there any chance to bring my tab to life has the repair center hasen't repaired mine :(
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] thghost:
hi,

i have flashed the stock ICS, the Austrian version using ODIN3. i have been running it since july 18th.

so far i dont see any problem with my tab..

just to say, i have flashed the firmware atleast 3 times, just as an exercise. and have factory reset it after ICS flash atleast like 5 times now.

everything so far works fine. i use the stock recovery for factory reset.

after the 1st flash, i had root.. then thought of unrooting, so flashed the firmware 2 more times.

and in between the flashes, i have factory reset a lot of times.

so far, the bootloop problem which i used to have when on HC, is not there. hopefully, it wont occur in ICS.

hope, this helps developers.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] giangp1:
Use pit file (tab 7.7) in topic of hg42 - galaxy note this forum.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1667886

Or use this method:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1661590
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Zarvox:
Thanks with manual method described in this thread I've confirmation that my data partition became corrupted.

Yes it is alive !!! :)

I've deleted mmcblk0p9 (DATAFS on my P6210) and recreate one with smaller size (3 GB) than normal (15.2 GB).

When the tablet boot I realise I've 1.68 GB of storage :(

Now I may increase the size of data but previous tries told me if data reach 5 GB in size the creation of partition fail.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] veyka:
Thread stuck.

I'm sorry to hear you guys are being hit with this as well, this iffy eMMC chip seems to be everywhere :(
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] kats17:
Hi I have upgraded to 4.0.4 using mobile odin and flashed CWM 6.0.1.0 using the same..

I checked using chainfire bug app and it shows warning! what should I do? Should i flash stock HC 3.2???

Plz advice..
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Zarvox:
Only stock recovery is affected by the bug not CWM.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] necrohades:
i'm kinda new to this tab, and coming from a mobile phone, i'm a bit confused with a few terms.

a question i hope you guys can answer: is doing a factory reset from settings = factory reset/wipe with stock recovery?

thanks!
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] samarth14feb:
I am on official ICS rom (open Austria) with clockworkmod 6.x.x.x by Aaorth. Aaorth has replied saying Mmc _cap erase command is disabled in his CWM 6.X.X.X having its own kernel. its a great relief :to know that I can wipe or factory reset withought having to worry much ) :) he claims to have made CM9 and CM10 safe from d emmc bug as well ..
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] stavrosg:
Exactly what happened to me. RMA'd the unit. Got it back, installed cwm 6.x and cm10.

Everything is perfect so far fingers crossed.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] DivinityCycle:
Add me to the list of folks who apparently got bit by this bug.

I had the T-Mobile T869 variant of the device, which I must say is pretty swank. However, I was only able to get ahold of a flashable copy of CWM6 for it AFTER I had killed my device by running a "Factory reset" from the stock recovery software.

Once I had CWM 6 up and running, I could tell I've got the error in my /data partition because nothing I tried would allow it to mount.

Obviously, with no working /data partition available, a lot of stuff fails to work, so the device won't boot.

I've got an RMA initiated with T-Mobile, should be getting my replacement unit in 4 days or so.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] kersey:
Have had to RMA my Tab too after forgetting not to use stock recovery to wipe :o
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] bossie1975:
I thought I'd post my story here... Seems like I bricked "my precious" :crying::crying::crying:

I wanted to install CM10, but did it the wrong way around (first flashed CWM 6.0.0.8 and then tried to get root..) I wanted to reverse and strat from stock(honeycomb) again, but in recovery I did a factory reset which ended up "soft" bricking my device. No matter what I tried (heimdall, odin, wipes in recovry) nothing works...

Let this be a warning!!! When on ICS never, I REPEAT, NEVER!!! do a factory reset in recovery!!!!

Now let's hope my P6200 will be repaired/reset under waranty, as I didn't flash and/or rooted the Tab (yet...)

Did anyone send their device back to a service desk yet, and what did they say??? #just curious
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] stavrosg:
After a certain point, mine was completely dead (meaning it wouldn't even power on).

I would odin flash the stock rom (even though it'll hang at data). then RMA the unit.

Samsung support is awesome. I don't see you having a problem
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] mfirdaus_azizi:
Just to share my experiance... I flashed the ICS in early and suddenly had some random boot 1-2 days ago. Suddenly this morning my tab got stuck at Samsung boot logo. I never did a wipe using stock recovery since I always used the CWM thing. I tried to do the wipe using CWM 6 but failed (keeps on rebooting while trying to clear /data).

So I tried to flashed via Odin using the stock PIT file (and chose REPARTITION). I downloaded the latest stock ICS ROM for my country (Malaysia). The flashing process went smoothly but I did not manage to reboot. Got stuck at the Samsung logo for an hour plus.

I gave up and left the tab switched ON with the power supply charging. When I checked back around 2-3 hours later, the tab was back alive like nothing happen. I didn't lose any data, but my firmware was updated (my previous firmware was the first ICS rom released, now I'm using the August release for Malaysia).

Not sure if I'm lucky or what, but maybe the info above can help others :laugh:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] kraken77:
Need your help urgent. Sorry if i posted in wrong thread

can anybody help me? My tab bricked when i try to install kernel beta. on my official ICS firmware. It stuck on samsung logo. then i format it using the latest cwm (installed it before my tab got stuck), it doesnt help me, flashing back to the normal kernel also didn't help me. I also try to flash HC and ICS firmware using odin but suddenly odin said fail to flash, error because it didnt detect my usb when it try to flash the firmware but in odin, it was yellow meaning to say that im connected to the computer, i have already try to reinstall the driver but still the problem insist. Now my tab showing connect to recovery in kies emergency firmware. I already try that but kies stuck on connecting. My tab can only enter DOWNLOAD MODE but not recovery mode. when i press power+volume up it didnt bring me to the recovery mode but it bring me to the screen where it tell me to connect kies. Flashing using odin failed many time. so what should i do now? I CAN ONLY ENTER DOWNLOAD MODE. im very sad right now. Any suggestion and help would be appreciated. Thanks. (SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH)
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] bujai5279:
Try check this link. Hope will help u..:)

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=31915442
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Angultra:
Darn, mine bricked as well, loading ROM via Odin or temp CWM results in endless logo or bootloop. There are issues with data / emmc mounting just like you said.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] kraken77:
nevermind dude. i already fix my phone by flashing HC firmware and original tab plus pit file. :) anyway thank you for helping me.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] jijus:
Unbricked my T869 the noobway

Bricked my T869 while trying to root, did not read this warning post

So I was able to boot to download mode (restart holding power and volume down, them confirming by pressing volume up)

Downloaded Odin from http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1367478

Then installed the pit file from this post

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1667886

Used the patched version which says from 281 to 4881 or something like that I don’t remember exactly which one but it started from 4000

Then downloaded current rom from http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1367478

Installed it using Odin

reboot:laugh:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] KwiHa:
Hi Guys,

Anyone here? :)

It seems my tab is ahnged up during the flashing... almost 40 minutes:

<ID:0/010> Firmware update start..

<ID:0/010> cache.img

Any idea how can is go forward without brick it?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Tarasque174:
MY tab was BRICKED but I fixed it with the EMMC Patched Pit files and flashing HC with the reset time unchecked. Worked like a charm!! But now I only have 755MB of internal memory! is there a way to fix this? I Tried formating SD Card,Cache,Data and still reverts back to 755 MB. Any suggestions. Really sucks to have 16G of internal memory that you can't even use any more!

Well I got my Tab back to life!!! And it had 755MB of internal storage. So I took a risk and went into Recovery (6.0.1.0) and Formatted Data,Cache,SD,Partition. And loaded up ICS. Everything went well!! I didn't get the full 16G back but I got 10G's back! And hey.... 10 is way better then 755MB!! But I haven't tried any ROM's yet. I feel like I lost a child the past 4 days without my Tab. So I'm just going to stick with stock for a while!! :)
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] KwiHa:
It seems I was lucky... after one hour, just disconnected the tab from USB and started well with old system. :victory:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] arda99:
so whats the safe way to do factory reset/wipe cache in ICS? is CWM 6.0.1.0 OK?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] maelfilk:
Well i once did wipe on stock rom with cwm and it completely corrupted data partition (or how it is called) so i had to give my tablet to service center. Stock rom has rfs file system and our cwm, as i think, only handles ext4.

If you want to do wipe on 4.0.4 do it from settings.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] arda99:
Per my understanding, wiping from settings is using stock kernel which will definitely trigger the bug

and on cwm, with its own kernel it might be a safe one and not affected by the emmc bug. And, if cwm can't handle reiserfs how can we write things to system partition??
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] maelfilk:
Wiping from settings is 100% safe and cwm does not use kernel of its own unless you flashed one (but there is no custom kernel yet).
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] DigitalMD:
There is a lot of conflicting claims as to what is safe and what is not safe in this thread. Can someone answer this definitively and substantiate your information please.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] StrumerJohn:
Nothing is 100% safe. That's how unsure we are about everything. We have an unusual eMMC chip in our device that Samsung seemed to have programmed wrong both at a software and hardware level. That is why to be SAFER (still not 100% safe) our custom ROMs such as Paranoid Android, AOKP, CM, Elements HD, etc have weird install methods such as flashing wiping and flashing and wiping flashing and then flashing.

The only way to SAFELY wipe data and play with other partition wipes is on HoneyComb. You can try these methods by other people, however the most stable way is to be on ClockwordMod Recovery (CWM / CWM Recvoery) and either:

1. Flash ROM

2. Wipe

3. Flash ROM

or

1. Wipe

2. Flash ROM

(reboot)

3. Flash ROM

I'm not a Hardware Engineer or anything, but I did read up on this for the S II and other devices. Don't go betting your life on this post, it may have faults and or be faulty, but for what I've tested and played around with, it's the most STABLE.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] DigitalMD:
The brickbug appears on many Samsung devices and Samsung has a software fix in the new JB kernels. It does not repair already bricked devices, but prevents the offending commands from happening on future ROMs. Developers should read the thread below and add this safe fix to their kernel or CWM recovery.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1698977&page=33
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] SudoHalt:
Confused

I am now confused... I have flashed an official ICS ROM (the Austrian one, with baseband version of P6200XXLQ1). I find it to be buggy. I wanted to downgrade back to HC, but after seeing this I feel very worried about my device getting the same problem. And the bigger problem is that Warranty is void (after a drop on a corner, the glass shattered) and it is rooted. Do you recommend me to downgrade to HC or not?

I have flashed ICS on this device after a few days from the time when the first Austrian ROM started rolling out. I still didn't get a problem till now.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] abrahamt24:
are flashing JB could lead the device into hardbrick.?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] DigitalMD:
the only way to have brick bug is to do a system wipe / factor reset using the stock ICS or stock ICS recovery. Stock HC doesn't cause it and CWM version 6 + do not cause it.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] Beackman:
The tip is to use the scanner file over the recovery to check all partitions, i have check mine today and is all ok with the partitions, no "bad blocks", i use the CMW recovery on JB paranoid android 2.50.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] citifone:
I have a P6200L that I just did a hard reset wipe (vol up+power). After that it just keeps bootloop and won't start. I tried to flash using Odin with PIT file but it won't flash...I read this thread and it seems very complicated to revive it. Is there any easier way to fix this tab? Thanks
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] supersincero:
doubts

I have P6200L.

Would like to know if I flash with JB ou GB I can do a Recovery.?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] jay2the1:
Does this brick bug only affect restoring an affected device with the Power + Vol Up method and not via using the reset option in Settings, or does it affect everything? Or only if it's updated via Odin?

I updated a WiFi only version, it came with Honeycomb and I updated it via kies to ICS it has since been updated to JB over the air, is that safe now?

Main question is using the restore in Settings safe if a device potentially has the brick bug?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] StrumerJohn:
Irrelevant

Thread updated.

Ignore this stickied post if you're on Jellybean. The older OP can still be found by clicking the spoiler button, however it was not properly made (I'm sorry) and it does not help very much. I no longer own this device so I can't say more on the older Ice Cream Sandwich bug. I do know however that Jellybean will NOT experience this issue.​
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] DarkRidder:
Guys where can I get the Oficial Samsung ROM for my device? Thanks in advance
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] loolser:
sammobile.com or just install kies on pc n plug tab n check newest update
[Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus] DarkRidder:
I want the ROM to flash it again. Going to search on SamMobile
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] RAZR2GS3:
Who in this forum has their GS3 rooted and using WiFi tether instead of using FoxFi?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] crabapples:
/raises hand
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] PJnc284:
Rooted and using Wifi Tether for Root Users. Just have to select Samsung Galaxy Nexus (CDMA/LTE) under device profile in the app settings.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] RAZR2GS3:
Which root did you use?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] PJnc284:
Used the invisiblek root the first time and odin'd back to stock last night and used the easy root tool here. Worked fine on both
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] jokerxfn:
I'm using the Synergy Rom

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1792499

It works straight after reboot, no tweaking involved.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] majixx11:
^ I rooted with root66, currently using synergy ROM with jellybomb theme and all works fine. I can run all my home internet off the phone this way.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] rickdog:
lost wifi tethering

unfortunately, i rerooted after the ota update (jb) and can no longer get wifi tether for root users to work :(

haven't found any solution yet...
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] prdog1:
Need to use this one. It was modded for JB. :cool:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1988735
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] rickdog:
awesome! thanks for the tip! :D
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] tanda4:
Tried pulling the battery, etc. Help?
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] Death&co:
You need to give a bit more information on what exactly happened mate
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] CZ Eddie:
How was the battery?
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] tanda4:
More info - Sorry... I'm a little nervous...

I was in the middle for flashing a rom and it turned off and hasn't turned back on yet. There is no LED light, even when plugged into the charger. I tried pulling the battery, plugged and unplugged USB, sim, SD card with no luck.
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] defnow:
Was your battery charged when you were flashing? Probably dead battery. Leave it on the charger for a while.
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] mrhaley30705:
What were you flashing?
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] tanda4:
The Task & Ktoonsez ROM
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] mrhaley30705:
Absolutely no activity. Hmm. Sound like a hard brick to me. You could try an external charger for the battery, but it sounds like you bricked it.

You were flashing the version for your phone, not another carrier, right?
[AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III] crash822:
Try getting into download mode maybe. I haven't experienced it on this phone but on my infuse it was once bricked to where I had no video at all. Odin was still able to pick it up on a com port though which let me reflash stock.
[AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL] big70tom:
Try it. I really like it.
[AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL] atticusmas:
Wtf...
[AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL] _MetalHead_:
Why use Holo when you can use an actual ICS launcher like Nova?
[AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL] bloodrain954:
Don't try it. I don't like it.
[AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL] abhipati:
Tired i really do not like it :banghead:

From beast called HTC One X