yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] aknas22:
HardBricked S3 i747

Hi, I just want to say thanks for everyone's help on this issue. I had some hope after my s3 got hardbricked. I've had it rooted almost since I've gotten it but I've never had any problems until recently. Even though I hadn't changed my rom in a few months my phone started rebooting. It got so bad that it would restart every few seconds. This happened in recovery mode as well but not in download mode. I tried to restore it to stock using a rooted stock rom for the At&t s3 but the phone was stuck on the At&t logo. I then tried to restore a completely stock rom but the phone got disconnected from Odin and then nothing would work. I've followed the directions to write the debrick image for the At&t s3 to an sd card but I can't tell if its writing properly. I have Windows xp and have used win32diskimager and cygwin to write the image. I've used EaseUsPartition Manager to wipe the partitions and everything. My problem is that once I do this the sdcard no longer shows up in My Computer. It also shows up as GPT disk in EaseUs but I can't see any partitions. One think I want to clarify. Are we supposed to wipe or delete partitions? There are options for both in EaseUsPartition Manager. I've done both and get the same results when I use the sdcard in my phone.

I have a 16gb class 10 sdcard so I don't think the card is the problem.

Here is the output when I use cygwin:

$ dd if=/debrick.img of=/dev/sdd
262144+0 records in
262144+0 records out
134217728 bytes (134 MB) copied, 782.129 s, 172 kB/s

When I pop the sdcard in my phone after putting the battery in I then hook it to my computer, and do the three fingered salute. On a consistent basis my phone boots to

BOOT RECOVERY MODE
CHECK BOOT PARTITIONS.
COPY FROM T-FLASH.
BOOT RECOVERY..
WRITE 159488 sectors..
FLASH WRITE FAILURE
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SGH-I47
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: NO
CURRENT BINARY: SAMSUNG OFFICIAL
SYSTEM STATUS: NONE
QUALCOM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE

Sorry for my long post. I've been working on this for hours since Friday and have just about decided to see if I can get an insurance replacement. But before that I decided to see if anyone could help me. Or maybe this will help other people figure out what is going on with their debricking process.

Hope this all made sense.

Thanks again.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
I documented this problem in past post #80 and others, this exactly happened to me when trying to recover my Sprint phone.

This type of damage puts the device in a non-writable state and the de-brick file is unable to write to flash, it fails because

it can not change write permissions and you get FLASH WRITE FAILURE, an Odin will also give you Flash errors.

As for the fact that Windows may or may not recognize the flash card, just a reminder........ although the SD card is initially formatted

to FAT32, once the image is loaded, the image itself contains a non-fat32 file system but an Android file system and many partitions.

Windows generally indicates that the card is not formatted or raw but is visible under 'disk management'. Windows will not read or

understand any file system other than FAT variations, NTFS, exFAT. Android uses EXT4 file system, incompatible with Windows.

Disregarding the file system incompatibilities, if the card image recorded properly, some phones will recover fine using this method.

To summarize, after many different tests and combinations, regretfully for me this method did not work but was able to recover my

phone using JTAG, everything else failed.

Note:

I have been experimenting with another phone but still not able to reproduce the problem, hopefully somebody will eventually come

up with an alternative solution.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] aknas22:
Thank you

Thank you- must have missed post 80. I did see the posts about the file system and other people having the same problem but I failed to put it all together. Guess my brain couldn't handle all the information :). I came across a post about changing a Verizon S3 back to R/W after its been changed to R/O accidentally. Would this help for phones on other carriers? Is there such thing as a bootchain for the at&t version? Is this the same thing as the bootloaders?

Here's the link though I probably came across it while reading this thread.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1840030
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] JubulFoster:
The Mother of All Dumb Moves

Well...gotta confess to being a complete dumbass ass I tried to unlocked my I747 bootloader which was already unlocked! Yes, you have a right to flame me, but be gentle. I used EZUnlocker and it immediately bricked the phone.

I have studied every post on this thread and tried everything but my phone won't boot. It's not completely dead as I can:

1. Get a charging light.

2. It makes windows sounds when plugged into the computer and the power button is pressed.

I am on my 24th hour of tries and retrys but have had no success. My thoughts are:

1. Bad I747 image or image partitions not correct...although they seem to be.

2. Some other hardware issues.

3. Bad USB cable (I've tried two.)

Anybody have any ideas? I will Jtag if I have to but this steams me that I can't make any headway. Maybe I need another I747 image.

Ideas?
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
Boot chain are the processes and a series of steps your phone goes through in order to boot to the operating system.

This boot chain involves a complex interaction between firmware code and software code of the Android system.

Boot-loader, as the name implies, is the part of the boot chain process that starts the Android system and can be modified.

In practice, both boot chains and boot loaders can be manipulated and used independently only if it is software code.

That post that you indicated applies to a Verizon device and possibly to a device that is soft-bricked. If you have a hard-bricked

device where the phone will not go into Download Mode, not even with the SD card method, then nothing of this would work.

As for the method used at the link you indicated, I'm not sure, but I think the boot loader is device specific but the boot chain is similar.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] JubulFoster:
Wouldn't You Know IT!

Right after I posted I said..."One more rewrite to the SD card and I'm giving up."

Sure enough...got into DL mode.

Used the Ubuntu method again...no changes from original post...just rewrote the I747 image to the card and POOF!

Many, many thanks to those who work hard here to help so many of us.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] dwolder:
UnBrick ALMOST worked perfectly.... one problem.

Background:

I thought I would try to install stock 4.3 leak for i747, forgetting that I had i747M! I totally HARD bricked my phone.. not a whimper, except the familiar recognition of a new device type on windows.. but no charging, booting, or even response.

I turned to this thread!

After a lot of searching, I managed to find a debrick.img for the i747M. With that in hand, first using the method utilizing Cygwin, I was able to boot into Download Mode. Hurray! I downloaded the Stock 4.1.2 i747M Bell Image, and fully restored the phone using ODIN.

All seemed great until I removed the debrick SD card, and rebooted. Dead again. With the SD card in, I can reboot. I have tried restoring multiple times, writing a new PIT from another i747M, reinstalling the bootloader... nothing. If the SD Card isn'tin the phone, it's bricked. I am happy my phone is up and running, but it's nasty not having my 16 Gig SD card available, and also, I really need to ensure the battery doesn't die! Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong? Shouldn't I simply need to flash the stock image, and be good!?!

Anyone else having this issue?!? I can completely restore my phone to stock, reinstall clockwork recovery, re-root the phone... but as soon as I take that SD card out... nothing. Dead.

Thanks!
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
First set of booting instructions code, as far as I know, start from flash rom, then it goes to boot-loader and basic functions are initialized.

If this initialization fails, then one of the first instructions after base hardware has started, is to look to boot from external device in this

case the boot gets started from SD card and proceeds to load the rest of the drivers and operating system.

In this case is possible that something happened to the firmware (flash rom) and the device does not even start.

If this happened during a new rom installation, did the installation finished properly in Odin without errors or got interrupted ?

I have installed i747 on a Canadian i747M and did not have any problems but in your case looks like firmware corruption.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] dwolder:
No Errors at all.. just won't boot from phone.

ODIN generated no errors on any of my firmware flashes. However, when I tried putting a firmware on the SDCARD and installing from clockwork recovery, I did generate errors... but the phone rebooted so quickly, I couldn't see the error message.

I am talking to another fellow who is having the exact same problem.

Is there any utility to check the internal flash to validate it's ok? I wonder if there is any chance that having the SD card in is redirecting any of the flashing away from the internal flash to the SD card, or something?!? Regardless, I don't get it.

Maybe the debrick file I had wasn't great? (although it seems to work perfectly for all intensive purposes)

I am going to try to flash again from recovery, and see if I have any luck.

This is the first time I have been baffled completely when dealing with the phone. At the end of the day, I may have to find a JTAG shop..
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
You can try re-downloading the de-brick file and re-writing the SD card using Linux, Ubuntu or other or Cgwin under Windows.

I do not know of any utility to check the internal flash and the utility would have to compare the flash info to the info contained on a good

ROM file, which I think it is not normally done. In the case of Jtag, the device will use device specific dll files to write the basic flash functions.

Two of my phones recovered with the SD card method but I had to try many times until it worked. On two other phones had to use Jtag.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] styles420:
4.3 might update the boot loader with new security "features" (knox, maybe?)

Odin should have an option to update the boot loader - he should activate that option in addition to the repartition option, or Odin won't overwrite the wrong boot loader that he installed with the correct one from the stock tar...
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] dwolder:
I had actually used the Non-Knox version of the 4.3. I just now spent all night trying everything. Recreated the debrick SD card. Reimaged multiple times, using the re-partition and reload bootstrap options... nothing. :( I still need to have the SD card.

I think I'll need to take it into a shop and have them use JTAG. :(

Thanks!
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] styles420:
I accidentally threw you off by using a specific example. The point is that the boot loader probably won't be rewritten if you don't tell Odin to do so, leaving you with your currently broken one
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] dragonhart6505:
sooo...any news about the S960L? phone was bricked with flashing wrong rom. dont have the funds atm for a JTAG service. will i NEED the JTAG or should this work? or does ANYONE have the similar file ripped from the S960L or can get it? pretty please?
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Rcobb33421:
THANK YOU!!!

In flashed a s4 kernel, just wasn't paying attention. Went through twrp just fine . About half way through got a failed message and rebooted. I thought my $300 phone was junk. .. Want to give a HUGE THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! It took me about three days of reading and comprehension and a bit 45 minutes to put these steps into action and Boom after the second try I held down the three buttons thinking a DROID would pop up sending me into download mode but I actually ended up in twrp. I eventually had to Odin stock because when I would remove the card it was still bricked. I'm a step up from a noob definitely not a guru. This was straight to the point and really works. THANKYO SO MUCH!!!
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] aliw32619:
help

Ok i have International S3 and it's hardbricked and i can't find an international debrick file , where can i find it ?
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] NumbYourMind:
Alright, so I've hard-bricked my Verizon Galaxy S3 (SCH-I535) by flashing an international ROM to it while not paying attention (stupid, I know).

I'm able to successfully write the Verizon recovery image (from NC Mobile's youtube video) onto my 16GB Sandisk Class 10 SD card using win32diskimager but my phone refuses to boot up or go into download mode using the three button combination. My phone does connect to the computer and the red LED does light up.

I've attempted this upwards of 30 times with no success at all, is there anything else I could possibly do?
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] gsp673:
I have the same problem. I tried this method numerous times and then finally took it to someone with JTAG. It has been there two days now, so I'm not sure if it'll turn out alright or not. I'll let you know how my situation works out.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
I mentioned this on my previous posts, depending on damage to phone, generally USB power alone may not be enough.

Try charging the battery with the wall charger and wait until the red light turns green indicating full charge, full charge needed.

If phone never reaches full charge with the wall charger, then problem may be too severe to just start with USB power.

If the phone fully charges (green light) but still not booting, re-write the SD card using Cgwin or Linux version, Ubuntu or other.

Post results, good luck

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] taylorsnead:
I have a verizon SCH-I535 and flashed an I9300 kernel unknowingly. It gave some error part-way through, and, being an idiot, I turned it off and decided I'd fix it in a bit. Evidently it will not boot. I have gotten the Sandisk class 10 sd card that seems to work for people, and wrote to it the image given in nc mobile's video, multiple times, using dd in linux and win32diskimager in windoz. Either way I still can't get it to do anything. A few have said that the battery level matters; I'm unsure how charged the battery is (plugging it w/ battery doesn't give a charging light but w/o gives a red light for ~40 sec, which doesnt change if I put the battery in). Also, it's been said that the order of insertion may matter?

When I plug the phone into my pc (without an sdcard) on windows, device manager shows a COM device for it. If I then put in the sdcard and attempt to boot (normal or straight to DL mode), the COM device is removed after about 10 seconds. This makes it seem like something is happening (like it's attempting to use the sdcard), but it just can't complete. Though, with the sdcard in before plugging in, nothing happens at all.

Any suggestions?
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
Check that you are using the correct de-brick file for the device, re-download it to make sure it is not damaged. Re-write the card.

Use the wall charger to charge the battery. USB will not supply enough power by itself when the phone has suffered damage.

The red light must return with the battery inserted, the battery icon shows up on the screen and finally the red light turns green when

charge is complete. If this does not happen, then the nature of the problem may be such that the SD card method may not work at all.

With the battery inserted, it may take a while for the red light to come back depending on how depleted the battery level is.

As for the COM port appearing and then going off, is possibly due to the boot sequence timing out due to damaged android system.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] NumbYourMind:
I'm attempting to charge my phone via the wall charger and it's staying red for about 40 seconds and then the charging light goes off. It doesn't seem to be turning green no matter how long I charge it.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] IDontKnowMang:
I could be wrong but from my own experience I don't think this works if you flashed an international zip. I think the memory becomes corrupt and needs cleaned out with a riff box
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
Flashing a rom is always a potentially risky procedure since it involves firmware. Flashing the wrong one, is potentially destructive.

To certain extent you are right, but this not only happens flashing an international rom but also flashing custom, different device rom,

corrupt rom files, power glitches, faulty support hardware like computer, cables, unplugging device and so on.

But it is not the memory that gets corrupt, but the flash rom that contains the boot-initialization instructions to start the device.

Those boot-initialization instructions are the ones that hand over control to the SD card when booting from it if Android is bad.

That is the reason that I mentioned many times that if the charging does not work properly, most of the time that is already an

indication of severe damage and the extent of it may be such that this method may not work at all and will need jtag.

.

---------- Post added at 03:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:44 PM ----------

How did your phone get damaged ??, flashing, moisture, shock or water damage ??, what was the last thing you did before this happened ??,

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] MrBrady:
Just came across this thread in an attempt to fix my VZW Galaxy S3. I flashed Sprint Galaxy S3 firmware to it (SBL1, SBL2, SBL3, TZ, RPM). Now it's dead as a doornail, except I do get the red light when the battery is removed and it's plugged into a power source.

I have the VZW debrick image and bought a class 10 32GB SD card to match my device. However, I am unable to get the device to respond to anything.

Will this method recover from a bad firmware (not ROM/kernel) flash or is JTAG the only option?

Thanks!
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
From my previous post:

Did you try re-writing the card, under a Linux (Ubuntu, fedora and other), and/or Windows Cgwin and re-downloaded the VZW de-brick file ?

Use the wall charger to charge the battery. USB may not supply enough power by itself when the phone has suffered damage.

The red light must return after the battery is inserted, the battery icon shows up on the screen and finally the red light turns green when

charge is complete. If this does not happen, then the nature of the problem may be such that the SD card method may not work at all.

NOTE: After the battery is inserted, it may take a while for the red light to come back depending on how depleted the battery level is.

If the charging does not work properly, most of the time that is already an indication of severe damage and the extent of it may be

such that this method may not work at all and will need jtag.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] MrBrady:
It looks like jtag may be my only option. I have two fully charged batteries. When I put either into the phone and plug it into the wall, the red light never comes on. If I plug the phone into the wall without a battery, the red light comes on and stays on for about 2-3 minutes, then goes off. But the phone buttons don't do anything.

Thanks for the help.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
Sorry to hear

If you tried re-writing the card, can you see it formatted with multiple partitions when you go into computer disk management ?

If you have done all of that and still get no response, I think that Jtag is the answer of last resort, if there is no hardware problem.

In my experience, at least in my case, when the charging system did not work, generally I was not able to recover with the SD card method.

For one of my phones Jtag did not work either. The repair guy will have to connect it to the jig and run the program and hopefully recover.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] styles420:
The SD card writing process may also be successful sooner if the same block size is used as was used to make the image from the donor phone - I believe it was bs=4m as a parameter for the dd command in addition to the if= and of= parameters
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] gsp673:
Is it supposed to be one partition? I'm showing like 15 partitions on my SD card whether I use Ubuntu or Win32 imager. This may be my problem.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] Azeedc:
Yes, that is correct, the de-brick file creates multiple partitions for Android. That indicates that the card image is possibly OK.

.
[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] hyrule34:
I've got a hard bricked VZW S3. First off, I just want to thank all of you wonderful people. I've read through this entire thread, and you've all been extremely helpful. Unfortunately it seems I might be one of the unlucky ones in which this sd card method will not work. I've tried every method outlined in this thread (using the verizon debrick image of course), and used multiple 16gb class 10 micro sd cards, usb cables, usb ports, and computers. The only sign of life is the red charge light when I plug it in without the battery, but that only stays lit for a short period of time. After trying for the last few days, I will now just look for a JTAG repair.

I was hoping one of you could help me figure out the exact cause for my phone to brick so as to avoid it happening again in the future. The bricked phone is a replacement S3 that Verizon sent me (my first one had power button issues). On the back, the model is labeled as SCH-I535V rather than just SCH-535. I'm not sure if this a major factor.

When I first activated the replacement phone, I ensured that everything worked fine. It was running stock 4.1.2. My intention was to use odin to flash stock ics, so that I could use a root tool, unlock my bootloader and eventually flash a custom rom. I was using the same method and files that worked multiple times on my older S3.

However, another big difference was that my computer recently started to act up and was claiming I did not have a genuine version of windows 7. I have since fixed that issue, but at the time, my computer may or not have been randomly disconnecting devices that are plugged in via USB.

At the time of the brick, odin was flashing stock ics. It got to the point of the first reboot of the phone. As soon the phone shut down, my computer had the popup message that a USB device was disconnected. At this point, the phone never turned back on from the reboot, and it was officially bricked.

I am not sure of the cause of the brick. Are the roms for SCH-I535 not compatible with SCH-I535V, or did my computer randomly disconnect my phone from USB during a crucial step? Also, come to think of it, I can't remember if I actually selected the PDA button on odin prior to starting the flash. I don't know if that could also cause the brick.

I realize I made a lot of dumb mistakes that led to me bricking my phone. I guess I was just too eager to finally use a phone with a functioning power button. I just don't know of the exact cause for the brick. Sorry for the long post, and I apologize if this question doesn't belong here. Thanks