[How to] Factory Restore (or Fix a Bricked Phone)

**jb1010#ac** · 03-27-2011, 01:33 AM

nevermind i found it in the about phone menu and updated it. Thanks

**mbradford84** · 03-27-2011, 04:51 PM

I am trying to flash DI18 thru Odin, but I've hit a snag. I managed to install the samsung usb drivers and downloaded Odin and the .tar and .pit files. But when I start up my phone in download mode and plug it in, windows or Odin won't recognize my phone being plugged in. Any ideas?

**Paul627g** · 03-27-2011, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by mbradford84

I am trying to flash DI18 thru Odin, but I've hit a snag. I managed to install the samsung usb drivers and downloaded Odin and the .tar and .pit files. But when I start up my phone in download mode and plug it in, windows or Odin won't recognize my phone being plugged in. Any ideas?

Try the following.

- Disable all anti virus software on computer

- Pull your battery on the phone then plug in your cable and boot into Download Mode without your battery in the device. Then attempt to run the Odin package without the battery in the phone.

- Also can try a different USB port/Cable.

**emagdnimohno** · 03-27-2011, 07:24 PM

ya for some reason my computer cant open odin

**Paul627g** · 03-27-2011, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by emagdnimohno

ya for some reason my computer cant open odin

Did you extract the zip file that Odin came in ?

**chuckj7777** · 03-29-2011, 07:21 AM

Thank-you, my phone locked up last night when the update was attempting to install. After following the procedures above for fixing the phone, I am back in working order.

**bdiddy1724** · 03-29-2011, 02:24 PM

So I was using ordin and my leg got tangled with the cord and it pulled the plug in the middle of the process. Now my epic seems to be bricked. It wont turn on or charge. Nothing. Anything I can do??

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by bdiddy1724

So I was using ordin and my leg got tangled with the cord and it pulled the plug in the middle of the process. Now my epic seems to be bricked. It wont turn on or charge. Nothing. Anything I can do??

Pull your battery out of the device and leave the battery out, plug your cable into the device and computer and then try to put it into Download mode and run the Odin package.

**skyward** · 03-29-2011, 02:33 PM

Deleted

Sent from my Epic using Tapatalk

**bdiddy1724** · 03-29-2011, 02:33 PM

I pulled battery out and plugged it into usb still wont turn on

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by bdiddy1724

I pulled battery out and plugged it into usb still wont turn on

If the cord was pulled during the boot.img and there is one other file (Sbl.bin, I think.. No positive) , then yes you may have hard bricked your phone. Usually any other parts of the Odin process will not hard brick the device.

I would try a different cable, possibly the cable was damaged when it was pulled unexpectedly and is not providing the proper connections. Usually you can pull the battery and leave it out and then attempt to boot into download mode. If you can't get into download mode then you have a true hard brick.

Sorry

**bdiddy1724** · 03-29-2011, 02:40 PM

It was during the recorvery. file. Cord it fine I wasnt anything too stressful

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by bdiddy1724

It was during the recorvery. file. Cord it fine I wasnt anything too stressful

Its possible, not positive on the second file.. I know our fellow AC Adviser said boot.bin was one of two files that are the "no no's" to have something go wrong while flashing.. Actually that same Adviser just true hard bricked his device last night, dropped it while it was flashing the boot.bin. I assume its packaged up and on its way to Samsung right now...

**bdiddy1724** · 03-29-2011, 02:48 PM

Will sprint or samsung give me a new phone or do I have to buy one? I was gonna take it to sprint and tell them it happened during the latest ota update. My battery died

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by bdiddy1724

Will sprint or samsung give me a new phone or do I have to buy one? I was gonna take it to sprint and tell them it happened during the latest ota update. My battery died

You could attempt that but if I remember correct Sprint/Sammy/Google has a backup in place that won't allow the update to begin if your battery is at or near the 20% battery warning... Be creative.... No matter what you say I'm sure they have heard it all before, just finding the right Sprint rep that is going to work with you..

If Sprint doesn't want to replace it then you can try your luck with Samsung. The process is a bit longer with Sammy, something like 8-10 business days I heard. Worst case situation with Sprint is they hit you up for your insurance plan and it cost you the $35 bucks or whatever it is..

**bdiddy1724** · 03-29-2011, 03:17 PM

I don't have the insurance plan

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by bdiddy1724

I don't have the insurance plan

Then you will have to submit it under your factory warranty with Samsung.

**W0lfy B** · 03-29-2011, 08:54 PM

Is it ironic that when I tried the second procedure it bricked my phone? Isn't this supposed to fix that?

I know it is probably my fault but still kinda funny lol.

Anyway I need some help. I did it word for word by the instructions but it stopped in the middle and then after a few seconds the phone went to a blue screen and now it wont boot, it just freezes at the Samsung screen. PLEASE help me. I'd rather not get a new phone as money is tight these days.

Thanks in advance.

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by W0lfy B

Is it ironic that when I tried the second procedure it bricked my phone? Isn't this supposed to fix that?

I know it is probably my fault but still kinda funny lol.

Anyway I need some help. I did it word for word by the instructions but it stopped in the middle and then after a few seconds the phone went to a blue screen and now it wont boot, it just freezes at the Samsung screen. PLEASE help me. I'd rather not get a new phone as money is tight these days.

Thanks in advance.

Pull your battery out and leave it out, then connect your device via cable to your computer and then boot into Download mode and run the Odin package. Also make sure all anti virus is turned off.

**W0lfy B** · 03-29-2011, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Paul627g

Pull your battery out and leave it out, then connect your device via cable to your computer and then boot into Download mode and run the Odin package. Also make sure all anti virus is turned off.

I already tried all of that except the anti virus thing so I'll give that a try. Do anti virus interfere with odin?

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 09:27 PM

Sometimes... Are you able to get into download mode? If so does Odin recognize your phone? Remember too cables can make or break the whole process too...

Sent from my Epic 4g....

**W0lfy B** · 03-29-2011, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Paul627g

Sometimes... Are you able to get into download mode? If so does Odin recognize your phone? Remember too cables can make or break the whole process too...

Sent from my Epic 4g....

Yeah, I can get into download mode and it recognizes it if by "recognizes" you mean that the "Com4" thing shows up. Also I was having trouble with the stock cable whenever I used odin it would say "Added" then "Removed" repeatedly so I ordered a new one and when I got the blue screen originally it started doing that again occasionally. I'm pretty sure my cable is good though, its a blackberry one with data and charging.

**Paul627g** · 03-29-2011, 09:54 PM

Which version are you currently running? I take it your attempting to go back to Eclair 2.1 ? If you are doing the Eclair restore you have your pit file in place and your tar file in PDA slot. Then u have just auto reboot checked?
Otherwise try redownloading the tar file package, possible something was corrupted in the download.

Bottom line if your in Odin then there is hope.
Sent from my Epic 4g....

**W0lfy B** · 03-29-2011, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Paul627g

Which version are you currently running? I take it your attempting to go back to Eclair 2.1 ? If you are doing the Eclair restore you have your pit file in place and your tar file in PDA slot. Then u have just auto reboot checked?
Otherwise try redownloading the tar file package, possible something was corrupted in the download.

Bottom line if your in Odin then there is hope.
Sent from my Epic 4g....

I was on EC05 but was attempting to go back to 2.1 because ever since the update my phone was incredibly slow and had frequent force closes whereas before neither existed. Yes, I put them in the right slots and only have auto reboot checked. The only thing I can think of is that in the procedure it says to check "Debug En" or something like that, but it isn't in the current version of Odin. I wouldn't see this to be a problem though because I browsed this thread and saw that it wasn't a problem for others.

**TexasEpic4G** · 03-29-2011, 11:14 PM

I messed something up while trying to install a new ROM = got stuck in Samsung screen = then I tried to do recovery with CWM but get stuck in neverending cycle of rebooting into CWM and can't get out = PLEASE Help !