[Guide] Rebooting into Recovery Mode for the Galaxy S2, S3, and Tab2.

[rileymccloud]

Thanks for this tip!! I just did this and it totally sped up my phone!! Had to log in (at work) and say thanks!!

 

[Golfdriver97]

Thanks for this tip!! I just did this and it totally sped up my phone!! Had to log in (at work) and say thanks!!

Welcome to the forums! Glad it helped!!

From a SlimKat Tab 2....perhaps not far from you

 

[stalemate1]

This is your guide as to how to reboot into Recovery. I have noticed many users do not know how to do this, so I figured I would write a step by step guide with photos on how to do it.

I will be using my Tab 2 as a demonstration unit, and for screen shots as visual aids.

[TIP]Rebooting into recovery or even knowing how to use it can be very helpful. Being stuck in a boot loop, apps crashing, or just a general clearing of problems can be fixed using this method.[/TIP]

Step 1: Power down the device. Pulling the battery will work as well, especially if you are caught in a boot loop.

Step 2: Allow the device to completely shut down. Waiting until your screen is off, or just giving it a full minute or two should suffice.

Step 3a: For the Galaxy S2 and Tab 2, you will need to hold Volume Up and Power at the same time until you see the Samsung logo appear. Then release.

　　3b: For the Galaxy S3, you will need to hold the volume up, home, and power button at the same time until you see the Samsung logo, and then release.

Step 4: For all variants mentioned, you should now be looking at a menu list with a blue highlighted bar. Using the volume rockers will navigate through the menus, and generally power is your accept button. The S2 might have a little twist. Upon getting into recovery, you can push up, down, up to enable the back button. This also allows to use the power button as the accept button. See figure 1.

Important note: When navigating around in recovery and you select something, you may be redirected to a page with about a dozen answers. Almost all will be no with yes buried in the middle. This is to prevent accidental accepting of an option.

4b: To actually have you use this guide, you can clear your phone's cache. See figure 2. There are many cache clearing programs on Play, and while they may clear the cache as well as rebooting into recovery, this is merely an alternate method. Click power to accept.

Step 5: When completed, you can navigate back, or usually after completing any action in Recovery, Reboot Now will be highlighted at the root menu. See figure 3. This is your gate back to running Android through the User Interface. Click power to accept.

Congratulations! You have successfully entered, navigated, executed a command and rebooted all in Recovery. This is also a method to flash a ROM through a .zip file on an SD card, and a complete Factory Reset can be accomplished in this manner as well.

holding power & volume up simultaneously is giving me a normal boot up on my Samsung galaxy SII i9100 (international version)... what am i doing wrong ?

 

[Golfdriver97]

holding power & volume up simultaneously is giving me a normal boot up on my Samsung galaxy SII i9100 (international version)... what am i doing wrong ?

Might be a later version where they added the home button.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[stalemate1]

Might be a later version where they added the home button.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

Yes it's got the home button in the bottom Centre. Any idea how to do it on the later version?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[stalemate1]

Yes it's got the home button in the bottom Centre. Any idea how to do it on the later version?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Mobile Nations mobile app

Don't worry I got it right, it was the same way as the galaxy S3.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[Nikki Foxx]

Hello....I did exactly what was said to do...and now my daughter's phone will get past the start up logo and then go to the lock screen and freeze and then reboot....sometimes it will be stuck and freeze at the logo screen....HELP...also this problem is off topic but her phone camera when she clicks on the icon says can't connect to camera. I went into the manage apps to try to clear the cache and the app for the camera is missing....any suggestions....She has a Gaxaly Note 2 GT-I7105 Android Version 4.2.2

 

[stalemate1]

Hello....I did exactly what was said to do...and now my daughter's phone will get past the start up logo and then go to the lock screen and freeze and then reboot....sometimes it will be stuck and freeze at the logo screen....HELP...also this problem is off topic but her phone camera when she clicks on the icon says can't connect to camera. I went into the manage apps to try to clear the cache and the app for the camera is missing....any suggestions....She has a Gaxaly Note 2 GT-I7105 Android Version 4.2.2

Download Odin on your pc then follow the prompts.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[Golfdriver97]

Hello....I did exactly what was said to do...and now my daughter's phone will get past the start up logo and then go to the lock screen and freeze and then reboot....sometimes it will be stuck and freeze at the logo screen....HELP...also this problem is off topic but her phone camera when she clicks on the icon says can't connect to camera. I went into the manage apps to try to clear the cache and the app for the camera is missing....any suggestions....She has a Gaxaly Note 2 GT-I7105 Android Version 4.2.2

A factory reset may be required.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[T_Y]

Hello,

I have an S2 that had been working just fine until the battery died. I charged it, and when I tried to restart it, at first it started rebooting itself. I then took the battery off, restarted it again, and got stuck on the loading screen. I found this page and tried getting into the Recovery Mode (both methods), however it won't work. If I try the S2 method, it will just stay on the loading screen. If I try the S3 method, it will just shut off.

I can, however, get into the download mode, but I wish to avoid losing all the data I have on the phone, if possible.

Please help.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Hello,

I have an S2 that had been working just fine until the battery died. I charged it, and when I tried to restart it, at first it started rebooting itself. I then took the battery off, restarted it again, and got stuck on the loading screen. I found this page and tried getting into the Recovery Mode (both methods), however it won't work. If I try the S2 method, it will just stay on the loading screen. If I try the S3 method, it will just shut off.

I can, however, get into the download mode, but I wish to avoid losing all the data I have on the phone, if possible.

Please help.

If the only thing you can do is get into download mode, that means you can flash a stock ROM to get running again. When you do that, the chances of losing data is quite high.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[T_Y]

If the only thing you can do is get into download mode, that means you can flash a stock ROM to get running again. When you do that, the chances of losing data is quite high.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

Can you guide through with the whole flashing a stock ROM procedure, or somewhere I could find it?

Also, there's definately no way around getting into the Recovery Mode then, correct?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Can you guide through with the whole flashing a stock ROM procedure, or somewhere I could find it?

Also, there's definately no way around getting into the Recovery Mode then, correct?

I am not aware of any other way to get into Recovery. I have a guide for reflashing a Stock ROM, and will link that.
You will need files and a program called Odin. Try Samsung Updates .com for your Stock ROM files. Look for your specific model number.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...ide-samsung-how-flash-stock-rom-via-odin.html

 

[Kathy Plack]

Aloha,
I have tried this and i only can get a frozen logo screen. The only other screen i can get is an empty battery with the circle not spinning. Is there any hope for me?
kathy

 

[Golfdriver97]

Aloha,
I have tried this and i only can get a frozen logo screen. The only other screen i can get is an empty battery with the circle not spinning. Is there any hope for me?
kathy

Hi. Welcome to the forums. What device do you have?

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[Kathy Plack]

samsung epic s2. i only get a frozen logo, an empty unswirling battery, or download mode. of course i want my photos of my recent trip to europe. my phone died the day after i came home...
i have been through everything with samsung reps and they tell me there is no hope as it won't go into recovery mode and computer states that the device is malfunctioned and unrecognizable.

 

[Kathy Plack]

i have a samsung epic 2 and it will only get empty battery or frozen logo and download mode. i only want to get my photos off of it.

 

[Golfdriver97]

samsung epic s2. i only get a frozen logo, an empty unswirling battery, or download mode. of course i want my photos of my recent trip to europe. my phone died the day after i came home...
i have been through everything with samsung reps and they tell me there is no hope as it won't go into recovery mode and computer states that the device is malfunctioned and unrecognizable.

If you can get into download mode, this has a very good chance of being recovered. It will take time. Look this guide over and I will tell you where to try to look for stock ROM files.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...ide-samsung-how-flash-stock-rom-via-odin.html

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[Golfdriver97]

i have a samsung epic 2 and it will only get empty battery or frozen logo and download mode. i only want to get my photos off of it.

Try Sammobile for your stock ROM files. You will need to look it up by model number. I am guessing you have a Samsung Galaxy S2 Epic 4G Touch?

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[Kathy Plack]

If you can get into download mode, this has a very good chance of being recovered. It will take time. Look this guide over and I will tell you where to try to look for stock ROM files.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...ide-samsung-how-flash-stock-rom-via-odin.html

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

HOPE?!?!! I will try! yes, a samsung galaxy epic 2 4g touch... SPH D710