storage space used up as soon as phone setup started

[emudryj]

So you can't get to download mode... Volume down>Bixby button and power button?
Can you get into recovery mode to reset... Volume up>Bixby button>power button?

Exactly!!!! Volume down>Bixby button and power button will bring you to the "Factory mode" that you see in the first picture.

Volume up>Bixby button>power button will let you in Recovery mode. I did a factory reset but it did not fix a THING!!!

 

[emudryj]

Did the seller say it had been rooted/rommed?

Seller did not said a thing. The phone was supposed to be legit in MINT condition...
He blocked my number (probably) right after the sell.

 

[mary beth hale]

Damn. You may very well be screwed. Have you checked the imei#?

 

[emudryj]

Damn. You may very well be screwed. Have you checked the imei#?

Not sure what you mean by "checking" the IMEI...the IMEI on the phone matched the one on the box, and AT&T did not have any problem with it when I called to activate it.
I tried my AT&T and it worked fine...

Any suggestions?

 

[mary beth hale]

Yeah, if AT&T activated it the imei must be clean. Sorry, don't know what else to suggest. Where did you purchase it from? Can you contact that site?

 

[mary beth hale]

Not being able to get into download mode to reflash really shuts down your options.

 

[emudryj]

Not being able to get into download mode to reflash really shuts down your options.

feel ashamed to say, but I got it from Craigslist... I know, I know... I kind of deserve it...
Agree on the lack of Download mode screwing my options.... I was hoping someone more experienced than me could have an alternative...

So, are we sure it is a Fake?

 

[mary beth hale]

Googled your baseband version and came up with a Chinese firmware download site...hmm

 

[emudryj]

Googled your baseband version and came up with a Chinese firmware download site...hmm

well.... there you go... I bought a brick...

 

[mary beth hale]

Double check your imei at imei.info

 

[mary beth hale]

Also try posting your issue on xda-developers site. Those guys have seen everything.

 

[emudryj]

Well.. I deserved it...
I would swear that the first IMEI on the phone matched the one on the box... no they dont...
The 2 IMEIs on the phone are invalid
355210364897214
355210364897276

I know it does not matter but the one on the box is of a Samsung SM-G950U...

 

[mary beth hale]

Damn. I'm so sorry.

 

[jeffmd]

It probably is a legit phone, but the os was messed with and they could not fix it.

 

[mary beth hale]

It probably is a legit phone, but the os was messed with and they could not fix it.

Yeah, I'd bet on that

 

[anon(7901790)]

After reading the OP and all the responses, I'm leaning towards the previous owner installed a custom ROM.

Here's a link with instructions to restore it back to a stock ROM.

https://www.naldotech.com/flash-official-firmware-samsung-galaxy-s8-s8-revert-stock/

Another option is take it to an AT&T store and see if they can factory reset it.

 

[emudryj]

After reading the OP and all the responses, I'm leaning towards the previous owner installed a custom ROM.

Here's a link with instructions to restore it back to a stock ROM.

https://www.naldotech.com/flash-official-firmware-samsung-galaxy-s8-s8-revert-stock/

Another option is take it to an AT&T store and see if they can factory reset it.

Problem is that, every method I was able to find online to flash the phone needs to get in download mode and this phone does not have download mode..
If you press power+vol down+bixby it goes into "Factory mode" (who knows what the heck is that)

 

[emudryj]

OK.. I have some news.. not good.
On the "Factory mode" there was a "Clear eMMC", I did not have anything much else to lose so I tried it...
When the phone booted back up the Tmobile splash screen was gone.
On the Settings-About page, the model number now shows H19
I tried downloading the Galaxy Genuine app and see what it would say.
Brand: alps
Model: DS-H19
CPU Hardware:MT6580
CPU Model: ARMv7 Processor rev3 (v71)
CPU Frequnecy: 2360Mhz
CPU Cores 4
Total RAM: 3.77GB
Total ROM: 62.46GB
Screen Res: 1015*540
Screen DPI:260
Camera Res:12.19MP
Front Camera: 7.99MP
Android Ver: 7.0

Not really sure how much that could help... but the phone seems to be a tiny bit more responsive than before.
I still have to see if the storage problem still persist.
At least I would like to be able to keep the phone as a spare...

 

[mary beth hale]

Wow. DS...dual sim. After that I'm lost.
ARM processor?

 

[emudryj]

Wow. DS...dual sim. After that I'm lost.
ARM processor?

Let me first say THANKS, A LOT for your help!!!!

Yes, maybe that is why it has 2 IMEIs????
Is the ARM processor a bad thing?