Completely bricked S9 - help needed!

[Shayan M]

So hoping someone can help..

My S9 has decided to brick itself.
It stays on the Samsung logo screen and will not move past it. It doesn't let me turn it off or access safe mode or recovery mode.

The only thing I can do is a soft reset which takes it back to the load screen or go into odin mode.

It also seems like its not holding charge (this I can't be too sure of though as it was perfectly fine before this happened). What's interesting though is that when I plug in the charger (when screen is off) it immediately goes onto the Samsung logo screen

A few interesting notes;

1) before it got stuck on the Samsung screen it kept rebooting intermittently for about 4 hrs. I thought it was an app I installed so uninstalled it but no difference

2) if I look very closely at the screen and I can see small blue and red horizontal lines all over the screen except on the samsung logo. I can only see this when it's really dark though

3) I did dip it in water about 4 days ago, let it dry and have had no issues since then

Can anyone advise on a resolution please?

And is anyone able to tell me if installing firmware via odin voids the warranty? I'd be installing the official released software from Vodafone UK which I found on Sam mobile.

 

[Matzosy]

I recommend you to flash your phone with odin using your original model firmware. It should work. When the phone is rebooting from time to time it may be caused by apps in conflict. Have you try to reset the phone using the keys buttons when the device is off ?

 

[Shayan M]

I recommend you to flash your phone with odin using your original model firmware. It should work. When the phone is rebooting from time to time it may be caused by apps in conflict. Have you try to reset the phone using the keys buttons when the device is off ?

When you say the original model firmware can I flash the latest version for my device?

When the device is off I'm unable to do anything, can't turn it on, no combination of keys work.

As soon as I plug it in it loads the Samsung screen and stays frozen

 

[RNBoz]

Had similar problem with my S9!, but it was "bricked" by Samsung Service, when they tried a hard reset. I have been dealing with the inability to install latest Android update (740mb). Phone would download, turnoff and go into install mode, get 30% done and then fault out (! mark over Android). Unit restart, and when checking system/software it would still show old build and 2/1/18 security date. AT&T no help, after 1hr 40min with CS at Samsung, trying safe mode, soft reset CS said it would have to be a Hard Reset to factory. Unit never came back up, AT&T globe showing, and hung there. Could not turn off, either!! Took it to UbreatIfix - Samsung local service location, they checked and said it was a Motherboard / Voltage Leak problem and they could not fix. Just sent off to Service Center - 5 to 10 day turnaround. No help from Samsung or AT&T for non use of phone. Leaving country Sunday for two weeks, really disappointed about unit (less than 4 months old), and all the trappings of the new "APPLE" style service!

 

[dpham00]

Att won't provide Warranty replacement? Verizon has replaced phones for me and they even have the overnight option.

 

[andrew_ackley]

Yeah carrier would be best bet. They won't be able to tell if you've modified it and they probably won't care.

 

[Blues Fan]

Had similar problem with my S9!, but it was "bricked" by Samsung Service, when they tried a hard reset. I have been dealing with the inability to install latest Android update (740mb). Phone would download, turnoff and go into install mode, get 30% done and then fault out (! mark over Android). Unit restart, and when checking system/software it would still show old build and 2/1/18 security date. AT&T no help, after 1hr 40min with CS at Samsung, trying safe mode, soft reset CS said it would have to be a Hard Reset to factory. Unit never came back up, AT&T globe showing, and hung there. Could not turn off, either!! Took it to UbreatIfix - Samsung local service location, they checked and said it was a Motherboard / Voltage Leak problem and they could not fix. Just sent off to Service Center - 5 to 10 day turnaround. No help from Samsung or AT&T for non use of phone. Leaving country Sunday for two weeks, really disappointed about unit (less than 4 months old), and all the trappings of the new "APPLE" style service!

What do you mean Apple style service? I thought Apple had great customer support?

 

[Shayan M]

Thanks all.. In the end I found a Samsung service centre as I was worried about voiding the warranty.

They flashed the phone with software and it seems to have worked (for now)

 

[Rukbat]

For the future, ask your local AT&T store where the nearest Device Support Center is. They'll do the same thing, and they might be closer. If the DSC can't fix it, it's probably going to be warrantied.