Download mode

Turn your phone off. Remove the battery, sim card and sd card.
Insert the battery, hold down both volume buttons and power the phone on.
This should put your phone in download mode.
 
^^^ Not really. That puts it into recovery mode.

Download mode (Noticeable by an Android robot digging with a shovel) is reached by taking everything out (Battery, SIM, MicroSD). Then putting in battery. Holding the volume buttons, you plug in the USB cable to your computer. (Don't press the power button at all in this method).
 
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Wow this is something I didn't know. Just wondering since I'm sorta new to android, what's the purpose of using download mode?
 
I'd also like to know what Download Mode is used for. Sideloading? Why not just root with something like Unleash the Beast and enable sideloading from there? (If that's what Download Mode is for, that is.)
 
If you have adb and root you can also adb shell to the phone over usb, su to root then 'reboot download'
 
^^^ Not really. That puts it into recovery mode.

Download mode (Noticeable by an Android robot digging with a shovel) is reached by taking everything out (Battery, SIM, MicroSD). Then putting in battery. Holding the volume buttons, you plug in the USB cable to your computer. (Don't press the power button at all in this method).

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....

You don't know how long I have been trying to do this!!!!
 
I've never had to take everything out. I just do this:

1-NO power to phone (turned off, NOT plugged in)

2-hold both volume buttons

3-insert usb

4-release volume buttons

should take you right to it....
 
This is how you get back to stock as well from rooted phones.(well when you have the right rom to install) Which I will be doing when Froyo comes out!
 
if you had a Captivate where recovery mode / download mode wouldn't work, would you send it back?

I rooted and upgraded a Nexus One to FroYo and am a Linux/UNIX admin. So, I know what it should look like. However, there is no chance that i can get mine into debugging mode.

Another strike against the Captivate, in my mind.
 
This is how you get back to stock as well from rooted phones.(well when you have the right rom to install) Which I will be doing when Froyo comes out!

Or when you almost brick your phone putting SRE 1.3.1 on it. It became unstable so I re-flashed SRE without reflashing the stock ROM - big no-no!
 
I can't get mine to go into download mode either.
Would having the cable on a hub make any difference?
(doesn't seem to - I just get the battery charging icon when I plug in the USB)
 
Last edited:
Yes, there are numerous reports on xda that USB hubs, and even USB front-side ports not working correctly. You need rear USB, direct to motherboard powered ports to avoid problems.
 

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