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

[JMiller613]

We were just trying to make sure you are performing the steps correctly. Odin will only work if its done just right. If you don't do the steps correctly you have to usually reboot your computer and restart Odin to reset things.


1.) Boot your phone into download mode

2.) Open Odin on your computer

3.) NOW connect your phone via USB to your computer

4.) Odin should see your phone. The first box at the top (ID:Com) should light up yellow if its found.

This is exactly what I do...but it still doesn't recognize my phone.

 

[Paul627g]

This is exactly what I do...but it still doesn't recognize my phone.

Double check your drivers.

Try different USB cables if you have some. (Stock cable is usually best but not always a guarantee)

Try different USB ports, ones one the back of desktop/laptop usually are best.

Does you computer normally detect your phone via cable for charging/mass storage?

If the above doesn't work, try another computer if available or try using the Heimdall method in the first post.

 

[tptshoe]

I'm happy to report that the Sprint store hooked me up with a brand new phone, no charge.

 

[Paul627g]

I'm happy to report that the Sprint store hooked me up with a brand new phone, no charge.

Wow, good deal.. You got lucky on that one.

 

[Officerpolabear]

for those of you that are having trouble with odin like i did (took me a week to figure out it was just a driver issue on my desktop and worked perfectly on my laptop GRRR!), i would suggest using odin v1.3 and trying it on another computer if it has failed on the other computer

 

[Paul627g]

for those of you that are having trouble with odin like i did (took me a week to figure out it was just a driver issue on my desktop and worked perfectly on my laptop GRRR!), i would suggest using odin v1.3 and trying it on another computer if it has failed on the other computer

Yes that is exactly what we recommend, if it doesn't work after doing everything possible on one computer then try another computer if you have access to one. Bottom line, Odin and the Sammy drivers are PICKY.

 

[jbjohnson86]

I'm having issues with using Odin. I can't get past the setupconnection part. Should I attem to install the samsung drivers again?

 

[instinct2epic]

Many thanks to aerospatial. I had purchased a non-working Epic off ebay figuring I could at least use it for parts in case my Epic got damaged. When I got the ebay phone, it appeared to be in perfect condition but was "bricked." After trying and trying and trying with adb, Odin (all versions), all the different images (from di18 up to dk28) and having no luck, I followed aerospatial's instructions and used the different data file and it worked! I now have a second working Epic with 2.2.1 on it! I spent a lot of hours getting a $10.00 phone to work, but it sure gives me a great feeling of accomplishment.

Thanks also to everyone who has posed here and on all the other forums I searched while trying to get this phone back to life.

 

[Magik]

For the love of god...

Please just tell people to use ODIN 1.3.
It ran perfectly the first time.

I tried the ODIN 3.0 and it EPIC failed on me.

Save innocent phones' lives.

Use ODIN 1.3.

~Magik

 

[Paul627g]

The version we offer here. Odin 3. v1.61 works great for most. Usually any problems is more the fault of user error than the program itself.

 

[Paul627g]

Instructions for Odin from DG17 to DG27/DI07/DI18

Thank you for your help. This indeed seems overwhelming for me as I am not very familiar with all of this. I'm not sure about best buy and their policy but that is where she got the phone and I was thinking worst I can do is brick the phone and get it replaced.

NOTE TO ALL: I researched this option from various posts here on Android Central and other forums and seems to be a good alternative when using "About Phone>System Updates" in the Settings fails. It requires a bit of patience and downloading of 3 huge ROM files but it should get you updated when everything else fails.

1.) First step you need to take is download Odin and the Samsung drivers needed for your computer listed on the first procedure in the first post of this thread. Also download the files listed in step #2 (this is the Eclair DI18 file it will be used last after the other two updates its a big file around 261 meg)

2.) Extract the contents of the Odin file to a folder on your computer using WinRaR or 7zip (both free on the net, google them)

3.) Install the drivers as instructed in the first post.

4.) Go to the page below to download the following.

Credit XDA, Eclair "tar" files to be used with Odin

Download the following files (again these are big files like the DI18 file.. Go watch tv while downloading....)

DG27 file & DI07 file (last 2 on the bottom of first post)

Don't extract them, just save them to a folder possibly even the same folder you extracted Odin.

5.) Once you have those 2 files downloaded you start the process of using Odin to update/restore your g/f's phone. Each process should only take around 5 minutes.

6.) This is where you can refer back to the first post in this thread and start at step #4.

7.) When you get to step #8.

1st time around use the ".tar" file provided in the DG27 download you did. Then proceed with the rest of the steps.

2nd time around use the ".tar" file provided in the DI07 download.

3rd time around use the ".tar" file you downloaded in step #2 from this thread (DI18) file.

Basically your going to follow the process, let it do its thing then let the phone boot up then power down and goto threw the next process until your threw all 3 updates.

Each process with Odin takes about 5-8 minutes roughly or less. Don't be too intimated by all this we all nervous the first time we did it. Your just having to go threw it an extra 2 times due being so far outdated. Its been used time and time again and if you read the steps and take your time you should have great success. Feel free to ask any questions.

I hope this gets you through it easier and your g/f's phone back on track where it should be.

 

[Paul627g]

The link to download Odin seems to be broken. Where is a safe place to download the best version?

Also, where do the ".tar" files actually end up? On the sd card? I'm thinking we are going to get everything set up and then wait to see what Best Buy says when we go in there and attempt to use her insurance on the epic. We may tell them it is not getting updates but everyone seems to stop listening and start with "Froyo is not out yet", or we may just say it is powering off on it's own and not working properly. Either way, I worry they will give us an out of date device :'(. If they do not allow us to exchange or they do and it is an out of date unit, I'm sure you'll be hearing from me a lot more as I attempt to grasp this unfamiliar process of updating. Again, let me know if you can help me further with this.

You can download Odin from the [How to] Factory Restore (or Fix a Bricked Phone) page. Just select "Mirror" instead of "Link". Something must be down with the servers on the "LINK".

Once you download Odin and extract it to a directory you can place the 3 ".tar" files you download to the same extracted directory as Odin. This will make things very easy when it comes time to use Odin because it should open straight to that extracted directory containing Odin when you go to select the ".tar" files.

One last thing I know its mentioned in the Odin installation instructions, don't forget to remove the ".md5" extension on the ".tar" files if it's present. Just click on them to rename and delete the ".md5" and retain the rest of the filename(s). Otherwise Odin won't recognize the file with the .md5 extension.

Anything else feel free to ask.

Good luck on Best Buy, although I don't think they are going to be very helpful. Another thing you can possibly try is telling them is your phone has been acting up and rebooting randomly when not even in use. Try some crazy excuses. Blame it on the outdated OS. Any replacement phone they reissue to you should be on the latest Eclair 2.1 (DI18).

 

[cabrone]

You can download Odin from the [How to] Factory Restore (or Fix a Bricked Phone) page. Just select "Mirror" instead of "Link". Something must be down with the servers on the "LINK".

Once you download Odin and extract it to a directory you can place the 3 ".tar" files you download to the same extracted directory as Odin. This will make things very easy when it comes time to use Odin because it should open straight to that extracted directory containing Odin when you go to select the ".tar" files.

One last thing I know its mentioned in the Odin installation instructions, don't forget to remove the ".md5" extension on the ".tar" files if it's present. Just click on them to rename and delete the ".md5" and retain the rest of the filename(s). Otherwise Odin won't recognize the file with the .md5 extension.

Anything else feel free to ask.

Good luck on Best Buy, although I don't think they are going to be very helpful. Another thing you can possibly try is telling them is your phone has been acting up and rebooting randomly when not even in use. Try some crazy excuses. Blame it on the outdated OS. Any replacement phone they reissue to you should be on the latest Eclair 2.1 (DI18).

You are crazy helfpul. It is so wonderfully refreshing to be part of a forum where everyone is actually polite and goes out of their way to better the community. Thanks again for all of the help. I will keep you posted when the g/f and I have time to try our options.