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

[gavisann]

Well here is my story.

I have two Epics one I updated from DK28 to EB13 and the other one I saved for today. I tried using Samsung's tool which led to driver errors then I fixed that but the installation failed on the factoryfs.rfs... Now the phone is a brick... I then came across this thread and tried procedure 1 which also failed at factoryfs. I then for some odd reason tried the pit from procedure 2 and the .tar from procedure 1 which failed...but there is a twist. It failed on modem.bin. I started the phone and it is working! I am currently downloading EC05. Should I expect my phone to work fine?

 

[Paul627g]

Well here is my story.

I have two Epics one I updated from DK28 to EB13 and the other one I saved for today. I tried using Samsung's tool which led to driver errors then I fixed that but the installation failed on the factoryfs.rfs... Now the phone is a brick... I then came across this thread and tried procedure 1 which also failed at factoryfs. I then for some odd reason tried the pit from procedure 2 and the .tar from procedure 1 which failed...but there is a twist. It failed on modem.bin. I started the phone and it is working! I am currently downloading EC05. Should I expect my phone to work fine?

You will find out soon enough... If it failed on the modem.bin you may have the improper modem but the EC05 update should overwrite that. Otherwise report back here and we can figure out a game plan.

BTW, for future reference whenever it fails in Odin, just do the entire process without your battery in the device. Plug in USB cable, boot into Download mode and run the Odin package.. Should get you threw whatever hangups/failures you were having.

Anti virus pgms disabled/turned off on computer too...

 

[unseen wombat]

Tried to install bonsai, now phone is bricked

I hope someone can help me. My Epic 4g was on EC05, RFS, and I tried to install Bonsai 4.0.0 exactly as written in the installation instructions. Now my phone is trapped in a boot loop, and it's booting into CWM 2.5.1.0 for some reason. I could have sworn I installed CWM 3.0 something.

Anyway, I installed Bonsai, and it seemed to go just fine, but then it froze on the samsung screen. Nothing would work, so I pulled the battery to reboot. And then I was trapped in the boot loop.

I did do a CWM backup before I installed bonsai, but even after restoring, I still get the boot loop.

CW keeps saying something about the sd-ext.img not found, skipping restore of sd-ext.img. and it can't find cache/log or something

I tried to odin back to the EC05 I had before, but even though it says successful, I'm still stuck in the boot loop. It just will not boot back into the main OS.

Is there anything I can do, or is my phone just hosed?

Please someone help me.

 

[Paul627g]

I hope someone can help me. My Epic 4g was on EC05, RFS, and I tried to install Bonsai 4.0.0 exactly as written in the installation instructions. Now my phone is trapped in a boot loop, and it's booting into CWM 2.5.1.0 for some reason. I could have sworn I installed CWM 3.0 something.

Anyway, I installed Bonsai, and it seemed to go just fine, but then it froze on the samsung screen. Nothing would work, so I pulled the battery to reboot. And then I was trapped in the boot loop.

I did do a CWM backup before I installed bonsai, but even after restoring, I still get the boot loop.

CW keeps saying something about the sd-ext.img not found, skipping restore of sd-ext.img. and it can't find cache/log or something

I tried to odin back to the EC05 I had before, but even though it says successful, I'm still stuck in the boot loop. It just will not boot back into the main OS.

Is there anything I can do, or is my phone just hosed?

Please someone help me.

You have a few options.


Use the full wipe version of the prerooted/rfs EC05 odin package we have here. Run it without your battery in the device. It may fail on the first attemp, just do it again in that case.
[Odin-EC05] Froyo EC05 Prerooted/CWM v2.5.1.0 RFS (Odexed)


Or you can go here [How to] Factory Restore (or Fix a Bricked Phone) and choose procedure #1 for stock Froyo EB13 or procedure #2 for Eclair 2.1 (DI18).

Sorry I can't post links, currently mobile.

Edit: Provided the links.

 

[unseen wombat]

I assume I have to boot into download mode before I remove the battery, correct? Or should I plug it into the computer and then boot into download mode?

 

[gavisann]

You will find out soon enough... If it failed on the modem.bin you may have the improper modem but the EC05 update should overwrite that. Otherwise report back here and we can figure out a game plan.

BTW, for future reference whenever it fails in Odin, just do the entire process without your battery in the device. Plug in USB cable, boot into Download mode and run the Odin package.. Should get you threw whatever hangups/failures you were having.

Anti virus pgms disabled/turned off on computer too...

I'm a nab to android terms what does "modem" do? I would assume wifi, 2g/3g/4g, Bluetooth and gps but those all worked fine. I just installed EC05 so I will play with it for a bit to make sure everything is working.

 

[Paul627g]

I'm a nab to android terms what does "modem" do? I would assume wifi, 2g/3g/4g, Bluetooth and gps but those all worked fine. I just installed EC05 so I will play with it for a bit to make sure everything is working.

Yes the modem controls your (radio) for your 3g, etc.. If your running EC05 and have data transmitting back and forth then you are obviously fine from the Odin flash you did.

 

[gavisann]

Yes the modem controls your (radio) for your 3g, etc.. If your running EC05 and have data transmitting back and forth then you are obviously fine from the Odin flash you did.

I guess it is fine. I was having a problem with getting 1 bar, I should be getting three, but I updated my prl and its working fine. Now I need to reinstall everything...yaay.

Thanks for the great guide.

 

[Paul627g]

I assume I have to boot into download mode before I remove the battery, correct? Or should I plug it into the computer and then boot into download mode?

Pull your battery, then connect your cable to device and computer then boot into download mode and run Odin

 

[nmoreman]

I have done that before, this will work, just keep running it, great advice.

 

[unseen wombat]

Thanks guys. I managed to install EB13 with EXT4 from here: [Stock Flash][Odin]EB13 Extended CW2.5+RFS or CW3+ext4 2/24/2011 inc. Root+Redir. - xda-developers

I would have done Paul's suggestion, but I was already downloading that Odin tar on Megaupload.

Thank you so much though.

 

[Aero]

For a data point for my Odin of a bricked phone (failed RTN of rooted) on first attempt I got stuck at factoryfs.rfs . Gave it 20 minutes to make sure pulled USB, restarted Odin and did attempted without battery, That worked.
Paul, Thanks for the great instructions

 

[njackson580]

Help! Stuck in recovery!

so i tried to update my fiancees Epic thru odin today because OTA and Manual modes have been failing. the phone was rooted with Z4 root, stock rom and stock file system. i used Odin to install the EC05 build and it was successful. i downloaded rom manager and tried to flash clockworkmod simply so i could make a backup of her system easily. it said it flashed properly, then when i tried to make a backup it loaded into the recovery and locked up. now when i try to boot the phone normally it goes straight to recovery, allows me to move the curser freely, but once i actually click anything the screen goes black with capacative buttons lit up until i pull the battery. will the procedure for fixing a "Bricked" phone fix it? or is there someway to possibly use odin (i can still put it in download mode) and flash another recovery? help!

Thank you

 

[Whosdaman]

Pull battery, then hold 1 and push the power button. Reflash EC05

 

[njackson580]

Pull battery, then hold 1 and push the power button. Reflash EC05

thank you, but i must have forgotten to mention i already tried that. twice. :-( oh, and the ec05 is the pre rooted version posted by paul627g.

 

[Sprintguy1376]

I think my Epic died... o.o

Soooo I tried to change my ROM to an EC05 based ROM.

I used Odin to set everything to stock EC05 with a root.

Then I booted into CWM to install a custom ROM but when I went into any menu option in CWM the screen turned black and nothing happened.

So I thought... no big deal. Pull the battery, and the phone won't boot into the OS.

Again, no big deal. ODIN TO THE RESCUE! Right? Except, it's not working. It's just stuck at this screen and the progress bar on the phone isn't moving... What do I do...?

I've removed the SD card and tried Odin again. When I try to power on the phone, it just goes into a black screen that shows a phone and a computer in the middle. I'm horrified right now...

**UPDATE**

So Odin finally worked.. but when I start up the phone.. it goes into a non-functioning CWM even if I don't hold the volume and camera buttons. I can't get into the OS and when I select any of the options it just goes into a black screen... =/

 

[thojmoto]

so when u odined the second time, was it successful?

 

[Sprintguy1376]

No it still gets stuck on the same part.

 

[k0nane]

Try a non-stock cable. The stock cable is notorious for being a piece of crap. If that doesn't work, try another USB port.

 

[ragnarokx]

thank you, but i must have forgotten to mention i already tried that. twice. :-( oh, and the ec05 is the pre rooted version posted by paul627g.

What happens when you hold 1 and power up?