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

[bluewanders]

Blank Screen

Hey everybody... having some major problems with my Epic 4g... (big surprise right? Ive renamed my phone Regret 4g)...

At any rate... at the moment it is entirely unusable. A little info on it... it is fully stock. The other day I loaded it up, booted just fine... as soon as it gets past the Galaxy S pulsating logo the screen goes entirely blank. Buttons at the bottom come on and stay on for a while then they go off too. It is definitely still on though... it make sounds once in a while like it is looking for service but I cant tell if pushing any buttons are getting a response or not.

Theres not really much Ive been able to try... but I HAVE tried just about every combination of volume down + power to get it to boot into the reset menu I keep reading about. I must be stupid... because no combination ive tried gets me anywhere other than a normal boot and then a blank screen.

So... I decided to try recovering with a recovery rom... Im running ubuntu and apparently I just found out 5 minutes ago the Heimdall hosting site is down and out. My thinking was that possibly some program updated and caused general havoc.

Do I have any options? My first instinct is to just throw this thing at the wall, I hate the phone anyway... its so buggy and unreliable. I cant take it to a Sprint store, im not in the states right now. I dont have access to a Windows machine either, although I could get near one in a couple days if I absolutely have to.

 

[FenixOK]

I've had this happen to an Epic before, best suggestion is to get the Odin software (Not sure if it's Ubuntu compatible) and use it to flash the stock ROM.

If not possible, check out the Samsung support website, and download the consumer-oriented Epic software updater, which will completely flash the new OS. That SHOULD take care of it.

 

[bluewanders]

I've had this happen to an Epic before, best suggestion is to get the Odin software (Not sure if it's Ubuntu compatible) and use it to flash the stock ROM.

If not possible, check out the Samsung support website, and download the consumer-oriented Epic software updater, which will completely flash the new OS. That SHOULD take care of it.

Thanks for the reply... I was under the impression that Heimdall is the Linux flavor loader for the Odin packages? Am I wrong on that? To tell the truth... I havent been involved in this forum much because I avoid using this phone as much as possible... it locks up 5 or 6 times a day randomly while riding in my pocket and I have to do a battery pull to get it back up... then listen to all the voicemails from calls I missed and such. Im much more well versed with my Pre, but it has its own problems. It at least stays on all day. So, im not well educated on my Epic at all.

I will dig into the Samsung site and look for Linux compatible matches... I guess I might be waiting for a few days to get near a windows box.

 

[aristarchus]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I came from a pre as well, 4 pres actually in my family. One worked fine, but the other 3 would get random issues that were never consistent enough to replace but caused problems.

It has been a while since ive been on stock, but i have to say that since i started using custom roms this is the most stable smartphone i have ever used going back 10 years. Occasionally I would get a problem with a newly flashed rom, but a fix is almost always available.

It is possible you have a bad flash or upgrade, so i would recommend using odin or Samsung software to wipe and reflash. It can happen with the stock rom.

Either that or ask sprint to do it.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

 

[Tullstone]

Please help with my rooting issues...

Hey all Im a newb and I tried to root my phone to the Syndicate Frozen rom.

I followed all of the directions to a tee...

First time I flashed the device, I got a samsung screen that would never go away. I managed to Odin the system back to ECO5, and things worked well.

Until i tried again.

Now, Odin is failing, and my epic screen is turning solid green or purple in the middle of the Odin process, not completing it.

Ive had this phone for a day and would really like to actually use it. Someone please help?

 

[ragnarokx]

Read the first post - it has lots of tips on troubleshooting the Odin flashing process. You can also look over the procedures there to make sure you're not missing any steps.

 

[lonepuppy]

i think i killed it

Hi Guys
I flashed my phone now it is dead completely, it wont turn on at all, i think i put wrong firmware on without realising, its a samsung I5500. i have tried turning it on without the battery on but didnt do anything

any advice will be taken to make it work again

:'(

 

[DroidXcon]

Hi Guys
I flashed my phone now it is dead completely, it wont turn on at all, i think i put wrong firmware on without realising, its a samsung I5500. i have tried turning it on without the battery on but didnt do anything

any advice will be taken to make it work again

:'(

ok so the critical thing here is kicking it in to download mode

make sure you are using USB ports in the back of the computer

lets try the following

• with the battery out connect the phone and use the button combo
  
• with the battery out use the button combo then connect the phone
  
• with the battery in connect the phone and use the button combo
  
• with the battery in use the button combo then connect the phone

let me know if you are able to kick it into download mode

 

[Samboozle]

Phone stuck on recovery and I need help

I've searched and I can't find anything similar to my problem.

1. My phone was already rooted with stock EC05 rom.

2. I wanted to do the ext. 4 file system. When I tried that it won't let me cause I had the CWM 2.5. Now that I did update it to CWM 3.

3. I wanted to use the BONSAI ROM and so I downloaded the zip from my phone.

4. When the download was finished, It gave me an option to use ROM MANAGER and I forgot what the other option was but I went with ROM MANAGER. So it rebooted but then it failed to flash the rom.

5. Now it's stuck on CWM 2.5? It won't let me know anything else.

6. So I wanted to start fresh and thought I could reflash the EC05 using ODIN but it was stuck on CACHE. Now I can't turn on my phone.

Please help?

 

[ragnarokx]

Pull the battery, enter download mode and flash with Odin.

 

[Paul627g]

I've searched and I can't find anything similar to my problem.

1. My phone was already rooted with stock EC05 rom.

2. I wanted to do the ext. 4 file system. When I tried that it won't let me cause I had the CWM 2.5. Now that I did update it to CWM 3.

3. I wanted to use the BONSAI ROM and so I downloaded the zip from my phone.

4. When the download was finished, It gave me an option to use ROM MANAGER and I forgot what the other option was but I went with ROM MANAGER. So it rebooted but then it failed to flash the rom.

5. Now it's stuck on CWM 2.5? It won't let me know anything else.

6. So I wanted to start fresh and thought I could reflash the EC05 using ODIN but it was stuck on CACHE. Now I can't turn on my phone.

Please help?

First, pull your battery and try to reboot the device. If you can get rebooted then uninstall Rom Manager and then run the OneClickRoot for the EXT4 file conversion again. If your sucessful up to this point then flash the Bonsai ROM in CWM when your done.

If the above doesn't work then pull your battery and leave it out of the device. Then get setup to run one of the Odin packages for prerooted EC05. Your choice, whichever package you want to flash. When you do attempt to use Odin leave the battery out, hook up your device and boot into download mode and run the Odin package. Once you get a green pass then pop your battery back in and continue on to EXT4 conversion if need be depending on which Odin package you decided to use.


Bottom line, STAY AWAY FROM ROM MANAGER!



Sent from my Epic 4g....

 

[Samboozle]

First, pull your battery and try to reboot the device. If you can get rebooted then uninstall Rom Manager and then run the OneClickRoot for the EXT4 file conversion again. If your sucessful up to this point then flash the Bonsai ROM in CWM when your done.

If the above doesn't work then pull your battery and leave it out of the device. Then get setup to run one of the Odin packages for prerooted EC05. Your choice, whichever package you want to flash. When you do attempt to use Odin leave the battery out, hook up your device and boot into download mode and run the Odin package. Once you get a green pass then pop your battery back in and continue on to EXT4 conversion if need be depending on which Odin package you decided to use.


Bottom line, STAY AWAY FROM ROM MANAGER!



Sent from my Epic 4g....

I'm going to get rid of ROM MANAGER as soon as I get my phone to work. Ok I'm using ODIN but it's still not working. It get's stuck on either CACHE or KERNEL. It seems like I'm doing everything right and I'm trying to be detailed as possible.

 

[Paul627g]

I'm going to get rid of ROM MANAGER as soon as I get my phone to work. Ok I'm using ODIN but it's still not working. It get's stuck on either CACHE or KERNEL. It seems like I'm doing everything right and I'm trying to be detailed as possible.

- Leave the battery out

- Pull the sdcard out of the device

- Turn off any anti virus software/spyware scanners

- If using a laptop make sure its plugged in and not running off the battery only.

- Try a different cable/USB port.

 

[Samboozle]

- Leave the battery out

- Pull the sdcard out of the device

- Turn off any anti virus software/spyware scanners

- If using a laptop make sure its plugged in and not running off the battery only.

- Try a different cable/USB port.

I did all that and still nothing...


<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> EC05x_DXC.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/006> Odin v.3 engine (ID:6)..
<ID:0/006> File analysis..
<ID:0/006> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/006> Can't open the serial(COM) port.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1


That's what I got. I've been at this for about 4 hours.

 

[DroidXcon]

I did all that and still nothing...


<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> EC05x_DXC.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/006> Odin v.3 engine (ID:6)..
<ID:0/006> File analysis..
<ID:0/006> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/006> Can't open the serial(COM) port.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1


That's what I got. I've been at this for about 4 hours.

did you reinstall the drivers?

 

[Paul627g]

That definately looks like drivers or a cable/usb port issue...

 

[Samboozle]

did you reinstall the drivers?

Yes I just did that but now it's stuck on CACHE.

 

[DroidXcon]

paul do you have time to walk him through heimdall.

 

[Samboozle]

Hey guys just an update. I did get the phone fixed by a member from XDA. It looks like it was the USB cable and PORT issue. He suggested to get a blackberry or his preferred choice, the HTC cable. Anyways I mentioned how everyone here in this forum are very helpful and I really do appreciate you guys taking the time to help me.

 

[Paul627g]

Hey guys just an update. I did get the phone fixed by a member from XDA. It looks like it was the USB cable and PORT issue. He suggested to get a blackberry or his preferred choice, the HTC cable. Anyways I mentioned how everyone here in this forum are very helpful and I really do appreciate you guys taking the time to help me.

You didn't need to goto XDA to find that out... Oh well.. I tried...

- Try a different cable/USB port.