Please help. Won't boot to Recovery, otherwise, it's fine. Rooted Galaxy S3 (Sprint) Android 4.3

[OhioJoe]

My S3 can boot normally to the rooted OS, or to "Download Mode" but seemingly refuses to boot to recovery mode.

For some reason, it will not accept the [volumeUP/Home/Power] combo (even though ti did earlier to root it to start with)

[all the buttons work fine when I use them in regular mode)

I've tried several times, but all it does is vibrate quickly with nothing displayed, then when I let go of the three buttons (I can wait one second or thirty, it doesn't matter) it seems to go back to standard booting and boots to the OS.


Again, it WILL boot to Download Mode.
It will NOT boot to Recovery Mode when proper buttons are pushed, and simply boots to the main OS after I let go of the buttons..

Here's the specs:
model: SPH-L710
Build: JSS15J.L710VPUCMK3
Android 4.3 (OTA'd by accident).
Running rooted (via Odin) but not ROM flashed.

 

[ffejjj]

Did you take the OTA after you rooted? Did the issue start right after the OTA or otherwise?

 

[Ramer84015]

It sounds like a hardware issue with your volume button. How about one of the many apps in the Play Store to boot into recovery? Here is the first one I saw.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Just to make sure, you are powering the phone completely off before trying to boot to recovery, right?

Another possibility: I've noticed the 3 key combination doesn't seem to work if the phone is charging when you try it.

 

[OhioJoe]

I thought so too, but the volume button works fine once it boots to standard OS.

 

[OhioJoe]

[CORRECTION] I thought it would still boot to Download mode, but it does not. IN short, it ONLY boots normally, regardless what button combo I push.

It sounds like a hardware issue with your volume button. How about one of the many apps in the Play Store to boot into recovery? Here is the first one I saw.

I thought so too, but the volume button works fine once it boots to standard OS. But the recovery app idea was one I hadn't even thought of. However, I've not noticed that every app that uses root access freezes once I click it. So the recovery apps are freezing.

Did you take the OTA after you rooted? Did the issue start right after the OTA or otherwise?

Yes, OTA'd right after root. I know that was a bad thing, and I know it is causing an issue now that I have rooted.

Just to make sure, you are powering the phone completely off before trying to boot to recovery, right?

Another possibility: I've noticed the 3 key combination doesn't seem to work if the phone is charging when you try it.

Phone is completely off. Wasn't connected to a charger or anything. I've attempted to get it to boot to recovery several times.

I'm worried this is such a rare issue, no one will know how to fix it.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

I haven't run across this before. you might try installing a new recovery through Odin.

 

[dubya386]

Did pushing a new recovery with Odin work? Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm experiencing the EXACT same problem with my Verizon S3 with the exact same circumstances, complete with taking an OTA after already being rooted...

 

[John Fenuccio]

i'm having the exact same problem with my samsung galaxy tab 2 10.1, it had this exact problem where it never shuts down in order to boot to recovery. always boots normally regardless of button combination and all keys work fine otherwise. I tried updating to 4.3 again with CM11 but same problem and now i can't boot to recovery again to install updates, any help here would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SamScrewed]

Hey Pal.

I think the Unified Android ToolKit will help you. It is very easy to use - just follow the instructions and you will be able to install your choice of recovery and it boots the phone into recovery or download mode for you. Let me know if that helps.