Is it easy/hard to brick the Galaxy? - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Hi,
1. For a month ago i've learned how to root my galaxy s2, and since then i've flashed new ROM's and kernels almost every week, and thats because almost everyone told me that it was almost impossible to brick the phone.
In 2 days i will recive my new Galaxy Nexus, and i don't know if i will Root it or not, is it worth doing this to this phone?
thanks

People say it's almost impossible.. Just search the threads where people think they bricked their phones

It is EXTREMELY hard to brick the Galaxy Nexus.
And it is definitely worth rooting. There are some amazing ROMs and kernels available

Learning to root and use android from scratch, I bricked this fella at least six times, but mostly due to bad file transfers and user error.
Use a toolkit, wugfresh's makes it excessivlely easy.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

I did not wipe data out before flashing, my phone could not start. I thought i bricked my phone but after went to recovery mode to wipe data, my phone worked fine.

As far as I know, the only time that you can brick this phone is when flashing bootloaders. For example, the lights go out during the 2 secs required to flash it. But the window of opportunity is so small you have to really be unlucky, and if you have UPS or do it on a laptop, that won't be a problem at all. The more probable scenario is flashing a corrupted image of the bootloader (that's what md5 checksums are for) or, god forbid, a bootloader for a completely different device (that's what intelligence is for). Besides, you shouldn't be flashing bootloaders all the time. Maybe once every time a new version of ICS comes out.

TwilightSparkle said:
I bricked this fella at least six times
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what you really mean, is that you didn't actually brick it once?

Lol - interesting thread...
I'll bet that I can brick one in a few minutes, so it can't be that hard... xD

I was under the impression that bricking can also occur by mismatching radios/kernels/roms, not just the wrong bootloader. Like using a 4.0.2 version of one with a 4.0.3 version of another, for instance. I want to upgrade from 4.0.2 to 0.3 or 0.4 but I'm not sure of the correct order of updating everything, since I've customized all of them. Unless I'm just mistaken altogether...

thirtynation said:
I was under the impression that bricking can also occur by mismatching radios/kernels/roms, not just the wrong bootloader. Like using a 4.0.2 version of one with a 4.0.3 version of another, for instance. I want to upgrade from 4.0.2 to 0.3 or 0.4 but I'm not sure of the correct order of updating everything, since I've customized all of them. Unless I'm just mistaken altogether...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. As long as your volume button and power button are not broken, you can start into the bootloader and start over.
Bricking is a very final thing that one can not repeat on the same device. Once bricked, it's only good as a paperweight. If you can revive the device, then it was never bricked in the first place

Wrong radio will brick your device for certain. Kernel and ROM not so much...

danger-rat said:
Wrong radio will brick your device for certain. Kernel and ROM not so much...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought CWM just gives an error and doesn't complete the flash in that scenario, no..?

danger-rat said:
Wrong radio will brick your device for certain. Kernel and ROM not so much...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I remembered reading that in some /r/android comments a few months ago. Thanks for confirming.
So since I'm on 4.0.2 running the leaked 4.0.3 radios, if I wanted to run 4.0.4 everything would you recommend just reverting back to pure stock 4.0.2 via this thread or similar method, and then going from there?

Vangelis13 said:
I thought CWM just gives an error and doesn't complete the flash in that scenario, no..?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not confirmed with this phone, but typically the bootloader will do an md5 type check, but recovery doesn't. If you disable signature verification in recovery, then it's all in your hands...

j.go said:
[snip]
The more probable scenario is flashing a corrupted image of the bootloader (that's what md5 checksums are for) or, god forbid, a bootloader for a completely different device (that's what intelligence is for). Besides, you shouldn't be flashing bootloaders all the time. Maybe once every time a new version of ICS comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if the bootloader flow is the same on the Galaxy Nexus (probably not), but on the Nexus One, the bootloader will not flash a bootloader that is not signed. Period. Unless of course there is no NAND lock (i.e., S-OFF for HTC devices).

Afaik,you have to screw up fast boot to truly brick the device. Not even messed up boot loaders will brick it. You can always go to fastboot and factory restore.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

psycho2097 said:
Afaik,you have to screw up fast boot to truly brick the device. Not even messed up boot loaders will brick it. You can always go to fastboot and factory restore.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dare you to flashable radio from another phone...

danger-rat said:
Dare you to flashable radio from another phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL!!!!!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I Dare y'all to flash the 4.0.4 update on a GSM phone. ;P
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Related

Hard-bricked my phone - how was it possible?

Hi Guys,
I managed to hard-brick my phone somehow. I sent it back to HTC already, but I just don't want to do it again. Can anyone figure out what did I do wrong?
Here is the story:
1, I've rooted the phone. I tried with the one-click root first, it did not work, but the other method involving unlocking the bootloader through htcdev.com and flashing CWM (endeavoru) and SuperSU worked.
2, I wanted to install my cmdsp update, which worked already in several devices (Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, Galaxy S III). I flashed the exact version which was in the thread (that one is created from the Galaxy Nexus CM9 distro (maguro)).
3, The device booted, but then got frozen on the UI. I hesitated what to do next.
4, I thought that maguro is not binary compatible with my device, so I downloaded CM10 from this thread, extracted the necessary files and created an update.zip for this device, then flashed it.
5, It got flashed nicely, but then the phone did not boot anymore.
It had 100% battery before, but long-pressing power button did not do anything. No way to get into hboot mode, and the device is not recognized as an USB device if plugged into a mac (sorry, no windows at home). The led does not even light up if I plug it to the charger.
So, the question is: what did I do so wrong that it got hard-bricked. I might get another device from HTC, I might need to pay for that, I don't know, but I do not want to repeat this mistake.
Do not flash other phone's **** into ur phone..
No human can take horse's penis in ass
Same way phone doesn't take other phone's **** into own..
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
sumeshd said:
Do not flash other phone's **** into ur phone..
No human can take horse's penis in ass
Same way phone doesn't take other phone's **** into own..
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is an update.zip, I flashed it to many other ARM-based device with no problem (ICS, JB).
Because you don't read and experiment, that's why.
Laurentius26 said:
Because you don't read and experiment, that's why.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't read what? The doc of the update.zip that I made myself? This update.zip installs some libs into the /system partition. What can go wrong about it?
You got the SAME responses on the SAME thread you started in the at&t, rogers, telestra One XL forum. Tho your story didnt add up over there. Looks like u just need to come to terms with it amigo:beer:
#2 - CRAP Flashing doesnt pay
dlux.hu said:
This is an update.zip, I flashed it to many other ARM-based device with no problem (ICS, JB).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost every Android has an ARM architecture CPU, doesn't mean you can flash whatever you want onto every phone.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Because you overwrote your hboot when flashing the device?
Try running the JB Firmware Flasher.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Actually I'm very interrested in what you flashed exactly?
With a S-ON device it should not be possible to flash anything that will hard-brick your device. So maybe you could post it for me?
EDIT: The ZIP you are linking to in your other thread could never have hard-bricked your phone. On a S-ON device it is impossible to flash onto a protected partition. So something else must have happened!
It is indeed possible to hard rbick an son device only by simply flashing a rom and boot.img meant for your device.
Recently it happened in the one x community when an (anonymous) developer released a rom and several people got bricked because of it.
Sent from my One X using xda premium
TToivanen said:
It is indeed possible to hard rbick an son device only by simply flashing a rom and boot.img meant for your device.
Recently it happened in the one x community when an (anonymous) developer released a rom and several people got bricked because of it.
Sent from my One X using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no boot.img in the ZIP he links to, only libraries and an APK file. I highly doubt that could hard-brick a S-ON device, but who knows.

help is it true that its hard to brink your phone

does brinking only happen when you install a unsupported rom. all i wanna do is unlock the boot loader and root my gnex but dont want it to brink as im doing it i dont wanna install custom roms i just wanna be able to use apps that need root . i tryed the root with out unlock method it dont work for me. thanks
If you're not doing anything there isn't really any way you could possibly mess up your phone. Just read the directions.
No, you won't brick your phone unlocking and rooting it. Just follow directions.
android.4.0 said:
does brinking only happen when you install a unsupported rom. all i wanna do is unlock the boot loader and root my gnex but dont want it to brink as im doing it i dont wanna install custom roms i just wanna be able to use apps that need root . i tryed the root with out unlock method it dont work for me. thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read, read, read and fully understand what you are about to do. Also study up on how to fully restore your device before proceeding. It is tempting, but the more you read, the more confident you will feel when you run into an issue. Trust me, you will have issues. We all had them when we started messing with our devices.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1892807
You can flash whatever you want that isn't a bootloader from another phone (or corrupt -- check those MD5s) you will never brick, even if it is a ROM for another phone.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Type fastboot erase boot ........ you'll brick it quick lol.
Otherwise like someone said above if you flashed the wrong boot loader, although I think it checks it I'm not sure, or maybe a corrupted one then yeah your baked. But otherwise you pretty much can't break it
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
altimax98 said:
Type fastboot erase boot ........ you'll brick it quick lol.
Otherwise like someone said above if you flashed the wrong boot loader, although I think it checks it I'm not sure, or maybe a corrupted one then yeah your baked. But otherwise you pretty much can't break it
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
'fastboot erase boot' erases kernel, not bootloader. Try erasing it. The device will boot up to fastboot mode, directly.
Sent from my i9250
bk201doesntexist said:
'fastboot erase boot' erases kernel, not bootloader. Try erasing it. The device will boot up to fastboot mode, directly.
Sent from my i9250
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He is trying to say booloader, someone on he N7 forum pulled it off.
Beamed from my Grouper.
Mach3.2 said:
He is trying to say booloader, someone on he N7 forum pulled it off.
Beamed from my Grouper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is the maguro/toro/toroplus forums.
even so, even erasing bootloader, it should be possible to recover it through omapflash. i don't think erasing the bootloader can be called a brick. if you erased it, it means you can write it again. corrupting emmc would be what i call a brick.
and on grouper, it will probably will be possible to use nvflash, if it's not available right now.
bk201doesntexist said:
this is the maguro/toro/toroplus forums.
even so, even erasing bootloader, it should be possible to recover it through omapflash. i don't think erasing the bootloader can be called a brick. if you erased it, it means you can write it again. corrupting emmc would be what i call a brick.
and on grouper, it will probably will be possible to use nvflash, if it's not available right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I guess no one sane is going to try fastboot erase bootloader.
Will the next nexus have a longer screen?
Mach3.2 said:
Well, I guess no one sane is going to try fastboot erase bootloader.
Will the next nexus have a longer screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shhh, we do not speak that phrase!
My current ROM:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1892807
For the nexus it really really really hard to brick this phone and if you do it might not be a brick it might be more of a hardware fail then anything . Lol I have messed up some serious software upgrade and flashes and it never bricked
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

[Q] Is the note 2 UNBRICKABLE?

Hey there XDA,
Yesterday I received my note 2.
I'm coming from an unbrickable device: LG Optimus 2x so I'm not totally new to flashing and rooting an android device.
I have seen a lot of posts around that the note 2 can be bricked and you could lose your phone. Is this true?
Also, if it isn't unbrickable, what do you guys recommend before rooting and flashing a ROM to make it safe(r) for us new users to prevent us from bricking the device on the first try.
I have read numerous of tutorials on how to root and flash a ROM on the note 2 but they've never really discussed in detail how to prevent a brick or how to restore the device if it's bricked.
Coming from an unbrickable device it's for me common logic to just flash another ROM or use nvFlash to unbrick the device.
I would love to read your answers and opinions
Its not unbrickable, if you corrupt or wipe one of the bootloader partitions then that could mean that the phone won't boot, even in to download mode. That's a hard-brick of course, soft-bricks aren't a problem and are easily restorable. Don't mess with the bootloader unless you really have to and preferably know exactly what you're doing is my philosophy. As long as you stick to that and are reasonably careful in doing so, you should be fine.
The other very important thing is, backup your EFS partition! As far as I know there's still no way to do it before you've rooted your phone which is not ideal but unfortunately the way it is. But I'd make it the very first thing you do after rooting it and definitely before flashing anything else like custom ROMs.
Just don't mess with modems.
It cab be recovered with a jtag unit. But you need files and some experience in advanced stuff.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
UtkarshGupta said:
Just don't mess with modems.
It cab be recovered with a jtag unit. But you need files and some experience in advanced stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing a bad modem can't brick your phone at all unless it wasn't even meant for your model of phone and ends up in the wrong place.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
yeah we should thanks to Lord that our note2 is unbrickable. haha
Modem is bootloader.
So if it is a corrupt install or it gets interrupted then be prepared to use jtag or pay 400 $ or whatsoever.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
UtkarshGupta said:
Modem is bootloader.
So if it is a corrupt install or it gets interrupted then be prepared to use jtag or pay 400 $ or whatsoever.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps I am wrong here, I don't know as much about the N7100 as I do about S5830i but how can the modem be the bootloader?? As in I'm sure you're aware that the modem/baseband/radio is the device's main communications driver. So are you saying that modem.bin also functions as the bootloader (or part of it)? That would seem a bit odd, do you have a link?
makeyourself said:
wipe one of the bootloader partitions then that could mean that the phone won't boot, even in to download mode. That's a hard-brick ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that's what I did on my Note II...d*mn me! Need to send it to Samsung for repair and it's OOW even though it's 3months old only.

[Q] Question about warranty when unlocking bootloader and installing custom ROMS

Will I really lose my warranty if I unlock the bootloader and install custom ROMS?
And will I get back my warranty if I relock the boot loader and flash stock ROM?
Asus can't see I flashed my device in the past if I have stock ROM with locked bootloader, can they?
Can anyone tell me how this works exactly?
Everywhere I read I MAY risk to lose warranty.
Thanks in advance!
danielsinnema said:
Will I really lose my warranty if I unlock the bootloader and install custom ROMS?
And will I get back my warranty if I relock the boot loader and flash stock ROM?
Asus can't see I flashed my device in the past if I have stock ROM with locked bootloader, can they?
Can anyone tell me how this works exactly?
Everywhere I read I MAY risk to lose warranty.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No (well...can go either way)
Yes (although you don't really lose it in the first place)
Once you've flashed the factory image and relocked the bootloader, no they can't (only Nexus to have a tamper flag is the N5)
That warning is standard on all unlockable devices. It's a standard disclaimer they put on there just like any other company would (to cover their butts). However, I do see where the company is coming from. I've seen noobs unlock and start flashing, and then end up messing their device up beyond recovery. They then feel they have the right to get it repaired free of charge. If you know what you are doing, chances are good you'll be fine. If something is actually defective, and as long as you still have to ability to flash stock image and relock, you're good. That being said, I've also read stories of people getting RMAs successfully even though they were unlocked/rooted/ROMed. As long as you can make a case that the defect wasn't caused by your own doing, I would imagine you'd be okay.
charesa39 said:
No (well...can go either way)
Yes (although you don't really lose it in the first place)
Once you've flashed the factory image and relocked the bootloader, no they can't (only Nexus to have a tamper flag is the N5)
That warning is standard on all unlockable devices. It's a standard disclaimer they put on there just like any other company would (to cover their butts). However, I do see where the company is coming from. I've seen noobs unlock and start flashing, and then end up messing their device up beyond recovery. They then feel they have the right to get it repaired free of charge. If you know what you are doing, chances are good you'll be fine. If something is actually defective, and as long as you still have to ability to flash stock image and relock, you're good. That being said, I've also read stories of people getting RMAs successfully even though they were unlocked/rooted/ROMed. As long as you can make a case that the defect wasn't caused by your own doing, I would imagine you'd be okay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks mate for your explanation, I was looking for this.
I have some experience flashing android devices so I probably won't mess up my device I have bought my nexus 7 2013 recently and I don't want to have no warranty when I discover a hardware issue.. But everything seems to be fine actually. I'll install a cm 11 nightly soon.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
danielsinnema said:
Will I really lose my warranty if I unlock the bootloader and install custom ROMS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you should ever need to bring your N7 to the service within the warranty, you will flash a stock ROM, unroot and lock the bootloader. Then you're 100% stock again with no sign of mods.
Do you have a N7 razor 2013?
tetakpatalked from my N7100
tetakpatak said:
If you should ever need to bring your N7 to the service within the warranty, you will flash a stock ROM, unroot and lock the bootloader. Then you're 100% stock again with no sign of mods.
Do you have a N7 razor 2013?
tetakpatalked from my N7100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I think I have that version. I have the wifi only version.
Thanks for the tips man!
danielsinnema said:
Yes, I think I have that version. I have the wifi only version.
Thanks for the tips man!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good. Yes, it is probably razor flo, check to be sure. I have the same one. Just keep in mind to save all your data and settings elswhere as unlocking the bootloader for the first time will instantly wipe whole your tab and poasibly even corrupt the /data partition.
I have written this morning how to get out of it in one other N7 thread.
tetakpatalked from Nexus 7
tetakpatak said:
Good. Yes, it is probably razor flo, check to be sure. I have the same one. Just keep in mind to save all your data and settings elswhere as unlocking the bootloader for the first time will instantly wipe whole your tab and poasibly even corrupt the /data partition.
I have written this morning how to get out of it in one other N7 thread.
tetakpatalked from Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I see.
I backed up everything in TWRP before I unlocked the bootloader.
I'm now have installed the latest nighty of Cm 11, which is running flawlessly.
Thank you all for telling me how stuff works!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
danielsinnema said:
Yes I see.
I backed up everything in TWRP before I unlocked the bootloader.
I'm now have installed the latest nighty of Cm 11, which is running flawlessly.
Thank you all for telling me how stuff works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, great mate!
That's why we have a community here.
Don't hesitate to ask if anything.
tetakpatalked from Nexus 7
Yes thank you for creating this thread because then it helps encourage people like me want to root and learn things I want to learn to be a developer when I grow up!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Damn...just made a huge mistake. phone bricked?

My son wanted to root his brand new phone. i have rooted 8 phones from different phones before with success..... but this time i f***d up...
Accedently installed this on his phone.
http://wccftech.com/flash-and-root-nexus-5-on-android-6-0-1-mmb29k/
executed flash-all.bat and it flashed the bootloader.
For the wrong phone...
It should have been this one..
http://wccftech.com/flash-and-root-nexus-5x-android-6-0-1/
Missed the X......
Now the phone will not even boot any more at all....cant enter bootloader.......does not power up at all.!!!
Jesus...what have i done.......
It here any chance at all to fix this somehow?
Hello and thank you for using Q/A,
because you can't enter bootloader, you can't do anything. You can try to send the phone to Google. Say: It didn't boot after OTA Update.
Kind regards
Trafalgar Square
Yeah it's most likely a paperweight. Try sending it to Google. Flashing the wrong firmware destroys a phone as you probably already know
well
hopesrequiem said:
Yeah it's most likely a paperweight. Try sending it to Google. Flashing the wrong firmware destroys a phone as you probably already know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am totally aware of that....
but somehow one must be able to flash the bootloader from scratch....
Normally via special software etc.
That´s what i was hoping for....
Only thing I know to use is a riff box to jtag it. Not sure if they have one for 5x.
crowhater said:
I am totally aware of that....
but somehow one must be able to flash the bootloader from scratch....
Normally via special software etc.
That´s what i was hoping for....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your use of the period seems rather condescending. And no, you as the end user cannot fix that. You did one of the few things that is unrecoverable unless you manage to get the bootloader to accept adb commands somehow.
crowhater said:
I am totally aware of that....
but somehow one must be able to flash the bootloader from scratch....
Normally via special software etc.
That´s what i was hoping for....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't you say the phone won't turn on? The above scenario is not possible.
Well
bobby janow said:
Didn't you say the phone won't turn on? The above scenario is not possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well. the bootloader is flashed into the phone from the beginning aswell during manufacturing. I work with electronics and software and i know there is always a way to reflash the bootloader. All the electronics comes in the beginning with no software at all, one only needs the proper software/hardware. Most probably by jtag....or if they have some other special tool for snapdragon 808.
Stupid of me not to see that the version i flashed was not for nexus 5X...and only for nexus 5
sight...
Good luck. Will Google not rma it?

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