I had some research yesterday, yet I still can't find a proper answer to most of my questions about the following subject. Hoping some of the experts here can contribute some of their knowledge and hopefully I will edit this thread to a guide, or at least spare others the need for wondering around the web as I did.
Well, Few days ago I turned off my phone, and it wont turn on or response to any physical key combination, usb connection (Except for charging the battery) or even that famous Samsung jig (301KΩ Between pin 4 and 5 on the usb connection). It is not recognizable by any device while connected through usb interface. It is permabricked. The worst thing that can happen to a phone while the hardware is intact.
Although the name indicates otherwise, some things can be done in order to get the device working again.
It is a process in which the phone's main bored is exposed, than a special device (e.g riff box) is connected to certain areas on the pcb that were made that way for the initial configuration of the phone back in the factory. The pinout of the connection varies in each model, but the interface is the same and called "Jtag". Than, that device connects to a pc through usb interface.
So the first step would be to get that device and to connect it to both pc and phone's motherboard through a certain pinout that is mostly hard to get. You'll need a driver for that jtag flashing device and a compiled file which you would like to flash in to your phone. I don't know if that file is specific to each model or to the certain chip the phone is using (Can different models with the same chip be flashed the same way? Reply if you know and I'll edit it here).
By what I know, after flashing that file the phone will be accessible through usb interface for further flashing of the rom.
Alternatively, There are some companies that offer that kind of service. I couldn't find any who work with T989, and prices for that kind of service.
I would like to have as much information as possible and maybe eventually I'll be able to get my phone fixed. In that case I'll add some photos and document the process.
Michael.fri said:
I had some research yesterday, yet I still can't find a proper answer to most of my questions about the following subject. Hoping some of the experts here can contribute some of their knowledge and hopefully I will edit this thread to a guide, or at least spare others the need for wondering around the web as I did.
Well, Few days ago I turned off my phone, and it wont turn on or response to any physical key combination, usb connection (Except for charging the battery) or even that famous Samsung jig (301KΩ Between pin 4 and 5 on the usb connection). It is not recognizable by any device while connected through usb interface. It is permabricked. The worst thing that can happen to a phone while the hardware is intact.
Although the name indicates otherwise, some things can be done in order to get the device working again.
It is a process in which the phone's main bored is exposed, than a special device (e.g riff box) is connected to certain areas on the pcb that were made that way for the initial configuration of the phone back in the factory. The pinout of the connection varies in each model, but the interface is the same and called "Jtag". Than, that device connects to a pc through usb interface.
So the first step would be to get that device and to connect it to both pc and phone's motherboard through a certain pinout that is mostly hard to get. You'll need a driver for that jtag flashing device and a compiled file which you would like to flash in to your phone. I don't know if that file is specific to each model or to the certain chip the phone is using (Can different models with the same chip be flashed the same way? Reply if you know and I'll edit it here).
By what I know, after flashing that file the phone will be accessible through usb interface for further flashing of the rom.
Alternatively, There are some companies that offer that kind of service. I couldn't find any who work with T989, and prices for that kind of service.
I would like to have as much information as possible and maybe eventually I'll be able to get my phone fixed. In that case I'll add some photos and document the process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1st off, it's "taboo" not tabu. Secondly there is already a pretty good amount of threads that have covered this in detail, I'm certain because I have posted in them. Lastly, please SEARCH the existing threads before creating a new one; the answers to all your questions are already there.
1. Thanks, Changed to "Taboo".
2. I searched, I really did. I went all over google with many key words and covered up this forum as well. All I got is some articles about the jtag protocol, which is good for knowledge but too general for the application I need, and some threads in which people writing that their phone is bricked and asks what to do about it. Not a single post is about how to fix that independently, and what does it require. If you could give me link to these threads you say that covers up the subject, I'll delete this thread at once.
Michael.fri said:
1. Thanks, Changed to "Taboo".
2. I searched, I really did. I went all over google with many key words and covered up this forum as well. All I got is some articles about the jtag protocol, which is good for knowledge but too general for the application I need, and some threads in which people writing that their phone is bricked and asks what to do about it. Not a single post is about how to fix that independently, and what does it require. If you could give me link to these threads you say that covers up the subject, I'll delete this thread at once.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't pay attention to that guy he like to troll every where he goes. Try to google search for mobile tech or Adam Outler, and check if he get the Jtag service for our phone. If I'm not wrong the charge for the Vibrant was $50.00 plus shipping and handling. I hope you can fix your phone.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Do you know what caused the brick?
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Searched, and yet no result. Sending the phone to the U.S is quite risky. I have no idea how they're intended to pack it before sending it back. I would rather doing this in Israel.
I saw on ebay several devices associated with Jtag. the price starts from 10$ for a simple usb dongle, through 30$ devices, which is the price of most of the jtag devices I found, to the 150$ riff box that is associated with phone unbricking.
By what I know Jtag is a simple serial protocol. I just need sort of "bridge" to translate the logic 1's and 0's with the right voltage level and certain clock speed to a usb interface or even RS232. How expensive can that be?
I also contacted several ebay sellers which offer a jtag repair service. they all answered this model is not supported.
I would go to Samsung labs in Israel and see what they can do to get it working.
I just thought to invest 20$, get that sort of device and to get it done by my own.
Another issue is the pinout. The pinoput of the Jtag connection is not shown in any website, so I have no way of knowing how to connect on this specific PCB.
Last thing I need is that new bootloader I can flash, and a software to flash it through. Where can I download it?
About the reason for bricking the phone, I have no Idea. As I said, last time I've installed new rom was more than a week prior to the incident. I've used some overclocking app mostly to underclock my phone, cause it drained the battery like hell before, even while it was running on stock and after changing the rom several times.
I also used some usb otg device which worked normally, but was not plugged to the device even few hours before it was bricked.
Hopefully we can figure out the cause of these permabricks so we can prevent it from happening to more people.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
I gotta say, this is quite alarming. That the phone can just hard brick itself like this spontaneously.
I've had some scary experiences with the phone myself. Like a couple of random reboots that required the long power press for the phone to power back on. At least it always came back on.
I'm also from Israel myself so a similar scenario can bring me to the same situation as you.
Good luck with getting any kind of solution.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
parusia said:
don't pay attention to that guy he like to troll every where he goes. Try to google search for mobile tech or Adam Outler, and check if he get the Jtag service for our phone. If I'm not wrong the charge for the Vibrant was $50.00 plus shipping and handling. I hope you can fix your phone.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Troll for advising to follow the posted rules of membership ? WOW
I just contacted Adam and still no jtag for this device .
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
did you look for a service manual?
- the manual may cover schematics for jtag device.
Been flashing phones since the Razr and never bricked a phone I couldn't repair myself. That is until I tried to flash my GSII back to stock through odin. Sent it to Samsung and they had to replace motherboard. Now I'm a little nervous about using odin.
reocej said:
Been flashing phones since the Razr and never bricked a phone I couldn't repair myself. That is until I tried to flash my GSII back to stock through odin. Sent it to Samsung and they had to replace motherboard. Now I'm a little nervous about using odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend splurging on the $2-3 for a jig, I have had moments where I thought I was SOL & the jig saved my arse.
Michael.fri said:
Last thing I need is that new bootloader I can flash, and a software to flash it through. Where can I download it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you solve your problem?
I was looking at using QPST
QPST is a program often frowned upon here at xda. It is commonly used to flash phones, and has little to do with android coding. The software is made for Qualcomm (or by them) and this device has a chip from them in it. This has tools for building and installing bootloaders and partition tables. Our device after a hard brick (and still serviceable by JTAGing) has a com port open still and if you load the driver in windows you will see a port number as others here on XDA have said. The driver allows ODIN to see the device but not connect. QPST does connect, but I have not attempted to flash anything to it since I have not built any files to load. I'm kind of stuck creating the needed xml that makes the partition table and headers and file that are to be loaded to partitions. This is really a softbrick, in my opion, but nobody has the knowledge for this level of building and coding, with this tool, here at XDA. If somebody does, it may make those selling JTAG services mad, but that would mean we could fix our phones on our own. On my own, I'm a few weeks away from this solution, with some help from people here that know how to write xml for partition tables and can help me locate files for a build, I can generate the files, test them, make a write up and post the solution in just a few days.
By the way, this is a multi-device solution in the long run. We get one fixed and we can start on the others with this same issue, where the only life left in the device is the Qualcomm download mode driver showing in windows device manager.
Michael.fri said:
I had some research yesterday, yet I still can't find a proper answer to most of my questions about the following subject. Hoping some of the experts here can contribute some of their knowledge and hopefully I will edit this thread to a guide, or at least spare others the need for wondering around the web as I did.
Well, Few days ago I turned off my phone, and it wont turn on or response to any physical key combination, usb connection (Except for charging the battery) or even that famous Samsung jig (301KΩ Between pin 4 and 5 on the usb connection). It is not recognizable by any device while connected through usb interface. It is permabricked. The worst thing that can happen to a phone while the hardware is intact.
Although the name indicates otherwise, some things can be done in order to get the device working again.
It is a process in which the phone's main bored is exposed, than a special device (e.g riff box) is connected to certain areas on the pcb that were made that way for the initial configuration of the phone back in the factory. The pinout of the connection varies in each model, but the interface is the same and called "Jtag". Than, that device connects to a pc through usb interface.
So the first step would be to get that device and to connect it to both pc and phone's motherboard through a certain pinout that is mostly hard to get. You'll need a driver for that jtag flashing device and a compiled file which you would like to flash in to your phone. I don't know if that file is specific to each model or to the certain chip the phone is using (Can different models with the same chip be flashed the same way? Reply if you know and I'll edit it here).
By what I know, after flashing that file the phone will be accessible through usb interface for further flashing of the rom.
Alternatively, There are some companies that offer that kind of service. I couldn't find any who work with T989, and prices for that kind of service.
I would like to have as much information as possible and maybe eventually I'll be able to get my phone fixed. In that case I'll add some photos and document the process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mobile Tech offers the JTag service. There is even a discount for XDA members. They offer the service for all variants of the S2
Here you go!
http://mobiletechvideos.mybigcommerce.com/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-jtag-brick-repair/
daxxone said:
QPST is a program often frowned upon here at xda. It is commonly used to flash phones, and has little to do with android coding. The software is made for Qualcomm (or by them) and this device has a chip from them in it.*snip* On my own, I'm a few weeks away from this solution, with some help from people here that know how to write xml for partition tables and can help me locate files for a build, I can generate the files, test them, make a write up and post the solution in just a few days..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any word on a fix using QPST?
Hi XDA,
I recently hard bricked my SPH-L710 (Sprint version of the Samsung Galaxy S3). I was going to attempt the procedure here: (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2023069) Then I quickly realized after tearing down my SPH-L710 that we have a different system board and processor (thanks sprint!). I was wondering if anyone had a shot in the dark as to whether or not there's an equivalent resistor you can trip on the SPH-L710 that will cause the device to boot from SD?
I appreciate any help. Here are some pictures of the SPH-L710 System board: http://imgur.com/a/jOJ5x#0
I've also attached the Samsung PDF(gt-i9300.7z) describing the same resistor/process to trip.
Not only that it has completely different partitions. Nothing which works on the International S3 will function on a US variant. If your looking to repair the bricked device Jtag is the only thing. It has to be reset at a partition level first before being able to reload software.
Sent from the future via Tapatalk 4
edfunkycold said:
Not only that it has completely different partitions. Nothing which works on the International S3 will function on a US variant. If your looking to repair the bricked device Jtag is the only thing. It has to be reset at a partition level first before being able to reload software.
Sent from the future via Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, I actually have the appropriate PIT for the SPH-L710, though, that won't help at this point.
I called Samsung and they sent me a shipping label for repair. They didn't ask any pointed questions.
It was more or less: "What's wrong with it?, Oh it won't boot? OK we'll send you a shipping label, it'll take 2 business days to ship, 5 to repair, and 2 to ship back." I was hoping to hang on to it for a bit to try and fix it to maybe provide a solution for other SPH-L710 users, however everything I find is "It's hard bricked, just pay to get the JTAG repair". A bit disheartening as a computer scientist to have to pay to get something fixed, luckily it doesn't look like I'll have to pay Samsung.
I have a contact in Samsung's memory division, I'm going to see if they can get hook me up with a schematic for the SPH-L710.
If I find anything further, I'll update this thread. Otherwise Samsung is repairing my device.
I used these searches before compiling this thread;
"how to recover data from a bricked SGN"
"data extraction from a SGN that will not boot"
"removing the HD from samsung galaxy nexus"
These searches did not yield results that replicate my situation. The only search that resulted in many entries were for people with "bricked phones" that (at least somewhat) responded to input. I associate the term "bricked" with a phone that does not respond to input, or show any indication of getting power.
My phone is a Samsung Galaxy Nexus on verizon wireless. It has been rooted and is running a custom ROM by...AOKP i think. I had some assistance each time I rooted and updated my ROM.
Here is my problem, what caused it,my troubleshooting steps, and what I'm trying to do. My phone was partially submerged in water for an unknown amount of time. The battery and SIM were removed and kept in a water proof container within an hour of submersion. The water damage indicator stickers (on both the battery and the phone have not been triggered). About 24hrs later, the phone was placed in a zip lock bag with 4 desiccant silica gel packs where it will remain for the next 24. Per vzw's tech support, I tried to power the phone on using the charger and the battery removed. No change. Verizon was not advised of the partial submersion, only the non triggered water damage stickers. This phone is under warranty and a replacement has been shipped. I confirmed that my contacts are backed up to google.
The reason for this post is, I have close to 30GB of pictures and videos that I stored on this device's "internal SD" that I want to recover. Looking through the searches I mentioned above, it sounds like this isn't so much a separate card, but more of a partition on the phone's HD. I have been told by vzw that neither their branch office tech support, nor their recovery/diagnostic team that analyzes returned phones has the capability to remove and return this data.
If someone here has hardware experience with cracking open a SGN and swapping the "internal SD card" I would greatly appreciate any information available for this task.
if it cant turn on, you cant retrieve data.
Zepius said:
if it cant turn on, you cant retrieve data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well..OK. I'm not ready to give up just yet. When my desktop PC's power supply failed, the PC was unusable, and didn't indicate power. I swapped that out and it now it works fine. This seems like it could be a similar situation. I at least want to exhaust every option I have before throwing in the towel.
Those 30GB contain hundreds of pictures of the first 2 years of my kid's life.
It seems to me that data recovery should still be possible if an replacement power source is utilized. Maybe more than just the power source has failed. Maybe every other hardware component in my wet phone has failed. But maybe, that "internal SD" is recoverable.
If anyone here knows what the "internal SD" looks like, and has successfully swapped one, I'll risk it. I know I can't trust vzw with such a task.
I realize this is a developers forum, and I'm asking for hardware failure advice. If anyone can refer me to a different forum that is more specialized to my specific task, I'll gladly take my trouble there.
Thanks for reading,
Jef
you're assuming 1 thing. the nand that houses the storage is in good health. When water is introduced, you have the unknown factors of what it does to circuitry.
im sure there is a ifixit teardown showing where the nand is. The problem is its soldered to the mainboard of the phone. You might be able to unsolder it, but thats a stretch.
Zepius said:
you're assuming 1 thing. the nand that houses the storage is in good health. When water is introduced, you have the unknown factors of what it does to circuitry.
im sure there is a ifixit teardown showing where the nand is. The problem is its soldered to the mainboard of the phone. You might be able to unsolder it, but thats a stretch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much Zepius. I googled "ifixit teardown samsung galaxy nexus" which lead me to a page (that I'm not able to paste here as a new user).
which is exactly what I was looking for. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm assuming the nand is in good health, just wishful thinking.
Anncoco - sorry, I don't remember what I did with this. It's been about 4 years, and this was 3 phones ago. I think I had some of the photos backed up somewhere else, enough that I never went to the trouble to disassemble the Nexus. From my notes - I remember the phone did not indicate it was getting power when plugged in.
Hey guys,
Just signed up to ask a few questions, a very good friend of mine had her phone (T-mobile Samsung Galaxy SII SGH-T989) run over the other day. Needless to say she is not very tech savvy. She has a new S4 now. Now the problem is, that being she is not so tech savvy she didn't back up (ever?) So i am looking to somehow recover lost pictures and contacts if possible.
Now I have a small background in building computers and taking stuff apart so I agreed to take a look at the phone. The screen is shot. but besides that the other internals look fine. Nothing is broken as far as i can tell. When I plug the phone in with the battery nothing comes up at all, except when i leave it plugged in for a little bit the LED under the camera will flash about once every minute or so.
So i guess the question i have is did the motherboard somehow short circuit when it was run over? Has anyone had experience with a situation similar to this before?
And is there a way to get the phone on long enough to recover the lost info?
Help would be much appreciated if possible.
Justin
As phones don't have an actual hard drive, I doubt you can recover anything from a phone that isn't running.
Sent from my N5, N7, Moto X, G Tab 3 or S2.....
This is not easy, but can be done. I have done similar recoveries several times…
You’ll need:
1) The equipment & ability to remove a surface mount soldered chip, and re-solder it onto another board *without* damaging it.
2) Another identical phone to host the transplanted chip.
3) A service manual, or someone with intimate knowledge of the device, to identify the correct chip…
Note that if the pix were encrypted this will not work…
Hello,
My wife has broken her Mi Mix 2.
It fell down and all cracked.
Not booting or even charging.
I wanted to know if there is a way to retrieve her photos by opening up her phone and getting to the storage chip on the board.
And somehow connecting it through usb to the pc.
From my private investigations online, i found that it is a Samsung brand 128GB UFS chip and glued to the 'mother'board?
If it is encrypted, we have the phone pin, google account password etc.
I watched McGyver as a kid and know how to use a screwdriver.
Thank you for helping in this period of global confinement.
Stay safe. Live long and prosper. Thank you.
You may be able to remove the chip but I've got no idea how you would interface with it, and even if you could interface with it, I'm not sure it would be readable like a standard storage device. Sorry man.
If I were desperate for the images I would try buying other old Mix 2 models and salvaging parts to try and match some working ones together.
Kaji said:
You may be able to remove the chip but I've got no idea how you would interface with it, and even if you could interface with it, I'm not sure it would be readable like a standard storage device. Sorry man.
If I were desperate for the images I would try buying other old Mix 2 models and salvaging parts to try and match some working ones together.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are chip readers on the market. Some specialised users have reader for it. This is not a cheap task. The reader it self cost about 3k . This type of service involves high costs afaik. Is definitely possible to be made.
Thank you
Got it. Thank you Kaji and Andr6. :good::good::good:
I guess i will keep the phone as is. And send it to China to be restored if it can be.
They might have the things needed there.