Develop Bugs

[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.

No Pit Partition.. Am I bricked?

Hello,
2 Days ago my phone unlocked galaxy note 2 in the uk stopped working in the middle of the night, no idea how, My borthers phone stopped the same night also.
My friends note 2 got an OTA update the next morning but his is working fine.
SInce then my phone wont go past the first boot screen, it is completely stock and has no custom rom or root.
I took it to a samsung repair centre they put it in DL mode and they said i had a custom rom and they cant help..
Iv come home and i have tried to now flash a new firmware, i have then tried to flash CWM via odin but it comes up with a message..
No pit partition
then it fails...
Anyone have any ideas? what has caused this the OTA update? Both me and my brother bought the phones directly through samsung trade but my friend bought his through phones 4 u..
The update my friend got was N7100xxdmb2
ANy ideas or help is greatly appreciated

What exactly information (lt upper) you getting on download mode?
Any light blink on charging device?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

dr.ketan said:
What exactly information (lt upper) you getting on download mode?
Any light blink on charging device?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI and thanks for quick response!
When i plug in to charge i get a single red flash on the further left light, then the battery image appears witht he spinning circle but then it freezes there, the usual green battery filling doesnt occur. When i disconnect the screen is frozen witht eh battery picture on screen.
In download mode i get:
Odin Mode (in red)
Product name :
Custom Binary Download :NO
Current BInary : Samsung Official
System status: Custom
Thanks again

Sorry to say but yes its bricked, and this is happened due to bug in older rom. It's sds (sudden death syndrome)
Another thing your binary counter on download mode is 'no'
And they can't reject earranty claim, you have to convince them. Otherwise you have to pay for it and you will need to change motherboard, which is costly.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

dr.ketan said:
Sorry to say but yes its bricked, and this is happened due to bug in older rom. It's sds (sudden death syndrome)
Another thing your binary counter on download mode is 'no'
And they can't reject earranty claim, you have to convince them. Otherwise you have to pay for it and you will need to change motherboard, which is costly.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thats a shame, pretty poor in my opinion..
Has this affected many others? and was it caused by the OTA update failing or something?
Thanks for the help and i assume that you are certain that i cant fix with software?

Yes there are lots of people affected by this bug just search sds /sudden death in forum. This is purely poor samsung crap and s3 and note2 both devices have same bug (badically faulty emmc chip), you can't fix it with sw once it bricked, latest rom 4.1.2 released in 2013 have fixed for it, but that just can prevent device from getting bricked, who already have bricked have to just replace motherboard.
Sorry and I can feel for it. But you should not put down and let them to know about it to reclaim warranty.
Your downloaf mode information don't suggest you had custom rom, and all the sds victims have same information and got replacement.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

dr.ketan said:
Yes there are lots of people affected by this bug just search sds /sudden death in forum. This is purely poor samsung crap and s3 and note2 both devices have same bug (badically faulty emmc chip), you can't fix it with sw once it bricked, latest rom 4.1.2 released in 2013 have fixed for it, but that just can prevent device from getting bricked, who already have bricked have to just replace motherboard.
Sorry and I can feel for it. But you should not put down and let them to know about it to reclaim warranty.
Your downloaf mode information don't suggest you had custom rom, and all the sds victims have same information and got replacement.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
really annoying but... im sure in time i will get over it!
thanks for the help and the reply.
just one last question - when the system status says : custom , what exactly does this mean? and what's the difference between that and official. i am asking as i want to make sure im armed with enough information should they decide to get all official with me!
thanks again.

It should official but
I have seen lots cases who never have flashed any custom stuff and having status Modified, so I think they won't Stand up with argument. Yes if your binary download is non zero then it certainly proves you have flashed custom stuff. I have seen more than 20 sds cases on note2 and I really not remember if anyone have status 'official' and I believe this sds issue itself causing status Modified.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

dr.ketan said:
It should official but
I have seen lots cases who never have flashed any custom stuff and having status Modified, so I think they won't Stand up with argument. Yes if your binary download is non zero then it certainly proves you have flashed custom stuff. I have seen more than 20 sds cases on note2 and I really not remember if anyone have status 'official' and I believe this sds issue itself causing status Modified.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So do we have a solution as of date? what can be done or something?

Just upgrade your FW. Fix has been implemented since January, 2013 in Samsung FWs.

I have the same problem
Memphis_ said:
Just upgrade your FW. Fix has been implemented since January, 2013 in Samsung FWs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it sounds like upgrading would fix this problem.. right?
how about the photos and stuff? am i gonna lose all of that??
---------- Post added at 12:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 PM ----------
talboy said:
Hello,
2 Days ago my phone unlocked galaxy note 2 in the uk stopped working in the middle of the night, no idea how, My borthers phone stopped the same night also.
My friends note 2 got an OTA update the next morning but his is working fine.
SInce then my phone wont go past the first boot screen, it is completely stock and has no custom rom or root.
I took it to a samsung repair centre they put it in DL mode and they said i had a custom rom and they cant help..
Iv come home and i have tried to now flash a new firmware, i have then tried to flash CWM via odin but it comes up with a message..
No pit partition
then it fails...
Anyone have any ideas? what has caused this the OTA update? Both me and my brother bought the phones directly through samsung trade but my friend bought his through phones 4 u..
The update my friend got was N7100xxdmb2
ANy ideas or help is greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey, i have the SAME problem here. i'm wondering you got fixed or not. i have unlocked on so don't even know where i should go for warranty because i got it from Amazon.

I am having the exact problem as the OP. Were you able to fix it? I got my phone from eBay, contacted Samsung Canada, and they said I'd have to go contact Samsung Hong Kong

hii
Who sells a motherboard for Note 2 ???

Help to repair the phone stucked on Qload state

I wrote this request in another thread and I think hasn't been read by many people, so I opened a specific thread.
Our phone may remain stucked for several reasons in a QLOAD 9008 device state, or similar device (easily verifiable even with Windows). It's better to test a solution very simple and useful for all.
To do this is required to extract some files residing in an area of ​​the phone's memory and only a working phone can be used to extract a dump of this files following how explained in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2136738
Don't think an hardbrick can't happens to you, it may happens and without a tested solution your phone may become a paperweight. Alas my phone is bricked (!), I cannot extract any file from it, I can only try to repair the phone but I need this files to test this method. I invite anyone who has care of his phone to read the topic linked above and try to extract the files needed to repair the phone locked in QDLOAD mode (05c6:9008), we have only this way to unbrick the hardbricked phone for free (if the phone warranty is expired or invalid).
I thank anyone (uhm... mr. Arco68?...) who gives a hand to solve the "Qload 9008 mode" brick problem with this method!

I hope that someone will help you.

I've read the thread, and I'm willing to help... but what exactly I have to do?
Honestly, I can't make any sense of the thread...
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app

yep,,,, and i thought so too,,,,,
even arco himself mentioned he had two hard bricks,,, i dont think,, he just returned it to sammy for warranty use.. i think he had that unbricker you're mentioning..

R: Help to repair the phone stucked on Qload state
santiagoruel13 said:
yep,,,, and i thought so too,,,,,
even arco himself mentioned he had two hard bricks,,, i dont think,, he just returned it to sammy for warranty use.. i think he had that unbricker you're mentioning..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why don't give a try?
Inviato dal mio GT-I8150 con Tapatalk 2

Today, or as soon as possible, I'll try to make backups of the bootloader, partition table and a .pit from an i9100. If I cannot do that, as soon as possible I will try with a i9001 that has hardware very similar to the i8150. I hope I can do it, so I will explain here how to do it step by step to allow other users do the same more easily. Stay tuned!

orsonbear said:
Today, or as soon as possible, I'll try to make backups of the bootloader, partition table and a .pit from an i9100. If I cannot do that, as soon as possible I will try with a i9001 that has hardware very similar to the i8150. I hope I can do it, so I will explain here how to do it step by step to allow other users do the same more easily. Stay tuned!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will a dd dump be enough?
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app

pepoluan said:
Will a dd dump be enough?
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think, because i think isn't compatible with the tool...

Bricked at&t LG

I've searched the whole thread and tried every method to unbrick my phone but my phone wont even go in to download mode the screen is black and blank Please help all this happened after trying to unlock.

Try to charge your phone from the wall. Any luck?
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium

Ninja25 said:
Try to charge your phone from the wall. Any luck?
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried no luck when I connected the phone to my computer it attempted to install this driver qhsusb_dload and failed.

Try going over to the AT&T thread.
See if this post has any helpful info...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2006946
I think that post has info on accessing the irc channel...you can get the LGNPST files from there.
Good luck.
Sent from my Optimus G using xda premium

ur phone become a hard brick,install qualcomm's driver,will appear a...qualcomm xxx 9008,pls use QPST emmcswdownload repair it,ok
Sent from my SHV-E120L using xda premium

my phones hard bricked can u plz tell me how to unbrick it ?
starteam said:
ur phone become a hard brick,install qualcomm's driver,will appear a...qualcomm xxx 9008,pls use QPST emmcswdownload repair it,ok
Sent from my SHV-E120L using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plz help me unbrick my hard bricked phone

I wouldn't recommend it. Please go to a gsm service.they will fix it.If you are not a tech wizzard,then don't try to recover a hard brick phone home.there are alot of command lines to be written and the most slightest mistake will result in a permanent brick,beyond repair.You have 2 choices : send the phone to warranty,tell them it died.Go to a service and pay about 20 bucks to repair it.

[email protected]! said:
Plz help me unbrick my hard bricked phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://bbs.gfan.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=6269182&extra=page=1

starteam said:
http://bbs.gfan.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=6269182&extra=page=1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i read it but i cant understand it fully
plus its asking for money for downloading the files...............
can u eloborate it plz ?
write and explain in simple steps....
i am geting the error "image download failed cookie (if present) not received"

[email protected]! said:
i read it but i cant understand it fully
plus its asking for money for downloading the files...............
can u eloborate it plz ?
write and explain in simple steps....
i am geting the error "image download failed cookie (if present) not received"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if so,you can only use JTAG to repair it

starteam said:
if so,you can only use JTAG to repair it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No other way really ?:crying:

I am also facing cookie not received error on QPST. But my phone is Cherry Flare, qualcomm msm8225 based.
I had updated my phone to Jelly Bean (used it for 3 days) which died while it was charging. I tried to flash bootloader through QPST, but got the cookie error. I assume the QPST can solve the flash problem if something went wrong while updating firmware. In my case I was not updating the firmware, it suddenly died. After reading so many forums, I could not find any solution and am thinking that the phone is beyond repair by myself.
Now my question:
1. Can service center repair the phone through JTAG? I believe JTAG can directly access eMMC flash which QPST could not.
2. If not, can eMMC be replaced? Or the entire main board needs to be changed?

If the emmc is intact,jtag can fix it.
If the emmc buffer is corrupted or full with bad attempts to recover,the only way is to change the mainboard.
Happend to a friend with a galaxy note.he tried so many times to fix it with odin home until it was too late for jtag.it could't acces the emmc.
Anyway,if the phone is hard bricked,it can't be traced.so send it to warranty.
Sent from LG E975 pwd by CM 10.1

Note 2 won't boot or start recovery mode

Hey,
I'll try to be short and descriptive. I'm pretty familiar with Android ecosystem, but just want to clear things up.
I've just purchased a refurbished Note 2 (I already knew it couldn't boot properly). I can't boot it into Recovery, it goes to "Galaxy note 2" and stays there. I tried it 3-4 times but without success.
But I can boot it into download mode and it stays:
Product name:
Custom binary download: No
Current binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Custom
I'm currently reading other similar treads (where users can boot only to download mode, and it doesn't show anything under product name) and as I can read, it's a SDS, the Sudden Death Syndrome. Is this correct? Should I try using Odin and use the stock PDA file or?
Thank you!

Try flashing with Odin, if it end with PIT mapping error, it's SDS and send to service station.

dr.ketan said:
Try flashing with Odin, if it end with PIT mapping error, it's SDS and send to service station.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. As soon as I come home I'll try to do it.
Do I need any sort of paper when giving the phone to the Samsung Service station or I can just give them the phone and explain the problem?
Also is there a specific region I should look for?

dr.ketan said:
Try flashing with Odin, if it end with PIT mapping error, it's SDS and send to service station.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a query doctor.
If it is SDS, would the Service station repair for free of cost?

It's you have warranty, they will.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

And if I don't have any paper, what's the estimated cost of fixing it (so they don't overprice it)?

Nearly half the price of device.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Well, seems like I made a big mistake buying this device. Calling some international support won't help?

Ribice said:
Hey,
I'll try to be short and descriptive. I'm pretty familiar with Android ecosystem, but just want to clear things up.
I've just purchased a refurbished Note 2 (I already knew it couldn't boot properly). I can't boot it into Recovery, it goes to "Galaxy note 2" and stays there. I tried it 3-4 times but without success.
But I can boot it into download mode and it stays:
Product name:
Custom binary download: No
Current binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Custom
I'm currently reading other similar treads (where users can boot only to download mode, and it doesn't show anything under product name) and as I can read, it's a SDS, the Sudden Death Syndrome. Is this correct? Should I try using Odin and use the stock PDA file or?
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trying flashing boot through jtag box it helps alot in fixing boot problems
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

<ID:0/012> There is no PIT partition
Well since I don't have any paper, but it's obviously Samsung's fault, is there any way to get it fixed for free by calling customer support in EU?

Ribice said:
There is no PIT partition
Well since I don't have any paper, but it's obviously Samsung's fault, is there any way to get it fixed for free by calling customer support in EU?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude if you have riff box it can fix partitions and boot. If not find someone who has one, it will fix ur problem
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

Riff box = JTAG?

Don't waste time, nothing will work in SDS.
You can understand sds is just failed hardware, no software can do magic isn't?
Jtag works if you have messed up bootloader and device doesn't get boot/download mode.
You can't put life in dead that is that simple.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Ribice said:
Riff box = JTAG?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it has a samsung partitioning plugin for similar problems..
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
---------- Post added at 03:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:20 AM ----------
dr.ketan said:
Don't waste time, nothing will work in SDS.
You can understand sds is just failed hardware, no software can do magic isn't?
Jtag works if you have messed up bootloader and device doesn't get boot/download mode.
You can't put life in dead that is that simple.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A try wont make the situation worst.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium