Hey guys, I seem to have soft-bricked my AT&T S3.
I was running Paranoidkangdroid 2.32 (based on CM10.1, 4.2.2), but started having some stability issues. Thinking it was time to start fresh with a new ROM, I downloaded SlimKat 4.1 and tried to install it following these instructions.
Upon rebooting, my phone hit the SlimKat loading screen and never finished booting. I rebooted to recovery, and saw errors saying it was unable to mount /cache, /data, and /system. I still have access to recovery and download, and have tried flashing and reflashing a variety of different ROMs, both custom and stock, but haven't been able to get past those errors.
When flashing from recovery, I get errors saying the partitions aren't able to be mounted. I can flash ROMs from Odin, and they do seem to be installing (no errors in Odin, and the Current Binary setting does change depending on whether it is a stock or custom ROM).
Best I can tell, my partitions are screwed up. Any advice on what I did wrong and the best way to proceed? If the partitions are screwed up, is there a way I can rebuild the partitions through the shell?
ericmerl said:
Hey guys, I seem to have soft-bricked my AT&T S3.
I was running Paranoidkangdroid 2.32 (based on CM10.1, 4.2.2), but started having some stability issues. Thinking it was time to start fresh with a new ROM, I downloaded SlimKat 4.1 and tried to install it following these instructions.
Upon rebooting, my phone hit the SlimKat loading screen and never finished booting. I rebooted to recovery, and saw errors saying it was unable to mount /cache, /data, and /system. I still have access to recovery and download, and have tried flashing and reflashing a variety of different ROMs, both custom and stock, but haven't been able to get past those errors.
When flashing from recovery, I get errors saying the partitions aren't able to be mounted. I can flash ROMs from Odin, and they do seem to be installing (no errors in Odin, and the Current Binary setting does change depending on whether it is a stock or custom ROM).
Best I can tell, my partitions are screwed up. Any advice on what I did wrong and the best way to proceed? If the partitions are screwed up, is there a way I can rebuild the partitions through the shell?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What stock ROM did you try to flash via Odin and did you get the <PASS> message? If you did, then it would seem the flash was successful. Can you try booting into recovery and doing a hard wipe/reset? Unless your phone has hardware issues, flashing a complete stock image should update all partitions.
Finally, if you were already on Android 4.3, you may try doing a stock restore using the instructions in the following thread ...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2658486
Stock ROMs
Larry2999 said:
What stock ROM did you try to flash via Odin and did you get the <PASS> message? If you did, then it would seem the flash was successful. Can you try booting into recovery and doing a hard wipe/reset? Unless your phone has hardware issues, flashing a complete stock image should update all partitions.
Finally, if you were already on Android 4.3, you may try doing a stock restore using the instructions in the following thread ...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2658486
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ROM I had previously installed was based on 4.2.2, so I'm not sure the instructions in that thread will apply...
I have tried installing the UCDLK3 ROM, as well as a couple of custom ROMs. I'm about to try another stock ROM (UCALEM), and will report back with the results in a few minutes.
ericmerl said:
The ROM I had previously installed was based on 4.2.2, so I'm not sure the instructions in that thread will apply...
I have tried installing the UCDLK3 ROM, as well as a couple of custom ROMs. I'm about to try another stock ROM (UCALEM), and will report back with the results in a few minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sad times.
I just tried installing the UCALEM stock ROM with Odin. Everything seemed to go well, and it finished with no errors and a "PASS!" result.
When my phone rebooted, a screen briefly popped up with red text. It didn't stay up long, but the errors I saw were similar to what I had seen before (unable to mount, etc.). The background was the red exclamation with the android robot lying down. The phone quickly rebooted, and sat with a black screen. When I pulled the battery out and powered it back on, it tried to enter recovery mode on its own, but only flashed the Samsung Galaxy S3 screen and remained on a black screen.
I can still access download mode, and the Current Binary now reads "Samsung Official." My phone did this same thing earlier when I flashed another stock ROM, and I was able to get back to recovery mode by flashing a fresh instance of CWM.
ericmerl said:
Sad times.
I just tried installing the UCALEM stock ROM with Odin. Everything seemed to go well, and it finished with no errors and a "PASS!" result.
When my phone rebooted, a screen briefly popped up with red text. It didn't stay up long, but the errors I saw were similar to what I had seen before (unable to mount, etc.). The background was the red exclamation with the android robot lying down. The phone quickly rebooted, and sat with a black screen. When I pulled the battery out and powered it back on, it tried to enter recovery mode on its own, but only flashed the Samsung Galaxy S3 screen and remained on a black screen.
I can still access download mode, and the Current Binary now reads "Samsung Official." My phone did this same thing earlier when I flashed another stock ROM, and I was able to get back to recovery mode by flashing a fresh instance of CWM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To follow up again, I was able to re-flash TWRP using Odin. Once that was done, the phone no longer tried to boot straight to recovery. I was able to three finger into TWRP, though it took a super long time for it to boot.
Here's the console log taken from TWRP once it boots:
Code:
E:Could not mount /data and unable to find crypto folder.
E:Unable to mount '/data'
E:Unable to recreate /data/media folder.
Updating partition details...
E:Unable to mount '/system'
E:Unable to mount '/data'
E:Unable to mount '/cache'
E:Unable to mount internal storage.
E:Unable to mount /data/media during GUI startup.
E:Unable to mount '/cache'
Full SELinux support is present.
E:Unable to mount '/cache'
Running boot script...
Finished running boot script.
E:Unable to mount '/cache'
E:Unable to mount /data/media/TWRP/.twrps when trying to read settings file
E:Unable to mount '/data'
Hello everyone,
i'm new to android devices and english is not my native language, so i'll try to explain my problem as well as i can.
the GT-I9195 won't boot, if i turn it on it freezes in the booting screen (the white logo with the model number).
so my first try was to recover it to factory settings by pressing volume up+home button+power. unfortunately this results in a red text that tells me: "E: failed to mount /system (invalid argument)", so the phone can't access the files that are needed for the recovery.
now i thought maybe kies could help me with this emergency firmware recovery but kies doesn't even recognize the phone, it stucks at trying to connect to the device.
ok at this point i knew this is getting complicated, i think the next step is trying to flash the right firmware by hand and restore the files needed for the recovery, buuut i don't know which firmware is the right one since i can't check the correct PDA/CSC/MODEM number.
now my question is how can i figure out which stock firmware is the right one, or maybe i can use some sort of costum firmware?
do i need to download any other files to make the phone work again? i ask that because when i open the odin tool there are buttons with bootloader/pda file/etc.
i hope that just somehow the files got corrupted and the intern flash memory ist still working and not damaged...
thanks in advance
One day after I charged my note 2 phone (SGH-T889), unplugged charger and started playing an app game for 5 mins. The phone suddenly crashed and began to restart nonstop but couldn't get passed the welcome screen animation. Eventually, it kept restarted and stuck in the logo screen.
I tried all the factory reset, wipe cache in recovery mode (holding the 3 buttons), taking out SD card, or all the basic stuff. The phone is not rooted at all. I even tried to install firmware through ADB (with digital signed software) but still failed to do so (even with some software to sign the zip file) because i got signature verification error. I also see failed to mount efs and system error. Also I wouldn't be able to get into recovery mode unless i hook up the usb, otherwise it will continuously fail to reboot in the logo screen.
I would like some guidance to reformat/ flash the whole phone with files linked or attached. Any official firmware version is fine for me. I only just learned ADB but I know nothing about odin. I don't want to root the phone if possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!
The stock ROM for your phone can be found here: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SPH-L720T/
The stock ROM from sammobile is flashed via Odin as Odin is Samsung's official flashing method.
This the forum for the phone is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2621862
audit13 said:
The stock ROM for your phone can be found here: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SPH-L720T/
The stock ROM from sammobile is flashed via Odin as Odin is Samsung's official flashing method.
This the forum for the phone is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2621862
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I typed the wrong phone. I typed s4 instead of the note 2 model. Sorry.
Ok i flashed my note 2 with odin v3.11.2 with T889UVUCOH4_T889TMBCOH4_HOME.tar.mp5 in the AP tab in ordin. However, I get stuck in the green robot where there is a percentage bar after reboot. It gets stuck there then just reboot with the same thing happening. What do I do? Thanks.
I was using this odin tutorial http://odindownloader.com/tutorials/use-odin-downloader
aznsaiyan1029 said:
Ok i flashed my note 2 with odin v3.11.2 with T889UVUCOH4_T889TMBCOH4_HOME.tar.mp5 in the AP tab in ordin. However, I get stuck in the green robot where there is a percentage bar after reboot. It gets stuck there then just reboot with the same thing happening. What do I do? Thanks.
I was using this odin tutorial http://odindownloader.com/tutorials/use-odin-downloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok Eventually it goes to recovery mode cwm.... Now i get even more E error. Pretty much fail to mount data, system, recover/ log, cache, etc..... even more errors T_T
Open Odin, uncheck everything except f reset time, flash rom, when you see the word reset in the status window, remove cable from the phone, remove battery, replace battery, boot into recovery, wipe, and reboot.
audit13 said:
Open Odin, uncheck everything except f reset time, flash rom, when you see the word reset in the status window, remove cable from the phone, remove battery, replace battery, boot into recovery, wipe, and reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't work after i put back battery in. In fact, i had trouble going to cwm after that. When I try to go to cwm, it goes to the green robot for a split second and jump back to logo screem in loop.
What happens when you put the battery back in? Does it flash stock without errors? Cwm should not be in the phone after flashing stock.
aznsaiyan1029 said:
Doesn't work after i put back battery in. In fact, i had trouble going to cwm after that. When I try to go to cwm, it goes to the green robot for a split second and jump back to logo screem in loop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and pretty much i have errors like these.
E:failed to mount /efs (No such file or directory)
E:failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
# Manual mode #
-- Appling Multi-CSC...
E:failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /system (No such file or directory)
E:failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_recovery
E:failed to mount /data (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /data/log/recovery_log.txt
E:failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
E:failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/log
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/log
(a few more such errors)
audit13 said:
What happens when you put the battery back in? Does it flash stock without errors? Cwm should not be in the phone after flashing stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
stuck in logo and when i try to wipe and factory reset liek u told me with holding vol up, power button, and home button, i go back to samsung logo loop
When booting to recovery, let the power button go as soon as the phone starts to boot but keep holding the home and volume up buttons.
audit13 said:
When booting to recovery, let the power button go as soon as the phone starts to boot but keep holding the home and volume up buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get only e: fail to mount efs and system ( didn't get fail to mount system the 1st time) now instead from the recovery screen. Wiped and got stuck in the sam sung start up animation, but then it becomes the same old logo reboot loop.
aznsaiyan1029 said:
I get only e: fail to mount efs and system ( didn't get fail to mount system the 1st time) now instead from the recovery screen. Wiped and got stuck in the sam sung start up animation, but then it becomes the same old logo reboot loop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok this is what happened when I did the whole process again precisely as you told me. After I flashed with odin with (T889UVUCOH4_T889TMBCOH4_HOME.tar.md5), my phone is still in the download mode screen but everything is done downloading already. I unpluged usb, battery, micro SD card. When I try to reboot in recovery (I did your let go of the power button the moment the logo poped up), I am unable to do that, except I get reboot non stop and sometime I can see the green robot with the percentage bar screen. Eventually after multiple logo reboot loop, it just stuck at the screen and not do a thing.
Pretty much nothing I can do when I unplugged the phone from the USB, but when I plugged back the phone to the USB i can go to recovery mode somehow and I get all the e fail to mount errors for everything like i posted previously.
Also tried to install cwm through odin, but after odin said it pass and restarted with or without taking out the battery, I cant even go to recovery mode anymore....
omg my phone does the same thing except I cant flash at all keeps saying complete (write) operation failed. someone did resovle this please pm me or reply....
only thing that manages to connect with my phone but never complete is cwm4_fixed_for_cm7-odin.tar
I see the blue bar its complete but nothing ever happens
Sounds like there is a hardware problem with the phone. There could be a few causes but the failure to mount partitions means the memory may be damaged.
audit13 said:
Sounds like there is a hardware problem with the phone. There could be a few causes but the failure to mount partitions means the memory may be damaged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it connects only to that? so what to do @audit13
I would look around to see if I could find a cheap note 2 with a smashed screen and working motherboard to switch the parts.
If you don't want to do that, maybe ask a cell shop for a repair estimate?
The phone is not worth too much so I would not spend a lot of money fixing it.
omg are you serious so thers nothing I can do? can I show you the pictures or something what is cwm4_fixed_for_cm-7-odin.tar? why is that only working ...im broke lol!!and a noob
Did you try flashing a stock ROM with a pit file?
audit13 said:
Did you try flashing a stock ROM with a pit file?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can u upload correct pit file cause all the pits file I have fails...but no I have not tried together let me try and upload pic
Hello,
my Samsung Galaxy S4 mini with bliss ROM stated to turn off spontaneously and sometimes it didn't start again (the Samsung logo appeared and then the phone went dead, it was impossible to enter recovery mode, download mode shut down itself immediately). After several tries, it booted normally. This happened again - and I found out it was a bad power button, which I replaced. Now it is possible to enter both recovery mode and download mode with no problems. However the main OS doesn't boot up. So I tried to do a full wipe in recovery mode and CWM recovery rebooted the phone, when it was trying to format /data partition. So I tried to flash stock firmware with ODIN. It also didn't boot up, but at least the stock recovery gave me a hint what is wrong. When I perform full wipe, I get error: "E:format_volume: make_extf4fs failed on /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata"
I tried to flash the phone again, this time with a PIT file and let ODIN to reformat the partitions. However, no change. How can I fix it?
Try twrp
A my friends a requesto to me my help whit you S4 Mini GT-I9195 LTE............ I don't see what's appened on phone but i thinks some goes in stuck and now i can access on Recovery (Home + Volume UP + Power ON) and immediatelly i obtain this so many error like on title.... i obtain somethigs like this (in red):
E:failed to mount /cache(invalid argument)
can't mount '/cache'(invalid argument)
E:failded to mount /cache(Invalid argument)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery (Invalid argument)
and other some many different error about /data and other so many whit /data/log ecc. ecc.
I don't have idea how i need to do.................
Also i can access on somethigs like download mode (Home + Volume Down + Power ON) and i obtain a messagge say to me continue whit press Volume UP and after that i thinks i can send somethigs to phone.....
Someone here can suggest me how i can be reobtain a full working phone ?
For now it's not important how rom i can flash.......... i need only to reobtain a Android running and after that i can try to upgrade this same rom to a newer version of android or similar........
Thanks in advance.....
*EDIT*
I have tryed to install the TWRP from and using heimdall..... apparently all commands it's be append succefully but when try to access to recovery i reobtain ever the stock and no twrp reappers.... my reply maked in twrp thread it's that:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=69739462&postcount=1240
*EDIT 2*
Very Very need to help boys! I have also tryed and successfully tried to flash the TWRP from odin and when i try to access to it no reach and i reobtain ever the stock recovery whit this many Failed to mount Failed to mount.................... need very help.
DjDiabolik said:
A my friends a requesto to me my help whit you S4 Mini GT-I9195 LTE............ I don't see what's appened on phone but i thinks some goes in stuck and now i can access on Recovery (Home + Volume UP + Power ON) and immediatelly i obtain this so many error like on title.... i obtain somethigs like this (in red):
E:failed to mount /cache(invalid argument)
can't mount '/cache'(invalid argument)
E:failded to mount /cache(Invalid argument)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery (Invalid argument)
and other some many different error about /data and other so many whit /data/log ecc. ecc.
I don't have idea how i need to do.................
Also i can access on somethigs like download mode (Home + Volume Down + Power ON) and i obtain a messagge say to me continue whit press Volume UP and after that i thinks i can send somethigs to phone.....
Someone here can suggest me how i can be reobtain a full working phone ?
For now it's not important how rom i can flash.......... i need only to reobtain a Android running and after that i can try to upgrade this same rom to a newer version of android or similar........
Thanks in advance.....
*EDIT*
I have tryed to install the TWRP from and using heimdall..... apparently all commands it's be append succefully but when try to access to recovery i reobtain ever the stock and no twrp reappers.... my reply maked in twrp thread it's that:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=69739462&postcount=1240
*EDIT 2*
Very Very need to help boys! I have also tryed and successfully tried to flash the TWRP from odin and when i try to access to it no reach and i reobtain ever the stock recovery whit this many Failed to mount Failed to mount.................... need very help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you haven't figured this out yet I'll throw in my 2 cents.
Start here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2678420
I don't know exactly what heimdall is but odin should work just fine for this. Try a few different odin versions if you have to as it has changed a lot over the years since the release of this phone.
Also make sure to uncheck reboot from odin, unplug after reflash, pull battery, then manually go to recovery immediately after flashing. If you get anywhere besides the TWRP you have to flash again.
civicsr2cool said:
If you haven't figured this out yet I'll throw in my 2 cents.
Start here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2678420
I don't know exactly what heimdall is but odin should work just fine for this. Try a few different odin versions if you have to as it has changed a lot over the years since the release of this phone.
Also make sure to uncheck reboot from odin, unplug after reflash, pull battery, then manually go to recovery immediately after flashing. If you get anywhere besides the TWRP you have to flash again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh thanks for reply........... i have also make some reply in this same thread. I have also tryed some solution but i ever obtain the stock recovery. Whit odin i have also tryed to reflash some complete image founded over internet:
I have tryed to flash the stock firmware I9195XXUCPB1_I9195ITVCPB2_ITV.zip downloaded from sammobile.... after extracted the md5 it's be flashed successfully but at restart the phone stuck on recovery whit so many error E: fault to mount and can't mount etc etc.
After this on internet i have tryed a stock firmware for odin splitted in 5 file including the .pit for re-partition completely the phone. Also here all flash by odin it's be completed whitout any problems and all it's successfull but same thigs........at restart again stuck at recovery.
I don't have idea what i come do again for tryed to fix this phone If you have so other suggest......... please explain me..
*EDIT*
A strange things i have notified on this phone......... every time i put the phone in download mode and using odin and at every flash i complete in theory i can see the flash count increase right ? In this phone after this all test and tryed i do i can see the flash count blocked at zero like i never flashing nothings....... it's normal ?