Develop Bugs

[SOLVED] "'Firmware upgrade encountered an issue." Softbrick issue

Hello XDA!
So, idiot that I am, I decided today would be a great time to root my Galaxy S III (SGH-T999N version). It was running Jellybean 4.3, so it had fewer root options than other, older Jellybean versions, but I still found a root file on here. I put it into USB debugging mode, downloaded the driver, Odin, and the root file. I also backed the phone up on Kies, and have that on my PC., I did everything right, and... it failed. I tried again without doing anything to the phone (read: kept it in download mode), but it failed again with a different root file. So, I turned it off, sad that I wasn't able to root it, and I came upon the dreaded 'Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again' screen.
After hours of searching, I saw two different solutions: downloading the 4.3 OS from online, and using Odin to flash that to the phone, or using Kies to reformat the phone. I've been trying Kies, but Kies 3 isn't recognizing the phone, and won't allow me to restore or to reformat the phone. I'm still waiting on the download of Jellybean 4.3 to finish so that I can try that (Odin HAS been recognizing the phone). While I wait, I wanted to know if other users have had similar problems that they've solved, or where I've gone wrong, and what I can fix.
As for additional details:
- I CAN put the phone into Download mode. I CANNOT do a factory reset through Vol. Up+Home+Power
- The status screen with 'Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again' also has this information at the top:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SGH-T999N
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: Yes (1 counts)
CURRENT BINARY: Custom
SYSTEM STATUS: Official
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE
Warranty Bit: 0
BOOTLOADER AP SWAREV: 1
- The phone is carried by Metro-PCS
Thanks in advance!

Okay, turns out the downloaded Jellybean 4.3 OS did the trick. For future people who run into this issue:
1. Have Odin 3.07 or higher downloaded (Odds are that you have this due to your phone's current state).
2. Download a copy of the OS you want from here: samsung-updates.com/device/?id=SCH-I535 Go to the dropdown menu on the left-hand side, and select your phone. Don't know/remeber your phone's identifier? Open up the back, remove the battery, and there should be a white sticker with your phone's model at the top. WARNING! Unless you plan to pay, these downloads will take a while. Do this when you can have your computer on for 4+ hours.
3. Once the download is complete, unzip the file, and place it in a location that you can easily find with Odin.
4. Open Odin, and make sure that Auto Reboot and F. Reset time are the only options checked. If there are other options selected, uncheck them and proceed.
5. Click the "PDA" button, and select your copy of the Android OS from where it was stored. Assuming everything has gone correctly, a message should appear in the Odin status box along the lines of "Check MD5... Do not unplug the cable...". Wait for the message "Leave CS..." to appear before proceeding.
6. Once "Leave CS..." has appeared, put your phone into Download mode (Turn it off, then restart by holding down the Vol. Down, Home, and Power keys until you get a screen that has informed you that you are in download mode.). Then, plug your usb cable into your PC/Laptop, and then into the USB outlet on the phone.
7. Once Odin has noted that your phone is attached, you can press "Start", and assuming all steps have been followed correctly, the new OS should download, and your phone will reboot, fully functional. If you are lucky like me, it will even have kept all of your settings!

[Q] Could not normal boot. ODIN MODE. WTF's going on with my phone. HELP!

So, after plugging my phone in to charge before going to bed, I awoke to a screen I've never seen before and don't know how or why. Also, the screen only goes away when I take out the battery, or take out the battery and hold power+volume down+home. Power+volume up+home doesn't do anything.
The screen I found when I awoke (power on, or if the phone is off and I plug it in to charge) is the "Downloading… Do not turn off target !!" deal, with the green guy in the center, and the top left reads:
Could not normal boot.
ODIN MODE
(both in red)
PRODUCT NAME: SPH-L710
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: No
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: NONE
QUALCOM SECURE BOOT: ENABLE
Warranty Bit: 0
BOOTLOADER RP SWERV: 1
(From qualcom to bootloader in gray)
Power+volume down+home takes me to the "Warning!! A custom OS can cause critical problems..." screen, and I hit cancel to restart, and it goes right back to the "Could not normal boot" screen again.
I have never tried to mess with rooting or un-rooting or anything like that, just used it as it came, and I'd really like to know how boned/not boned I am.
I spent most of the past couple of days and nights trying to find a fix, but I'm using a Mac, and can't get anywhere with android file transfer (the only thing I have used besides Kies Air, which also gets nowhere). I'll have access to a pc around noonish today…
I don't have an sd card in it, and haven't been able to do a manual back up since about October/November.
What can I do to fix this thing but not wipe all of my data off of the phone, if anything? Am I dreaming thinking I'll ever see any pics/vids or voice recorded files again?
Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

this link has steps for a no-wipe of data Odin.
http://androidromupdate.com/2013/11/29/install-stock-4-3-l710vpucmk3-samsung-galaxy-s3-l710-sprint/

Thanks J, I'll give it a shot when I can get behind a PC next. I'm having difficulties downloading the ROM though…I posted a comment asking the author if there was another link said she'd post it on mega instead of rapidgator in the future.
I'll let you know what happens once I give it a try, and thank you, again.

Galaxy Tab 3 NO Power, boot loops when plugged in. Otherwise nothing Video attached.

Hi all, I've been using XDA for years since the original O2 XDA's and I have never had to post anything as I've always found my solution. I'm hoping somebody can assist me with a problem I have on this stock galaxy tab 3.
The device was brought to me after being thrown down the stairs. I replaced the screen and built it back up,
Removed battery connector and reconnected = nothing happens
Press power = nothing happens
press download mode = nothing happens
press recovery mode = nothing happens
Plug USB into PC = nothing happens on PC or tablet
Plug in USB mains charger and it displays battery charging logo but it doesn't fill or animate the fill then it starts the samsung boot screen. It reboots and continues to do this constantly and never ends.
I've tried two batteries and both batteries work in another tab 3 but neither batteries changed how the device works.
Thank you for any advice in advanced!!

I just received a Tab 3 lite (SM-T110) for repair, it's having a similar problem.
It does automatically turn on when plugged into charger or computer.. It is stuck on a bootloop, requiesting a Kies recovery. It does reboot when given the three finger salute (center button, volume down, and power) - it will not enter recovery mode though - same firmware error message). The device is also full off or full on, no indication of it's it's recharging or no - let the battery run out, it's off - else it's on (does not turn on or off with power button). I don't have any info how it got into this state - most likely power loss during a firmware update, but haven't ruled out other possibilities (ie bad rooting job, a custom ROM upgrade went wrong, etc). I'm not 100% concerned about cause, but hopefully I can unbrick the thing.
Anyways, I loaded Kies onto my computer and put it into recovery mode and plugged it in - nothing. Exit the recovery mode of Kies, and all of a sudden the program goes nuts trying to connect and disconnect from the device. Hmm... Okay, disconnect it, uninstall Kies, install Kies3 and try again - same thing except it complains the device is too old when the program leaves recovery mode - but same thing otherwise - does not show up in recovery mode, connects and disconnects at huge rate when not in recovery mode....
Hmmm...
Now looking at the screen, it does indicate (in the upper left hand corner) that it's in ODIN mode... So my next step I figure I'll try ODIN (although I'm researching ODIN at the moment as I haven't used it before (never had to unbrick anything from Samsung prior to now).

Okay, that was painless - downloaded and installed ODIN 3.10.7, and then downloaded the latest firmware from Samsung, extracted the firmware, added it to ODIN's AP line, then hit start to push the latest firmware onto the tablet. Good as new again.

Need help with a S4 mini that wont turn on and can only enter download mode

I have this Samsung S4 mini (GT-I9195) phone that wont turn on. If your try to turn it on or boot into recovery mode, the screen remains black, but the phone vibrates. The phone can enter download mode, however when I tried to flash a firmware to it (I cant be sure if the model string is correct or not, I checked with another phone that is the exact same, and was bought around the same time) using odin, it hangs on initialization. If I unplug the phone while in download mode and plug it back in, it hands on setup connection. Both Kies and Kies 3 cannot initialize with the phone when I try to flash the firmware from there.
I have tried 3 different odin versions, 2 different computers, 3 different usb cables, 3 different ports on my main computer, and 2 different firmware files (unless I find the correct string I will always be unsure of which is the right one). They all hang on initialization.
In download mode the phone has the following lines of text at the top:
Odin mode
Product name: GT-I9195
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Official
Knox Kernel Lock: 0x0
Knox Warranty Void: 0x0
CSB-Config-LSB: 0x30
Bootloader AP SWREV: 2
Write Protection: Enable
The phone hasnt been rooted, and USB Debugging is not enabled.
The phone went into this bricked state after it was turned off by holding the power button until the power management screen appeared and the power off button on the screen was pressed. Then the phone was put to charge, and then refused to boot again.
I would be grateful for any assistance that I can receive to resolve this issue, as I am out of ideas myself.
If any other information is needed, just ask and I will try to provide it.
Thanks for spending your time to read this and coming up with something to help me.

I have the exact same problem sir, where you able to fix it? I really need help on this.

You can find Samsung S4 Mini LTE(GT-I9195) firmwares here:
http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=GT-I9195
Or, be sure to look here for the same, along with rooting tools and etc's, by Chainfire:
https://desktop.firmware.mobi/
Select the correct i9195 model(either serranoltevj or serranoltexx) and region.
Hopefully you'll have some luck there.

Samsung J6+ bootloop on download screen

Hey brothers, I recently tried to bypass my FRP on my Samsung J6+ by going into download and used a PC app to bypass, but during the download I pulled out the USB cable and disrupted the download. After the disruption my phone showed the words "An error has occurred while updating the device software. Use the Emergency recovery function in the Smart Switch PC software," it showed that screen until the battery died. I plugged in the charger and the same error message shows on the screen for a second and then the screen goes blank, it repeats non stop unless I remove the charger or USB cable. I cannot turn it on or off and cannot access the recovery area to factory reset.
Any pointers or tips on how to fix this?